What is happening to my hammer?

[JayFish4004]

Everything else in tank is doing well - params where they should be and 2 hammers and a frogspawn right beside this guy all doing well.

Still comes out fine during the day, but right around 9pm every night he looks like this. My first instict is maybe a fish is eating the tops off these, but I only have gobies so not sure if they’re capable of this. Also maybe it’s coming off the skeleton? But some of these brown things look like they’re coming out of the tips.

Here he is at night

March 7, 2022

youtube.com

And another shot during the day earlier:

March 7, 2022

youtube.com

 

[JayFish4004]

Is he a goner? Should I pull from tank to avoid brown jelly?

 

[JayFish4004]

Anybody?

 

[rhostam]

If you can isolate it from the system I would do it now. It spreads and can do so quickly.

 

[JayFish4004]

If you can isolate it from the system I would do it now. It spreads and can do so quickly.

I don’t have a separate system - if I suspect brown jelly I’ll probably need to toss him. Are you thinking he’s a goner?

 

[rhostam]

I don’t have a separate system - if I suspect brown jelly I’ll probably need to toss him. Are you thinking he’s a goner?

I’ve never had a coral survive it. I didn’t have the tools needed to try and excise the infected heads/tissue. Before I recognized what it was, I tried sucking up the matter with a turkey baster. Mistake! It spread quickly and I lost four other vitals within days.

 

[JayFish4004]

I’ve never had a coral survive it. I didn’t have the tools needed to try and excise the infected heads/tissue. Before I recognized what it was, I tried sucking up the matter with a turkey baster. Mistake! It spread quickly and I lost four other vitals within days.

Okay so I pulled him out into a breeder box - it is all green algae and its been spreading. I don’t see any brown jelly but I fear the jelly could be coming.

could this be a result of a fish biting heads off or do you think its something else?

Where would you go from here? I have a 20 gallon and no separate system so as much as it sucks I can’t risk one coral screwing the bunch, so I’ll defer to cutting losses over trying to treat unfortunately.

 

[rhostam]

Oh, wow. That’s interesting. I agree, unless this guy is resilient BJD is probably coming. Perhaps others can offer definitive advice since I’m now not sure about the algae and the view of the last picture.

 

[Shirak]

How long have you had this hammer? Tissue is lacking.. and the exposed tips of the skeleton are growing algae. Could be from losing tissue over time or from damage to the polyp from shipping or from something in the tank where the skeleton ridges are very sharp at the top. I don't see much tissue extending down the outside of the skeleton like it should in a healthy growing Euphyllia.

Pictures of the other hammers and frogspawn? And parameters where they should be is kinda vague..

 

[JayFish4004]

How long have you had this hammer? Tissue is lacking.. and the exposed tips of the skeleton are growing algae. Could be from losing tissue over time or from damage to the polyp from shipping or from something in the tank where the skeleton ridges are very sharp at the top. I don't see much tissue extending down the outside of the skeleton like it should in a healthy growing Euphyllia.

Pictures of the other hammers and frogspawn? And parameters where they should be is kinda vague..

He had been in the tank for probably a good 7-8 months - I did take him out about a month or two back to scrape a vermatid snail off of his base. I’m not certain, but it’s possible I accidentally cut his outer tissue when cutting through the snail’s base. That is the only thing I can think might’ve caused this. I have 2 other hammers, a frogspawn and 2 torches all doing great, so I am super doubtful its the water.

I just got an ATI ICP test back yesterday and it was perfectly fine - I usually do them once a month or so.