i was sold a hammer as branching but now i’m thinking it might be a wall hammer? help please!

[postmalonestoes]

i got this “branching” hammer exactly 2 weeks ago and everyone at the store told me it was a branching hammer but now just by the looks of it with more research it seems like it might be a wall hammer. can someone help clarify that? thanks. (p.s. it looks a little beat up cause it’s not adapted to my parameters yet and i just fixed an alkalinity/salinity problem but it’s fine now)

 

[Reefing102]

I had a similar branching one (I’m assuming) as it had two heads. One head died but the other is thriving. Compared to my other branching hammers though, it does look like a wall type so I don’t know if there’s different types of branching

 

[JGT]

Appears to be a wall hammer.

 

[jrill]

Wall

 

[RedReefer]

Keep an eye on it. There is fresh skeleton showing at the bottom left side.

 

[Chrisv.]

A big head of a branching hammer looks like a very small wall hammer. I think this is probably one head that was about to split but is now probably on its way out. Since this is only one polyp, I have little hope of it recovering, but it would be awesome if I were wrong.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Thats some nice pretty white rock.

 

[newbie2014]

From the pic, I could only see a little white skeleton at the very bottom. It might have been cut too close to the flesh, and that will decrease its chance of survival.

ID wise; it could be either a wall or a splitting branch hammer. Did you pay for 1or 2 heads?

 

[newbie2014]

Thats some nice pretty white rock.

Yeah, I hope there are matured live rocks somewhere in the system.

 

[postmalonestoes]

Keep an eye on it. There is fresh skeleton showing at the bottom left side.

thanks, for sure. it’s just new and i’ve been playing with my parameters a bit recently

 

[postmalonestoes]

Yeah, I hope there are matured live rocks somewhere in the system.

what would you consider matured? i think it’s probably just the type i’ve live rock as my lfs only sells this colour of rock and the rocks in their systems are also white? thanks for the info tho because i’ve never heard that before

 

[Hugster78]

Thats some nice pretty white rock.

Looks brand spanking new

 

[postmalonestoes]

From the pic, I could only see a little white skeleton at the very bottom. It might have been cut too close to the flesh, and that will decrease its chance of survival.

ID wise; it could be either a wall or a splitting branch hammer. Did you pay for 1or 2 heads?

i didn’t actually ask as i don’t know my lfs pricing system but thanks

 

[postmalonestoes]

A big head of a branching hammer looks like a very small wall hammer. I think this is probably one head that was about to split but is now probably on its way out. Since this is only one polyp, I have little hope of it recovering, but it would be awesome if I were wrong.

thanks! any tips to maximize its chance at survival?

 

[Chrisv.]

thanks! any tips to maximize its chance at survival?

Honestly I think the coral needs stable favorable conditions. It’s tough to get that nailed down in a relatively new tank.

How long has your set up been going? The other comments about the rock looking new are relevant just because this kind of outcome might be explained by it being a freshly set up tank.

Could you tell us a little more about the tank? the tanks age and your water parameters would be a helpful place to start.

 

[newbie2014]

what would you consider matured? i think it’s probably just the type i’ve live rock as my lfs only sells this colour of rock and the rocks in their systems are also white? thanks for the info tho because i’ve never heard that before

The main thing people are wondering is if your tank/system has enough beneficial biological bacteria (matured) to support the coral. A matured live rocks do not maintain their white color.

This my new tank last March:

But in my sump are 30+lbs of these 5 yrs old live rocks from my old tank:

Yes, that’s clown eggs on top of an RBTA.

Here’s that hammer a month later:


Having matured/live rocks does help.

 

[postmalonestoes]

Honestly I think the coral needs stable favorable conditions. It’s tough to get that nailed down in a relatively new tank.

How long has your set up been going? The other comments about the rock looking new are relevant just because this kind of outcome might be explained by it being a freshly set up tank.

Could you tell us a little more about the tank? the tanks age and your water parameters would be a helpful place to start.

the tank is 4 and a half months old, nitrate - 8ppm/ nitrite - 0ppm/ ammonia - 0ppm/ alkalinity - 10 ppm/ calcium 430 ppm

 

[Chrisv.]

the tank is 4 and a half months old, nitrate - 8ppm/ nitrite - 0ppm/ ammonia - 0ppm/ alkalinity - 10 ppm/ calcium 430 ppm

So the bone white rock that the hammer is on has been in the tank 4.5 months?

 

[postmalonestoes]

So the bone white rock that the hammer is on has been in the tank 4.5 months?

yes

 

[Chrisv.]

yes

That's surprising-- I would expect there to be more life on there. E.g. algae and stuff. Any idea why it's so sterile? A 4.5 month old tank is often coated in all kinds of growth. I know this is a bit of a tangent, but I'm thinking that at 4.5 months a biological equilibrium should be on its way to being established and some microalgae are a part of that.

A 4.5 month old system should easily house many LPS corals, and a hammer shouldn't really present much of an issue.

How large is the tank? Have you tried any other corals? How long have you had fish in the system?