Can a Hammer grow it's skele back?

reindan · 02/06/2010, 02:28 PM

I had a tank crash and the stress caused my hammer to drop two heads. I'm assuming they're going to die, although they actually look good considering they are sitting on a rock. I was curious if they can actually grow back their skeletons from scratch? If not I'll remove them from the tank. Thanks for any info.

SDguy · 02/06/2010, 02:29 PM

I have heard they can, actually. But, you need to make sure that the condition which caused the polyp bailout in the first place is no longer an issue.

Jacuzzi · 02/06/2010, 02:41 PM

I had two heads of hammer coral and my heater became stuck on and tank went to 94 degrees. Hammers died but now three heads poke out of the sides of the base of the original and are growing fast. Lost 2 gained 3 kinda cool

reindan · 02/06/2010, 03:12 PM

The bailout was caused by my old tank cracking in half. I managed to only lose a couple corals and fish, but the stress on the survivors after being thrown in a new tank was pretty bad. My water parameters were up and down for a few weeks but everything is back to pre-crack standards again. The two hammer heads that bailed have actually been sitting on a rock for a few weeks and neither has shown signs of dying. I'll leave them for now and see if I get lucky. Thanks again for the feedback.

syrinx · 02/06/2010, 03:20 PM

They can regenerate, although it is a slow process. Sometimes they will live for years with no sign of a new skeleton growing, but usually they die or begin to lay down calcium and build a new base.

02/06/2010, 02:28 PM	#1
reindan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chico, California Posts: 70	Can a Hammer grow it's skele back? I had a tank crash and the stress caused my hammer to drop two heads. I'm assuming they're going to die, although they actually look good considering they are sitting on a rock. I was curious if they can actually grow back their skeletons from scratch? If not I'll remove them from the tank. Thanks for any info.

02/06/2010, 02:29 PM	#2
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	I have heard they can, actually. But, you need to make sure that the condition which caused the polyp bailout in the first place is no longer an issue. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

02/06/2010, 02:41 PM	#3
Jacuzzi Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 278	I had two heads of hammer coral and my heater became stuck on and tank went to 94 degrees. Hammers died but now three heads poke out of the sides of the base of the original and are growing fast. Lost 2 gained 3 kinda cool

02/06/2010, 03:12 PM	#4
reindan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chico, California Posts: 70	The bailout was caused by my old tank cracking in half. I managed to only lose a couple corals and fish, but the stress on the survivors after being thrown in a new tank was pretty bad. My water parameters were up and down for a few weeks but everything is back to pre-crack standards again. The two hammer heads that bailed have actually been sitting on a rock for a few weeks and neither has shown signs of dying. I'll leave them for now and see if I get lucky. Thanks again for the feedback.

02/06/2010, 03:20 PM	#5
syrinx Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: champaign Posts: 3,160	They can regenerate, although it is a slow process. Sometimes they will live for years with no sign of a new skeleton growing, but usually they die or begin to lay down calcium and build a new base.