Hammer Issues?

Dustin813 · Dec 25, 2017

Hey guys, I’ve been noticing that one of the heads on my hammer is starting to look sick. Over the last few weeks the head has been looking like it is “stretching.” I assumed that it was getting ready to split, but now it has started getting a bit smaller and just doesn’t appear to be happy. I’ve tested water 2x per week since I’ve started adding coral, and the results are very close each time. Water tested today @:
MG- 1340
CA- 445
KH- 11.2 (a little high I think)
PH- 8.1
Temp- 77.4

Is there something I may be missing here. I’m adding aquavitro fuel twice per week. Everything else in the tank seems to be very happy.

Thanks for any answers you guys may provide!

Katrina71 · Dec 25, 2017

Mine did that when it needed a little more flow.

Crreef · Dec 25, 2017

Try moving it into a bit more flow and if that doesn’t work I’m not really sure. Has any crabs or fish been bothering it constantly?

HB AL · Dec 25, 2017

Maybe a flatworm is eating it, dip it and see if one comes off. I had the same issue not thinking a parasite but maybe a bacterial ailment so I dipped it in coral dip, and after a few minutes this big flatworm is in the bottom of the bowl. It now is happy shooting out new heads.

Dustin813 · Dec 26, 2017

Crreef said:
Try moving it into a bit more flow and if that doesn’t work I’m not really sure. Has any crabs or fish been bothering it constantly?

I’ve never seen any of the fish or crabs mess with it at all. I think it may have been a little high in the tank, so I moved it down some earlier.

Anyone know if it could be some sort of stress from the lights being too close?

mtraylor · Dec 28, 2017

I would dip it and then put in a nice flow area as people suggested above.

Dustin813 · Dec 28, 2017

Update- I moved this guy down about 6 inches in the tank, and it immediately solved the problem. Big and happy again

Dustin813 · Dec 28, 2017

Some updates photos...this guy was placed low in the tank to begin with, so I moved it down into the sand bed and it opened all the way up in less than a day. Doesn’t appear to be getting any more flow than it was.