Is this hammer bleached?

[BanZI29]

I picked this guy up yesterday at my LFS just because it was a decent price and...I think it looks KEWL!! They said it's not bleached and it looks healthy ( did a good dip on it) and it gets nice and big. I am no way an expert like you all here so I what do you all think? Bleached or not and just looks awesome? Please and thank you.

 

[BanZI29]

Forgot pix.

 

[Reffetsevla]

FYI no pic attached if you meant to.

Edit: Hey there it is lol Can you get a pic of white only lights on it? Also the base of the polyps where the flesh meets the stem?

 

[BanZI29]

FYI no pic attached if you meant to.

Edit: Hey there it is lol Can you get a pic of white only lights on it? Also the base of the polyps where the flesh meets the stem?

Here it is with white light

 

[Reffetsevla]

Oh yea that flesh looks suuuper receded. That is definitely lacking color it should (unless it's some white variation?), not sure if "bleached' is accurate in LPS (still learning on the LPS side of things) but the flesh underneath should be down at least a solid 1"-2" from where it is given the length of those branches and size of the head, from my experience anyway.

That being said, given the polyp extension and it looks inflated, it may survive, however in no way would I consider that "healthy" for a hammer. I would at least call them and say you disagree with the corals health. Maybe tell them you'll give it a shot but if this doesn't make it, you'd expect at the very least credit.

I would advise to keep the coral low in the tank and keep lights low too to start. It could be from complete lack of lighting, or too much. Keeping it low to start though, since it kind of looks like it's been starved for light, would help it not get "shocked" by light.

I'm not an expert but I've been around the hobby 15+ yrs, only recently getting back in after a few years off and still learning on my LPS. Hope this helps!

 

[SamMule]

That hammer is in rough shape. Very bleached, and as noted above, the flesh on the stalk looks non-existent. Also, worth noting the empty stalk where there was a head that bailed/died facing the camera. Keep it in moderate to low light and flow. Best you can do is leave it be and wish for the best. Good luck!

 

[outhouse]

Man that thing is OK, every once in a while you get heads like that, that dont have a ton of pigment. I have a few like that that are healthy as can be.

Its no where near bad shape, the fact its inflated as it is means its in decent shape.

Keep it like you keep the rest of yours and in may color up in time.

They usually dont bleach out from too much light, they recede dramatically if you over LED them. Mine looked far worse than yours, and in a few months they all bounced back.

They really do well with less light than SPS for me.

 

[outhouse]

not sure if "bleached' is accurate in LPS

Not for these Hammers

the flesh underneath should be down at least a solid 1"-2"

Nope, most are like this

no way would I consider that "healthy" for a hammer

its healthy, this one would be hard to kill

I would advise to keep the coral low in the tank and keep lights low too to start

Thats great advise for most branching hammers, but mine grow well top and bottom, but key is I have my leds turned way down to 10% blue and 1% white . at 60 and 80% they didnt bleach, thehy all receded after a few years

It could be from complete lack of lighting,

that also possible, even though it contradicts your own advise above, sometimes ones overgrown will look like that

I'm not an expert

no, but your heart is in the right spot, and your advise would probably help it

 

[outhouse]

That hammer is in rough shape.

LOL heck no, you would have a hard time killing that Hammer

Very bleached,

Just the opposite, notice how white the skeleton is? that is from a lack of light, not excess. Too much light and they recede way back to almost nothing.