Is this hammer a goner?

[ReadySet-Flow]

I got this hammer a little under a week ago. It’s been happy, fluffy and extended. Yesterday it was shriveled up and closed. Today I woke up to this. I’m going to do a water change cuz those can never hurt and I’m hoping this hammer somehow recovers. It’s not looking good.

 

[piranhaman00]

Do you have peppermint shrimp?

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

I found a tiny dead hermit behind a rock. Is it possible that the decay could be causing problems?

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

Do you have peppermint shrimp?

No peppermint shrimp, one cleaner shrimp though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not necessarily goner but something is happening to cause it to recede:
Check:
Salinity
Nitrate
Ph
Alk
Mag
Calcium

Moderate light and water flow, occasional feedings
Alk 7-9
Mag 1300
Salinity. 1.025 (assure you’re not getting false reading
Ca. 450
Nitrate. 0.03
Temperature 76-79

 

[Pntbll687]

If there is still flesh, it can survive and come back. Check the general parameters like vetteguy mentioned above

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

Alk: 8.4
Mag: I don’t have a kit for that since I’m colorblind I can’t trust them either
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 76.8
Ph: 7.7
Phosphate: .5ppm
Calcium: 474
Waiting for the nitrate test kit now
It finished: 15ppm

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

Well, nitrate is 15ppm. I’m thinking ph is my problem. With it being at 7.7 that’s too low.

I’m mixing and heating some saltwater now, so hopefully a 2/3 water change, stringing some more in over the week, with observation will be enough for it to recover.

 

[LeftyReefer]

I don't think a ph of 7.7 is going to kill your hammer.

But opening a window, or piping some fresh air to your skimmer would help raise it passively.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Don't throw it out, even if it looses all its flesh. You'll be surprised how hammers come back from seemingly nothing.

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

Don't throw it out, even if it looses all its flesh. You'll be surprised how hammers come back from seemingly nothing.

Ok I’ll keep it in the tank well after I think it’s dead.

 

[ReadySet-Flow]

I don't think a ph of 7.7 is going to kill your hammer.

But opening a window, or piping some fresh air to your skimmer would help raise it passively.

The lights only turned on an hour before I took the reading so it’s probably low because of a lack of photosynthesis going on.