I can't keep Wall Hammers? They eventually melt away.

[TWT5011]

Tonight I had to remove yet another hammer coral (wall variety). I've kept a reef aquarium 10+ years... but I can't seem to keep the wall hammer corals. I have branching varieties that give me no trouble.

Does anyone else have issues with the wall variety of hammer corals?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels?

 

[ScottR]

Tonight I had to remove yet another hammer coral (wall variety). I've kept a reef aquarium 10+ years... but I can't seem to keep the wall hammer corals. I have branching varieties that give me no trouble.

Does anyone else have issues with the wall variety of hammer corals?

I always see wall hammers at LFSs. I’ve never bought or kept any. But I’ve noticed that they don’t do well in captivity. No idea why.

 

[DDW]

I always see wall hammers at LFSs. I’ve never bought or kept any. But I’ve noticed that they don’t do well in captivity. No idea why.

+1 to that. The branching ones tend to do well and tolerated pretty much all of my screw ups, but the wall hammers were always heartbreaks in the end.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's had this happen!

 

[ScottR]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's had this happen!

I see probably 50 reef tanks every week. I’ve yet to see one keep a wall hammer more than 3 months. The tentacles tend to shrink and pull in to the crown slowly and eventually fade away. I’d usually suspect bacterial infections which is common with euphyllia but it’s odd in this sense.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

If it is bacterial, I wonder if a good iodine dip or some other disinfecting step would help?

 

[ScottR]

If it is bacterial, I wonder if a good iodine dip or some other disinfecting step would help?

I use povidone iodine to dip all my euphyllia before putting in tank. And I’ve saved some after an iodine dip. Classic signs of a bacterial infection are when they won’t fully open and start to shed tentacles or if they have brown jelly. You can also pull it and smell it. If it has a foul smell, definitely bacterial.

 

[tehmadreefer]

That is a wall hammer for ya. It's one large mass so if one section starts to go the whole thing dies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The Most challenging IMO of the hammer group. Ive killed many but have one now that is doing well and theyre Not cheap

 

[TWT5011]

Hello, I've been away and not checking this... Thanks for the thoughts. When I think about it... the wall hammers I've lost lasted about 3-5 months. Day after day they open up fully and look healthy, then overnight they start to melt. Brown jelly or something. It's very frustrating and expensive. I will not buy another wall variety. My water params are good. Sigh.

 

[Dragonreef202]

I also can't keep wall hammers, I have a Duncan that is doing ok but I also have a frogspawn coral doing well so I don't know what it could be.