Hammer Dying

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

A few days ago, everything was looking good all of a sudden after feeding the corals oyster feast, one of my hammer polyps started to close a little bit so I did a water change only 10 gallons and today a second one looks a little more closed.

It used to look like this less than a week ago

shwareefer · Nov 3, 2023

There's nothing wrong with it.

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

shwareefer said:
There's nothing wrong with it.

Do you see the size difference in the polyps !?!?!

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

shwareefer said:
There's nothing wrong with it.

The first pictures are what it looks like now

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

tbrown · Nov 3, 2023

How long has it been in the tank? Any recent changes to lighting, flow, or the location of the hammer? What are your nutrient levels and tank parameters?

Alk, calcium, magnesium, pH, temp, specific gravity, nitrates, phosphates...

tbrown · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:

I noticed that too in the first set of pictures. Looks like something is munching on the skeleton and maybe some flesh receding? Those almost look like urchin clean...

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

tbrown said:
How long has it been in the tank? Any recent changes to lighting, flow, or the location of the hammer? What are your nutrient levels and tank parameters?

Alk, calcium, magnesium, pH, temp, specific gravity, nitrates, phosphates...

My levels are stable. Maybe maybe slight elevated phosphates and nitrates not too much and no hasn’t moved in three months. Everything’s been the same.

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

tbrown said:
I noticed that too in the first set of pictures. Looks like something is munching on the skeleton and maybe some flesh receding? Those almost look like urchin clean...

What is urchin clean?

afrokobe · Nov 3, 2023

doesnt look like anything is wrong to me. maybe a crab came by and touched it causing the polyps to retract a little

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

afrokobe said:
doesnt look like anything is wrong to me. maybe a crab came by and touched it causing the polyps to retract a little

It’s been like that for 4 to 5 days

tbrown · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:
What is urchin clean?

The bright white skeleton showing through. Something is hanging out cleaning that spot. Urchins will eat the algae and grab bits of rock or skeleton so the bright white shows through. Most other CUC don't get all the way down to skeleton like that. I'm thinking something is bothering it or the flesh has receded.

Those two are definitely receded since there appears to be no flesh band showing.

Poseidon03 · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:
My levels are stable. Maybe maybe slight elevated phosphates and nitrates not too much and no hasn’t moved in three months. Everything’s been the same.

What do you mean by maybe? Have you tested them?

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

Poseidon03 said:
What do you mean by maybe? Have you tested them?

Yes, I did test them I was saying within the past three days nitrates could have raised a tiny bit

ReeferTang44 · Nov 3, 2023

tbrown said:
The bright white skeleton showing through. Something is hanging out cleaning that spot. Urchins will eat the algae and grab bits of rock or skeleton so the bright white shows through. Most other CUC don't get all the way down to skeleton like that. I'm thinking something is bothering it or the flesh has receded.

Those two are definitely receded since there appears to be no flesh band showing.

What should I do?

tbrown · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:
What should I do?

Not sure, I'm not a Euphyllia expert. A lot of people would probably say do a KFC dip (Kung Fu Corals makes this but there are DIY versions) or iodine dip?

@ADAM any advice? Am I seeing it correctly that there's definitely flesh recession?

kevgib67 · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:
What should I do?

Although the pictures look the same to me there appears to be a receding flesh band. I would be suspicious that you have low calcium and magnesium and/or nutrients. You need to list all your parameters so we can help.

vetteguy53081 · Nov 3, 2023

ReeferTang44 said:
A few days ago, everything was looking good all of a sudden after feeding the corals oyster feast, one of my hammer polyps started to close a little bit so I did a water change only 10 gallons and today a second one looks a little more closed.

It used to look like this less than a week ago

May be reaction to oyster feast which is quite milky. I feed mine mysis shrimp
Assure calcium has not dropped below 400 and phosphate has not become elevated

CoralsComeInMoreColors · Nov 3, 2023

u fed it and its feeding dont worry about it will come back when the feeding response is done, the polyps extend more when it absorbs water and closes up more when it is changing the water in its system

ADAM · Nov 4, 2023

tbrown said:
Not sure, I'm not a Euphyllia expert. A lot of people would probably say do a KFC dip (Kung Fu Corals makes this but there are DIY versions) or iodine dip?

@ADAM any advice? Am I seeing it correctly that there's definitely flesh recession?

From the info given I’d suspect either a PO4 rise or something picking at the skeleton (but only if the recession is limited to that specific area). I’d give it a quick pest dip after lights out in just in case.