Help identify possible hammer coral pest

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Is it possible there was some damage done to that one area where the filaments are sticking out?
This does not look like normal receding tissue from poor water quality.

Thank you for your response. The coral was in great shape for months and thinking back I can't remember anything that stands out that might have damaged it. It was huge and fluffy and really a beautiful specimen. Kinda sad really to see it shrinking up.

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Looks like poriferan sponge growth climbing the skeleton looking like cryptic sponge. Remove and place in container of tank water and scrape off or inject with vinegar to stop its activity.
Elevate the frag a little in tank as sand can also irritate it. Lastly, assure calcium is no less than 380-400 which skeleton needs and avoids the extremes which are extreme water flow and light. Too much light will cause it to expel its zooxanthellae which is its energy and color source and too much flow especially if polyps are bent over the skeleton will cause the flesh to tear away.
Moderate light and subtle to moderate water flow is sufficient and feed 2X a week with mysis shrimp

Thank you for your response. So should I put just the base or trunk in the vinegar or the whole thing and at what strength would you recommend? I will raise it to the rock work as I only put it there for easier viewing. I've never tried to spot feed because I thought they don't take in food but I will try now. This particular coral looked like it was splitting which I was very happy about but now it's not doing well. I'm starting to think I must have gave it too much flow at some point because I can't think of anything else.

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/poriferan

No way is that a sponge.
And it's been glued so it's gone.
-_-

Thanks for your response. Do you mean the sponge is gone or the coral. Please say it ain't so!

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

That might be low lighting, depending on how deep your tank is. Any other insight on tank size, flow, and parameters. I'd say parameters would be the most likely culprit, since lower lighting won't be the thing that ticks it off first.

Thank you very much for the help. I am starting to think flow may be the culprit. I have an all in one with a jebeo wave maker that I only run at night for about 4 hours in a pulsing mode after things retract a bit for the night. I did start running it in the day periodically though because I figured it would be good to remove any detritus during the day. I did stop that when the hammer started looking bad. It was likely too much because it was close to it. Thanks for helping me retrace my steps and hopefully that is what it was and maybe it will rebound.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for your response. So should I put just the base or trunk in the vinegar or the whole thing and at what strength would you recommend? I will raise it to the rock work as I only put it there for easier viewing. I've never tried to spot feed because I thought they don't take in food but I will try now. This particular coral looked like it was splitting which I was very happy about but now it's not doing well. I'm starting to think I must have gave it too much flow at some point because I can't think of anything else.

No - inject vinegar or air into sponge mass OR expose coral to air briefly or scrape it off with a paring knife- the safest

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Is it possible there was some damage done to that one area where the filaments are sticking out?
This does not look like normal receding tissue from poor water quality.

Thank you for the help. These conversations have made me remember I was using my wave maker during the day which is close to the hammer. It is possible it was too powerful and damaged the coral. Hopefully not to the point of no return

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

No - inject vinegar or air into sponge mass OR expose coral to air briefly or scrape it off with a paring knife- the safest

Okay will do. Thank you!

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Thank you all very much for the help. I'm new to the site any am blown away by all the help and camaraderie. I should have joined sooner!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Okay will do. Thank you!

Please don't!!

 

[Kasrift]

There is a lot of great info here and people willing to help out. The one thing you have to heed is that most everyone has anecdotal evidence or experience. That is why this forum is good for bouncing ideas off of others or getting their opinions.

I'd love to get @vetteguy53081's opinion as to why you think it is a sponge. Are you referring to the same part of the image, which is the noodle looking stuff right at the neck of the hammer?

 

[Dburr1014]

OMG, this is a nightmare.
VG is not even reading the thread. He is only going by the first post and regurgitating what he wrote.
OP, you are going to kill this hammer.
When I said it was glued and gone I meant that you already glued what was there so it is gone. I basically was talking about vetguy not reading the thread cuz what he thinks is a sponge is gone because you glued it. But in fact he didn't read that part.

If you think it could be the power head, that is a good possibility. They like medium random flow.

There is a lot of great info here and people willing to help out. The one thing you have to heed is that most everyone has anecdotal evidence or experience. That is why this forum is good for bouncing ideas off of others or getting their opinions.

I'd love to get @vetteguy53081's opinion as to why you think it is a sponge. Are you referring to the same part of the image, which is the noodle looking stuff right at the neck of the hammer?

Yes, me too. Sometimes people can be a great wealth of resource but sometimes I wonder. If you want to help others you must learn to listen. In this case read. Read the posts to see how we got here before you respond.

 

[Dburr1014]

This picture makes me wonder if he thinks the flesh on the back side is actually a sponge. But it's not, it's infact flesh. Can everyone see that?

 

[vetteguy53081]

OMG, this is a nightmare.
VG is not even reading the thread. He is only going by the first post and regurgitating what he wrote.
OP, you are going to kill this hammer.
When I said it was glued and gone I meant that you already glued what was there so it is gone. I basically was talking about vetguy not reading the thread cuz what he thinks is a sponge is gone because you glued it. But in fact he didn't read that part.

If you think it could be the power head, that is a good possibility. They like medium random flow.

Yes, me too. Sometimes people can be a great wealth of resource but sometimes I wonder. If you want to help others you must learn to listen. In this case read. Read the posts to see how we got here before you respond.

Why wont you find something better to do than to follow me and the stupid comments. Youve been Nothing but Disrespectful and I have tolerated it but done with your nonsense.
Grow up already - seriously !!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

There is a lot of great info here and people willing to help out. The one thing you have to heed is that most everyone has anecdotal evidence or experience. That is why this forum is good for bouncing ideas off of others or getting their opinions.

I'd love to get @vetteguy53081's opinion as to why you think it is a sponge. Are you referring to the same part of the image, which is the noodle looking stuff right at the neck of the hammer?

Im going to look on a larger screen than phone but has clear appearance of tissue/sponge material. I have many hammers and never seen this on mine

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Again thank you all for the help I didn't mean to start anything amongst members. I really appreciate all the help to save my coral. I'm not too worried about the pineapple sponges but I'm definitely hoping this coral will rebound. I'm going to test like a scientist and take it easy with my wave maker even at night. I will reduce it from four hours to an hour just to get things suspended into the water column and into the filtration.

 

[Dburr1014]

Why wont you find something better to do than to follow me and the stupid comments. Youve been Nothing but Disrespectful and I have tolerated it but done with your nonsense.
Grow up already - seriously !!!

Do you honestly think I follow you? You are sadly mistaken. Some days I think you follow me, LOL.
Look, I read your posts. Some, insightful.
Most, a cut and paste off the internet as if it was your own work. I have copied some, found where you got them, and pasted the whole article.
Then there are some like this thread when you don't even read it and give out advice. It comes out of left field. You don't read the body.
I'm just here to help people, like you. I read the thread and if I have no insight, I move on. If I do have insight, I post. I also follow the post and read the comments of the whole group before I posts again.

Never meant to be disruptive or disrespectful. Sorry if you feel that way. You can always put me on mute if it bothers you.

Have a nice day!

 

[Dburr1014]

A good read

Scientific Nomenclature - Stony Corals - gibell Aquarium Society

The naming of living things follows a classification scheme known as scientific nomenclature that groups living organisms on the basis of their shared

www.gibellaquarium.us

 

[Reefing Madness]

Really guys?? Thats enough don't you think?

 

[Deep Dive Aquatics]

Just to give an update to everyone that helped. The hammer isn't looking as good as when I got it but it's noticably better!

 

[Kasrift]

Just to give an update to everyone that helped. The hammer isn't looking as good as when I got it but it's noticably better!

That looks a ton better. Btw, flow is really important, I think you should adjust so that you can run your wave maker all of the time. Just adjust the intensity and you should be fine.