Question About Hammer Corals

[Shep]

Hello everyone,

So I have been thinking of adding a hammer coral to my tank but its only a 20g and I am do not have a lot of room between my my corals. I am afraid that if I got one it could sting/kill my other corals or fish. Could anyone give me some advice or informaion about just how aggressive they are and how much space I should have between my corals and them?

 

[Waters]

Like a lot of other euphylias, they are fairly aggressive and can extend their sweepers to attack nearby corals. I would give them a good 4-6 inches between them and any non-euphylias coral.

 

[Shep]

Thanks! I guess I will probaly avoid them util I get a larger tank

 

[Z06-Hec]

I have a bi color Aussie branching hammer that I have never sweep, sting or anything out of being peaceful. I also have another Aussie hammer on the sand touching torch coral all day constantly with no issues. In fact i have never see any of my Frogspawn, Torch or Hammers sting anything at all...
Doesn't mean they do not, but i have never seen it with any of my "Stinging" corals, sting anything.... including my 3 Goniopora

 

[Tab28]

I have a bi color Aussie branching hammer that I have never sweep, sting or anything out of being peaceful. I also have another Aussie hammer on the sand touching torch coral all day constantly with no issues. In fact i have never see any of my Frogspawn, Torch or Hammers sting anything at all...
Doesn't mean they do not, but i have never seen it with any of my "Stinging" corals, sting anything.... including my 3 Goniopora

You may just be lucky. Really good flow helps keep tentacles from touching or resting on another coral. As for torch and hammer. They are both euphyllia and generally get along with each other. Torches can suddenly become aggressive to other euphyllia. Euphyllia do not have separate sweepers like other LPS. Their tentacles can be extended well beyond to sting another coral. Of the three common euphyllia, frogspawn, hammer and torch. Hammer has the shortest tentacle reach. Walls extend more than branching but branching can still extend 2-3 times its length.

 

[LetItReef]

You may just be lucky. Really good flow helps keep tentacles from touching or resting on another coral. As for torch and hammer. They are both euphyllia and generally get along with each other. Torches can suddenly become aggressive to other euphyllia. Euphyllia do not have separate sweepers like other LPS. Their tentacles can be extended well beyond to sting another coral. Of the three common euphyllia, frogspawn, hammer and torch. Hammer has the shortest tentacle reach. Walls extend more than branching but branching can still extend 2-3 times its length.

good info about their reach. How about lighting? How much Euphyllia needs? I have dual lamp T5 HO, 48 watts total with reflectors, would I need more? Thanks.

 

[Robink]

I had a torch coral that finally reached out and touched some of my zoas stinging them... had to get rid of the torch. Zoas still haven't recovered.

 

[mfinn]

I have a couple branching hammers that seem to be playing well with other corals.
On one, it has a monti cap growing right up under it with no aggression and another that has a war coral growing up under it as well.
It was my wall hammers that liked to reach out 3"-4" and sting other corals.

 

[Tab28]

good info about their reach. How about lighting? How much Euphyllia needs? I have dual lamp T5 HO, 48 watts total with reflectors, would I need more? Thanks.

The total wattage is good to know but the other part needed would be tank size and depth from bulbs to sand bed. I use MH so hopefully a T5 user could tell if wattage is enough for tank depth.

 

[Tab28]

I have a couple branching hammers that seem to be playing well with other corals.
On one, it has a monti cap growing right up under it with no aggression and another that has a war coral growing up under it as well.
It was my wall hammers that liked to reach out 3"-4" and sting other corals.

Water current is a main factor if the coral can sense a coral near it. It will go on attack. If corals upstream may not be able to sense one down stream. Branching can only attach another coral it can reach. Montipora grow fast be careful it does not grow up skeleton. The hammer would probably win but monti never give up.

 

[LetItReef]

The total wattage is good to know but the other part needed would be tank size and depth from bulbs to sand bed. I use MH so hopefully a T5 user could tell if wattage is enough for tank depth.

Standard 29g tank;:
30.25L 12.5W 18.25H

 

[mfinn]

Water current is a main factor if the coral can sense a coral near it. It will go on attack. If corals upstream may not be able to sense one down stream. Branching can only attach another coral it can reach. Montipora grow fast be careful it does not grow up skeleton. The hammer would probably win but monti never give up.

I sure they can sense each other. They are nearly touching and only where they are a 1/4" apart is there any damage to the monti.
With the way the water swirls, there is no up stream or down stream.
What is winning is the war coral where the monti is getting close.

 

[Z06-Hec]

 

[TheClark]

That is quite the reach!

 

[gotsomerice]

I have a bi color Aussie branching hammer that I have never sweep, sting or anything out of being peaceful. I also have another Aussie hammer on the sand touching torch coral all day constantly with no issues. In fact i have never see any of my Frogspawn, Torch or Hammers sting anything at all...
Doesn't mean they do not, but i have never seen it with any of my "Stinging" corals, sting anything.... including my 3 Goniopora

I thought these corals send out their sweeper at night. Have you observe them at night?

 

[Alyxx]

Of my own personal Euphyllia I have never observed any aggression. At the store I work at I did see a small 2 head hammer attack a duncan relentlessly in broad daylight until I moved the duncan. Seeing "sweepers" on frags or colonies at the store is a fairly rare occurrence for me.

 

[NanaReefer]

My hammer sends it's sweepers out all the time I had to move my Favia up closer to the front because the hammer stung it

 

[TankedNTn]

Never seen my Frogspawn sweep but my Hammer reaches out to touch someone every night. I have to make sure I give him plenty of room.