Strange appendage appeared on my hammer coral

PlantedReef · 11/04/2020, 08:49 AM

Can anyone tell me what this hammer coral is doing? I'm guessing its some type of sweeper tentacle maybe? It has been appearing and disappearing so, its not a deformity but, it appears that the coral has control over it. I just thought it was odd as it has some weird vascular parts down at the base. I'm trying to get all of the pictures here but I'm only able to upload 1 of them. Any ideas?

PlantedReef · 11/04/2020, 08:57 AM

Hopefully, the other pictures are here now?

Reef Bass · 11/05/2020, 08:42 AM

That is unusual. Maybe a sweeper variation. It almost looks like it's "dripping" upwards. I don't think it suggests ill health.

How is your flow? It seems very mild if that one tentacle can extend so straight up.

Sk8r · 11/06/2020, 03:19 PM

Hammer doesn't have sweepers: it merely elongates a normal tentacle over time when annoyed. That looks like a tissue disruption of some kind, maybe a wound.

PlantedReef · 11/10/2020, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Bass

That is unusual. Maybe a sweeper variation. It almost looks like it's "dripping" upwards. I don't think it suggests ill health.

How is your flow? It seems very mild if that one tentacle can extend so straight up.

I had the flow turned down to get a better picture. Its almost like its full of air like a balloon. I haven't seen it recently so, whatever it was seems to be gone. I've read in other posts that it might have been trying to check its surroundings to split. No clue. Thanks for your reply.

PlantedReef · 11/10/2020, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Hammer doesn't have sweepers: it merely elongates a normal tentacle over time when annoyed. That looks like a tissue disruption of some kind, maybe a wound.

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I'm not sure what it was but, I haven't seen it recently. The coral seems healthy so, I'll leave it at that for now. Thanks again

PlantedReef · 07/21/2021, 12:59 PM

Just a follow up. This came back and actually started getting worse. The one single head started "sagging" down. I also notice that I have an acan were two of its heads are blown up like balloons and sagging. I ended up cutting off the affected heads of the hammer and that was several months ago. No sign of any other heads with same issue. Now, what to do with the acan. I'm wondering if I have some sort of BJD (brown jelly). These are the only corals looking weird and the hammer is back to normal now. Didn't use any meds or anything just cut off the affected heads.

Reef Bass · 07/23/2021, 06:11 AM

BJD will quickly kill whatever it's chewing on. It's unlikely that's what your acan has if it's been suffering from it for more than a few days.

blowmecius · 07/23/2021, 01:38 PM

Euphilia do not have sweepers per say but they will get elongated tentacles to combat nearby rivals. IMO they are not very toxic, just keep an eye on it.

I have an acan that does the bubble thing. Now I don't have any solid evidence but I have read that it is a reproductive thing. I cut it off after a few weeks the first time i saw it but it keeps coming back. The colony is otherwise healthy and growing. Maybe its a "bounce" acan and someone will buy it for big $$. My advice, just let it be.

blowmecius · 07/23/2021, 02:30 PM

I just noticed another bubble on that acan. the old one is deflated at 12 o clock. New one is at 7 o clock. Anecdotal, but I had an aptasia outbreak and nuked them with kalk paste 2 days ago, new bubble appeared. Perhaps it is an injury, but as I said before the colony is fine.

blowmecius · 07/23/2021, 02:32 PM

sorry can't post image. http://reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=12073

PlantedReef · 08/19/2021, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlantedReef

Just a follow up. This came back and actually started getting worse. The one single head started "sagging" down. I also notice that I have an acan were two of its heads are blown up like balloons and sagging. I ended up cutting off the affected heads of the hammer and that was several months ago. No sign of any other heads with same issue. Now, what to do with the acan. I'm wondering if I have some sort of BJD (brown jelly). These are the only corals looking weird and the hammer is back to normal now. Didn't use any meds or anything just cut off the affected heads.

I made the decision to amputate the bubbles. Basically I just made an incision which deflated the bubble and sliced as much loose flesh away as I could. Inside each bubble were a few small stoney "heads" that had separated from the skeleton and filled with water. The result was that within a week, the colony grew back over the exposed skeleton and is doing fine.

11/05/2020, 08:42 AM	#3
Reef Bass colors and textures Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Petaluma CA Posts: 6,301	That is unusual. Maybe a sweeper variation. It almost looks like it's "dripping" upwards. I don't think it suggests ill health. How is your flow? It seems very mild if that one tentacle can extend so straight up. __________________ The human desires for instant gratification and immediate problem resolution cannot be satisfied with this hobby. Former president and co-president of the Wine Country Reefers. Current Tank Info: 60 gallons of Scleractinia and Zoanthidae lit w/ LEDs

11/06/2020, 03:19 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Hammer doesn't have sweepers: it merely elongates a normal tentacle over time when annoyed. That looks like a tissue disruption of some kind, maybe a wound. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/23/2021, 06:11 AM	#8
Reef Bass colors and textures Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Petaluma CA Posts: 6,301	BJD will quickly kill whatever it's chewing on. It's unlikely that's what your acan has if it's been suffering from it for more than a few days. __________________ The human desires for instant gratification and immediate problem resolution cannot be satisfied with this hobby. Former president and co-president of the Wine Country Reefers. Current Tank Info: 60 gallons of Scleractinia and Zoanthidae lit w/ LEDs

07/23/2021, 01:38 PM	#9
blowmecius Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Maryand Posts: 177	Euphilia do not have sweepers per say but they will get elongated tentacles to combat nearby rivals. IMO they are not very toxic, just keep an eye on it. I have an acan that does the bubble thing. Now I don't have any solid evidence but I have read that it is a reproductive thing. I cut it off after a few weeks the first time i saw it but it keeps coming back. The colony is otherwise healthy and growing. Maybe its a "bounce" acan and someone will buy it for big $$. My advice, just let it be. __________________ Homer no function beer well without. Last edited by blowmecius; 07/23/2021 at 01:44 PM.

07/23/2021, 02:30 PM	#10
blowmecius Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Maryand Posts: 177	I just noticed another bubble on that acan. the old one is deflated at 12 o clock. New one is at 7 o clock. Anecdotal, but I had an aptasia outbreak and nuked them with kalk paste 2 days ago, new bubble appeared. Perhaps it is an injury, but as I said before the colony is fine. __________________ Homer no function beer well without.

07/21/2021, 12:59 PM	#7
PlantedReef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Manchester, MO Posts: 22	Just a follow up. This came back and actually started getting worse. The one single head started "sagging" down. I also notice that I have an acan were two of its heads are blown up like balloons and sagging. I ended up cutting off the affected heads of the hammer and that was several months ago. No sign of any other heads with same issue. Now, what to do with the acan. I'm wondering if I have some sort of BJD (brown jelly). These are the only corals looking weird and the hammer is back to normal now. Didn't use any meds or anything just cut off the affected heads.

07/23/2021, 02:32 PM	#11
blowmecius Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Maryand Posts: 177	sorry can't post image. http://reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=12073 __________________ Homer no function beer well without.