White spots on hammer polyps

[Brian1f1]

Hard to get a picture, coral isn’t covered in them but has tiny white dots on about a quarter of the polyps. Hard to take a picture, look almost like sugar grains. I was thinking maybe mucus but they’ve been on it all night. Any ideas what this may be and if it’s a problem in the making or not?

Best photo I could get...

 

[James M]

I believe more polyps are growing

 

[Brian1f1]

I believe more polyps are growing

Oh really? They start as white bumps and grow out of the stalks of existing polyps? I seriously had no idea.

 

[James M]

Oh really? They start as white bumps and grow out of the stalks of existing polyps? I seriously had no idea.

I feel like I’m right by at the same time you should get someone else opinion . Just to make sure because I could be wrong

 

[DSC reef]

Look up parasitic pods, etc. I can't make out anything in the pics but I believe you have a branching hammer (euphyllia paraanchora) which typically sprout new heads at the base. Don't panic but keep an eye out for recession. #reefsquad

 

[Brian1f1]

Look up parasitic pods, etc. I can't make out anything in the pics but I believe you have a branching hammer (euphyllia paraanchora) which typically sprout new heads at the base. Don't panic but keep an eye out for recession. #reefsquad

I literally cannot find anything on parasitic pods on euphylia polyps. I searched before I posted and again now... Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places, but are they definitely a known problem?

 

[Brian1f1]

And I’ll try to take a better picture, but might not be possible.

 

[DSC reef]

Try to get some better pics if you can. It could be anything at this point from bugs to mesenterial filaments but the hammer looks happy. Sorry I can't get you a positive ID.

 

[Instigate]

I have these on both my hammers. I assumed it was just part of the morphology of hammer corals. On mine it looked like every tentacle has one in the exact same place, so I assume it's just how they are.

 

[Brian1f1]

It may well be part of the morphology. Mine does not appear to be on all tentacles, but it doesn’t really appear pathological either. Interesting to discuss though.

 

[ab-774819]

It may well be part of the morphology. Mine does not appear to be on all tentacles, but it doesn’t really appear pathological either. Interesting to discuss though.

I know this an old thread but I'm spamming anything that looks like what I'm dealing with.... did this spread to other euphyllia? Did this hammer die? Did the white spots go away?