Hammer coral polyp bailout?

[aquatic_dad]

Any idea why this hammer is losing its polyps? Others next to it seem to be fine, didn’t see any pests around either.

Nitrate 3.0
Phosphate 0.03
Alk 9.5
Calcium 440
Mag 1320

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks that way and likely due to stress
Either too much flow and/or too much or little light
Calcium at 440 is very important also
Low calcium will stress them and cause this

 

[aquatic_dad]

Here is a video.

 

[Shirak]

Can you get a clear shot under white light? Can't tell if there is flesh still in the ridges of the exposed skeleton.. kinda looks like it. Is it a small wall hammer? Usually if it's bailing out the flesh that has detached is still there and flapping in the flow. I don't see that in the video. Makes me think it's partly died off.

 

[aquatic_dad]

Yesterday I saw some polyps on the rock in between the other corals, but they blew off. It’s a small wall hammer yes.
Here is more pic

/ video

 

[aquatic_dad]

By the way I dip all my corals in iodine before adding.

 

[Shirak]

doesn't look good. Maybe some infection or something. Doesn't look quite like BJD but could be. I see a lot of muck where the hammer is gone. Sad to say I think it's gone and will continue to deteriorate and potentially spread whatever is killing it to the other hammers. I would remove it carefully with the pumps off. Wall hammers are notoriously difficult and could be that it alone..

Dipping can help but I have had mixed results with Iodine particularly with Euphyllia and potential BJD. I keep Cipro on hand from now on. I do dip in Bayer and or Coral RX for new corals but for other pests, not bacteria.