Hammer coral is dying?!

[Greenebean04]

My hammer coral is dying it looks like and I am very concerned about my yellow clown goby picking at it, is this normal? When I first got my hammer it opened up beautifully and now I don’t know what is going on...

 

[mich2599]

Parameters?

 

[Greenebean04]

Parameters?

Ph: 8.3
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0.15
Nitrate: 5.0
Salinity: 1.024

 

[Goomba_BC]

Yikes! Looks like your Clown Goby has gotten a taste for your hammer coral.

 

[Brian1f1]

Ph: 8.3
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0.15
Nitrate: 5.0
Salinity: 1.024

Wow wow wow, retest that ammonia. What kit are you using? How old is this tank?

seriously, you might have a real emergency here, get back to us and we can advise.

 

[Greenebean04]

Yikes! Looks like your Clown Goby has gotten a taste for your hammer coral.

Should I get rid of him? He does seem to irritate quite a few of my corals

 

[Greenebean04]

Wow wow wow, retest that ammonia. What kit are you using? How old is this tank?

seriously, you might have a real emergency here, get back to us and we can advise.

I am new at the hobby so I just use the saltwater master test kit, the tank is 5 months old, I rested the ammonia and it is right between 0 and 0.25, closer to 0 but I am not 100% positive

 

[Brian1f1]

I am new at the hobby so I just use the saltwater master test kit, the tank is 5 months old, I rested the ammonia and it is right between 0 and 0.25, closer to 0 but I am not 100% positive

It should not be showing ammonia. Has it ever tested 0? Did you do a water change recently? Add a bunch of life or feed a lot? Your nitrites are zero, so either you have a new spike or your test kits off.

If you have an ammonia spike you have a bigger problem. Need to sort that. If you don’t, you might hack that dead head off to stop it from spreading. Take it out, use a chisel and, minding the other heads and flesh, break that piece off and discard it tonight. Maybe suck the dead off it before you try to lift it out. Want to limit the spread of any infection.

As far as the goby goes, he almost certainly had nothing to do with it and is messing with the decaying coral. I mean, it’a be a first in my 20 years if it did.....

 

[Greenebean04]

It should not be showing ammonia. Has it ever tested 0? Did you do a water change recently? Add a bunch of life or feed a lot? Your nitrites are zero, so either you have a new spike or your test kits off.

If you have an ammonia spike you have a bigger problem. Need to sort that. If you don’t, you might hack that dead head off to stop it from spreading. Take it out, use a chisel and, minding the other heads and flesh, break that piece off and discard it tonight. Maybe suck the dead off it before you try to lift it out. Want to limit the spread of any infection.

As far as the goby goes, he almost certainly had nothing to do with it and is messing with the decaying coral. I mean, it’a be a first in my 20 years if it did.....

Usually my ammonia is always 0 this this is a first for me, and I did a water change about 5 days ago. I have cut back in feeding quite a bit. I don’t have any way to cute the dead piece off right now, should I just take it to my local coral store? And thank you so much for all of your help

 

[Brian1f1]

Usually my ammonia is always 0 this this is a first for me, and I did a water change about 5 days ago. I have cut back in feeding quite a bit. I don’t have any way to cute the dead piece off right now, should I just take it to my local coral store? And thank you so much for all of your help

Your welcome. If you can’t cut it off tonight, like with a screw driver and a hammer, it’ll prob be too late if it is infected to go to lfs. Just suction the dead out.

Ammonia spike is a big big concern then. Do you have make up water ready to go? If you do, test it for ammonia. If it’s zero, go ahead and do a water change tonight, and monitor that ammonia level. If it doesn’t drop or if it goes up we’ve got more to do.

 

[Goomba_BC]

I would definitely think the goby is part of the issue. It's caught on video. Do a search of Clown Gobies reef safe. It's been noted mostly with SPS but there are people noting LPS as well. Just saying...

 

[Firedawg1983]

Is the water cloudy or is it just me? You shouldn’t have any ammonia like stated above

 

[Greenebean04]

Your welcome. If you can’t cut it off tonight, like with a screw driver and a hammer, it’ll prob be too late if it is infected to go to lfs. Just suction the dead out.

Ammonia spike is a big big concern then. Do you have make up water ready to go? If you do, test it for ammonia. If it’s zero, go ahead and do a water change tonight, and monitor that ammonia level. If it doesn’t drop or if it goes up we’ve got more to do.

I suctioned all of the dead out of it, all that is left it the skeleton on the one branch and I will cut it off tomorrow, and I will do a water change, once again thank you so much!!! I will keep you posted

 

[Brian1f1]

I would definitely think the goby is part of the issue. It's caught on video. Do a search of Clown Gobies reef safe. It's been noted mostly with SPS but there are people noting LPS as well. Just saying...

hmm, I’d like to see the video. Was the polyp already torn up in it? The vid is blank on my end. That said, there is a bigger issue here anyway.

 

[Brian1f1]

I suctioned all of the dead out of it, all that is left it the skeleton on the one branch and I will cut it off tomorrow, and I will do a water change, once again thank you so much!!! I will keep you posted

Listen to me, check the new water for ammonia first, that might be the source. Otherwise, good job.

 

[Brian1f1]

Is the water cloudy or is it just me? You shouldn’t have any ammonia like stated above

That’s a good question. I see it too.

 

[Greenebean04]

Is the water cloudy or is it just me? You shouldn’t have any ammonia like stated above

The water looked very cloudy in the picture and video because I

hmm, I’d like to see the video. Was the polyp already torn up in it? The vid is blank on my end. That said, there is a bigger issue here anyway.

hmm, I’d like to see the video. Was the polyp already torn up in it? The vid is blank on my end. That said, there is a bigger issue here anyway.

the water does look cloudy, I didn’t think about that...

 

[Goomba_BC]

hmm, I’d like to see the video. Was the polyp already torn up in it? The vid is blank on my end. That said, there is a bigger issue here anyway.

Ah gotcha. The video showed it biting 3 different spots on the hammer. I agree the most concerning is the ammonia though.

 

[Greenebean04]

Ah gotcha. The video showed it biting 3 different spots on the hammer. I agree the most concerning is the ammonia though.

I will definitely get the ammonia in check thank you!

 

[Greenebean04]

Listen to me, check the new water for ammonia first, that might be the source. Otherwise, good job.

Thank you!!