Whats happening to this hammer?

[jordanrb]

Never had this happen before. Have about 5 other hammers in the tank. This one is the smallest by a lot. Didn't really open nicely today and just notice this long string come out over the last 5 minutes. What would cause this and what is happening?

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Never had this happen before. Have about 5 other hammers in the tank. This one is the smallest by a lot. Didn't really open nicely today and just notice this long string come out over the last 5 minutes. What would cause this and what is happening?

Hard to say. A picture under white light would help.

 

[jordanrb]

This is the best I could get. Cranked my whites up and still a bad picture. Its a long brown string. Almost translucent.

 

[Dom]

It may be reaching out to the water column to feed, but it isn't exactly what I see with my hammers when they feed.

It kinda looks like the angel hair algae in my planted fresh water tank.

 

[Dom]

This is the best I could get. Cranked my whites up and still a bad picture. Its a long brown string. Almost translucent.

Is it rigid or does it move with water flow?

 

[jordanrb]

It may be reaching out to the water column to feed, but it isn't exactly what I see with my hammers when they feed.

It kinda looks like the angel hair algae in my planted fresh water tank.

Its translucent almost like the head of the hammer. It flows with the water and small pieces detach

 

[Dom]

Its translucent almost like the head of the hammer. It flows with the water and small pieces detach

It kind of looks like algae.

Give it a tug and see if it comes off.

 

[JonoH]

Looks like its pooping!

Like...its actually pooping haha.

 

[ScottJ]

Excreting waste maybe.

 

[jordanrb]

Looks like its pooping!

Like...its actually pooping haha.

Really? I've never seen any of my hammers do this. Does it usually retract while doing it?

 

[jordanrb]

Excreting waste maybe.

Never knew that was a thing..I hope that is the case!

 

[JonoH]

Really? I've never seen any of my hammers do this. Does it usually retract while doing it?

Not always, generally you can see its mouth open though through the polyps.

 

[NanoSteam]

Yup as @ScottJ mentioned looks to just be pooping. They do that from time to time.

 

[Shirak]

Agree expelling something out the mouth. I would be more concerned with all that white skeleton showing below the polyp. Looks like it lost a lot of tissue quickly and recently.

ps. this is not the best forum for LPS questions

 

[jordanrb]

Excreting waste maybe.

Never knew that was a thing..I hope that is the case!

 

[jordanrb]

Agree expelling something out the mouth. I would be more concerned with all that white skeleton showing below the polyp. Looks like it lost a lot of tissue quickly and recently.

ps. this is not the best forum for LPS questions

What is the base supposed to look like? All my hammers look similar. One being about the size of a tennis ball and nice and plump every day

 

[Shirak]

What is the base supposed to look like? All my hammers look similar. One being about the size of a tennis ball and nice and plump every day

Ideally should be some flesh extending down the outside of the skeleton. New additions and newly imported Euphyllia it might just be a narrow band. It can become a pretty wide band over time as the coral head grows upward. There is usually a little white below the this band of flesh as the tissue slowly moves up the skeleton as the head grows upward. The newly exposed skeleton is very white and will darken over time. Any time there is a big wide white band of newly exposed skeleton this is a sign of rapid tissue loss and could be a problem if it continues.

I had to borrow a photo from the internet but here is one with a wide tissue band visible.

 

[jordanrb]

Ideally should be some flesh extending down the outside of the skeleton. New additions and newly imported Euphyllia it might just be a narrow band. It can become a pretty wide band over time as the coral head grows upward. There is usually a little white below the this band of flesh as the tissue slowly moves up the skeleton as the head grows upward. The newly exposed skeleton is very white and will darken over time. Any time there is a big wide white band of newly exposed skeleton this is a sign of rapid tissue loss and could be a problem if it continues.

I had to borrow a photo from the internet but here is one with a wide tissue band visible.

Ok thats good to know. I will keep an eye on it! Hopefully not a loss