Different Types of Hammer Corals?

[Steve2020]

I just moved this 2 head Hammer from quarantine to main display tank today. He is on the sand bed temporarily for light acclimation. His polyp length is the same as it was when I purchased it from my LFS 2 weeks ago. His polyps are a lot shorter that my other Hammer which I have had for a year now. Question is are there short and long Hammer species or will they get longer over time? I ask this question because polyp length will determine the final resting place in the tank. Looked at some photos online and it looks like most if not all Hammers have longer polyps than this guy. Photo is actual color.

My other Hammer a year ago. Golf ball size. Photo taken before I learned how to take photos under blue light. Tank was only 1 month old.

1 year later and now softball size. Not sure how many heads now. Actual color of coral.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Old skool hammer

 

[Steve2020]

Old skool hammer

Funny!!!

 

[damsels are not mean]

There's 2 currently classified species of "hammer coral" (although coral species and genera are constantly shifting). F. ancora is the "wall" form and F paraancora is the branching kind. Neither is known to necessarily produce the short or long tentacles and I think in a lot of cases that is more nurture than nature based on flow and lighting.

 

[Steve2020]

There's 2 currently classified species of "hammer coral" (although coral species and genera are constantly shifting). F. ancora is the "wall" form and F paraancora is the branching kind. Neither is known to necessarily produce the short or long tentacles and I think in a lot of cases that is more nurture than nature based on flow and lighting.

I understand the wall and branching difference with Hammers and Frogspawn but what I am trying to get a grasp on is tentacle length differences. Just like the majority of Indo Torches have long narrow tentacles and Aussie Torches tend to have fatter and shorter tentacle compared to Indo. So if I understand you correctly tentacle length for Hammers is more dependent on flow and lighting than nature? So if I put 2 Hammers next to each other and both get the same flow and light they should have approx the same tentacle length assuming both Hammers are the same size? Am I understanding you correctly?

 

[damsels are not mean]

I understand the wall and branching difference with Hammers and Frogspawn but what I am trying to get a grasp on is tentacle length differences. Just like the majority of Indo Torches have long narrow tentacles and Aussie Torches tend to have fatter and shorter tentacle compared to Indo. So if I understand you correctly tentacle length for Hammers is more dependent on flow and lighting than nature? So if I put 2 Hammers next to each other and both get the same flow and light they should have approx the same tentacle length assuming both Hammers are the same size? Am I understanding you correctly?

I don't really know, more research needed. But flow and light play into it for sure. I think some are predisposed to longer or shorter tentacles and maybe there are more species or subspecies that haven't been described ? Torches are actually not closely related to hammers/frogspawn (although we previously believed them to be). So while the comparison is fair there I do not think the disparity between long and short tentacled ones is as big.

 

[MaxTremors]

The second one is a variety I’ve always thought to be a hammer/frogspawn hybrid. It doesn’t have the typical hammer shape at the end of the polyps and usually have several tentacles that sort of branch.

 

[Steve2020]

The second one is a variety I’ve always thought to be a hammer/frogspawn hybrid. It doesn’t have the typical hammer shape at the end of the polyps and usually have several tentacles that sort of branch.

It is Deffinantly a Hammer. Not a Frammer. Here is a photo from Coral Farm of the type I have.

This is what my Frammer looks like. Hammer and Frog combo if you want to call it that. Split heads.

 

[damsels are not mean]

could be a euphyllia baliensis, not a hammer technically (it is a euphyllia meaning it is related more to torches) though sometimes called one

 

[Steve2020]

could be a euphyllia baliensis, not a hammer technically (it is a euphyllia meaning it is related more to torches) though sometimes called one

Had to look that one up. They say the branches are thin, thinner than Acros. Mine has thick branches like a Hammer. If it is a Baliensis then people are selling these as Hammers. Very interesting. Amazing what you can learn on this site.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Had to look that one up. They say the branches are thin, thinner than Acros. Mine has thick branches like a Hammer. If it is a Baliensis then people are selling these as Hammers. Very interesting. Amazing what you can learn on this site.

Yeah i am thinking yours is a true hammer as well, just a suggestion and something I learned about recently that I think is interesting. Mine is similar but has extended a lot more since bought it. On the seller's site the polyps looked a lot tighter with shorter tentacles but in a spot with filtered light and low but turbulent flow it seems to open up to almost twice that size and is growing new tentacles pretty fast as well.

 

[ArachnoJoozt]

My Hammer changed from short tentacle to long tentacle in my tank in about a year. So I'm guessing the environment has a lot to do with it.

When I bought it:

How it looks now:

 

[Hooz]

Yes, there are different tentacle lengths in "hammer corals". Yes, they will also contract/extend more based on flow and lighting.