Anyone have pics of branch hammer growing new heads?

guitarfish · 03/02/2006, 01:01 PM

I have a new branch hammer that has two heads on it. I was wondering how long it takes for new heads to grow, and what it looks like when the process starts.

mickyfin · 03/02/2006, 01:29 PM

My branching hammer will grow heads in two different ways -

1. The existing head will split into two heads.
2. Tiny heads will bud from the stalk.

The both are easy to notice when the heads receede after lights out.

Good luck!

guitarfish · 03/02/2006, 01:31 PM

I see something on the sides of the stalks that I was thinking (hoping) was a bud. Cool !! I hope it grows more.

Paintbug · 03/02/2006, 01:40 PM

my branching hammer has 2 buds, and 2 heads are spliting right now. i will see if i can get a good pic of it soon. the buds havent grown much, and its been spliting for about 2-3 weeks. its still going to be awhile before they are completly split. i have a candy cane that has one head thats been splitting for about 3-4 months its just now completing the split. i also have some green trumpets, i just had one split in about 3 weeks total. so i guess its different for different corals. the hammer seems to be in the middle as far as time goes.

guitarfish · 03/02/2006, 06:21 PM

Guys, I took this pic tonight. You will see a fresh break at the base - I had to remove a dying, sick branch. The other two look super. Now, there's a small something on the stem about the size of a pea. Is that what a new "bud" would look like? I'm hoping that's what it is.

Reefy · 03/02/2006, 06:32 PM

The new heads will start to appear at the base of the flesh. Like so........

SDguy · 03/02/2006, 07:15 PM

I have never had one of those tiny "buds" grow into a new head. They last for a while, but die out eventually in my case. Hope you have better luck. I've only had mine grow by dividing. Probably better this way...if it grew any faster, I'd have problems.

guitarfish · 03/02/2006, 07:27 PM

WOW, that's gorgeous Peter, thanks for sharing !!

SDguy · 03/02/2006, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by guitarfish
WOW, that's gorgeous Peter, thanks for sharing !!

Thanks, oh and BTW, mine also started with only two heads!

SDguy · 03/04/2006, 04:38 PM

Thought I'd share a recent pic....only 6 weeks after the first pic was taken.

So Cal shaggy · 03/05/2006, 12:30 AM

Here are some pics of my branching hammers both budding and splitting

here is the hammer budding it is a little hard to see the base but you can see the little bud coming up

here is a splitting branch

Here is another pick of a splitting head

These hammer corals started out as a frag with two heads 5 years ago in that time it got soo large that it broke into two heads and since then frag pieces of 3-6 heads have broken off the origional I have never fragged this coral I only have frags from it because it has broken off pieces when it has been moved. Anyone want some frags?????? I have no more room for them in my tank

guitarfish · 03/08/2006, 07:26 PM

OK guys, look at my pic up top, first pic in this thread. All looks well. Well, 4 days after that pic, the head on the right is retracted in, and just don't look good. So last night I tilt it down so it's not pointing up towards the light so much. Tonight, (day 6), the head on the left - all the flesh - is virtually gone. What the... it's like it melted away just like that.

So now I have one head, the one on the right, that's it. It looks OK so far. I'm new to LPS. Not doing so good so far...

03/02/2006, 01:01 PM	#1
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	Anyone have pics of branch hammer growing new heads? I have a new branch hammer that has two heads on it. I was wondering how long it takes for new heads to grow, and what it looks like when the process starts. __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

03/02/2006, 01:29 PM	#2
mickyfin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 320	My branching hammer will grow heads in two different ways - 1. The existing head will split into two heads. 2. Tiny heads will bud from the stalk. The both are easy to notice when the heads receede after lights out. Good luck! __________________ "If you're gonna be dumb, ya gotta be tough." Current Tank Info: 120 gal mixed reef

03/02/2006, 01:31 PM	#3
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	I see something on the sides of the stalks that I was thinking (hoping) was a bud. Cool !! I hope it grows more. __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

03/02/2006, 01:40 PM	#4
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	my branching hammer has 2 buds, and 2 heads are spliting right now. i will see if i can get a good pic of it soon. the buds havent grown much, and its been spliting for about 2-3 weeks. its still going to be awhile before they are completly split. i have a candy cane that has one head thats been splitting for about 3-4 months its just now completing the split. i also have some green trumpets, i just had one split in about 3 weeks total. so i guess its different for different corals. the hammer seems to be in the middle as far as time goes. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

03/02/2006, 06:21 PM	#5
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	Guys, I took this pic tonight. You will see a fresh break at the base - I had to remove a dying, sick branch. The other two look super. Now, there's a small something on the stem about the size of a pea. Is that what a new "bud" would look like? I'm hoping that's what it is. __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

03/02/2006, 06:32 PM	#6
Reefy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 157	The new heads will start to appear at the base of the flesh. Like so........

03/02/2006, 07:15 PM	#7
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	I have never had one of those tiny "buds" grow into a new head. They last for a while, but die out eventually in my case. Hope you have better luck. I've only had mine grow by dividing. Probably better this way...if it grew any faster, I'd have problems. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

03/02/2006, 07:27 PM	#8
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	WOW, that's gorgeous Peter, thanks for sharing !! __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

03/04/2006, 04:38 PM	#10
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	Thought I'd share a recent pic....only 6 weeks after the first pic was taken. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

03/05/2006, 12:30 AM	#11
So Cal shaggy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Anaheim, Ca Posts: 395	branching hammer reproducing Here are some pics of my branching hammers both budding and splitting here is the hammer budding it is a little hard to see the base but you can see the little bud coming up here is a splitting branch Here is another pick of a splitting head These hammer corals started out as a frag with two heads 5 years ago in that time it got soo large that it broke into two heads and since then frag pieces of 3-6 heads have broken off the origional I have never fragged this coral I only have frags from it because it has broken off pieces when it has been moved. Anyone want some frags?????? I have no more room for them in my tank __________________ Thanks, Jeff "You go inside the cage, cage goes in the water, you go in the water, shark's in the water ... our shark. Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies . . ." Current Tank Info: 135 gal reef tank, 50 gal DIY sump

03/08/2006, 07:26 PM	#12
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	OK guys, look at my pic up top, first pic in this thread. All looks well. Well, 4 days after that pic, the head on the right is retracted in, and just don't look good. So last night I tilt it down so it's not pointing up towards the light so much. Tonight, (day 6), the head on the left - all the flesh - is virtually gone. What the... it's like it melted away just like that. So now I have one head, the one on the right, that's it. It looks OK so far. I'm new to LPS. Not doing so good so far... __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC