Hammer Coral Question..

[eng50]

I got a really good deal on a piece of hammer coral, it has two areas that the skelleton is showing, and no tissue, my question is this:
Will they grow back? or
Can I cut it apart at these areas and frag it?
What would be best?
I only paid $10.00 for it and it seems to be doing well..3rd day..
Thank you!
Just took this pic after moving it for a better shot, so its not fully open!!

 

[jonthefb]

ewww if it was a branching hammer and two of the branches dies of, but the others were fine id say yes, but with that particular type of colony whenever they begin to do this they usually end up dead. however if you feed it and provide it with high levels of calcium and carbonate, you may be acle to stop the recession and encouage the remaining live pieces to grow!
good lcuk
jon

 

[eng50]

Is it a disease, or more like a sting from where it came, or shipping stress?
What do you recommend to feed it and how?
Spot feed it meaty foods?
My levels are
Ca 440
alk 9.5 dKH
Will that be about right?
This may sound stupid, but can you seal off the dead area like with wax or superglue? It looks so good when its open...
Thanks...

 

[jonthefb]

unfortunately no you cant really seal it off at all. lots of times corals of the genus euphyillia of which you have euphyllia ancora (hammer or anchor coral) are plagued bya broign green algae. if you look into the dead skeleton and see birght green color in the center it is most likely thsi algae that is killing it. and it is usually fatal. howeve i would still try to brign it around. your ca and alk levels are great, i would work on feeding it thawed mysis shrimp enriched with a vitamin supplement such as zoe or selcon, or seachem's reef plus. hopefully you can brign this guy around. ive saved a few corals in my years as a hobbiest, however whenever the corals have this type of skeletal structure and arre damages, they never seem to recover and just kind awaste away!
but good luck and keep us posted!
jon

 

[eng50]

I don't see the green in it, doesn't mean its not there though...Is it due to the skeletal structure that I can't cut into the good area and stop the progress? or does that just kill it?

 

[jonthefb]

if you were to cut into the good part, youd likely kill the colony. you could cut straight down the dead sections and be alright, and hopefully salvage the rest of the colony and have like three pieces, this might actually be a wise idea. just make sure you cut directly down from the damaged area so you dont cut iinto any nearby tissue.
if you do choose to do the cut, i woudl again reccommend dipping the coral so that it has a better chance!
good luck
jon

 

[eng50]

dipping it in what?
What would be best to cut it with? Saw, razor blade?
I apreciate your help...

 

[eng50]

anyone else have some input?

 

[jonthefb]

i cut my lps with household kitchen shear,and found that these really work the best. seachem makes a product called reef dip, that you mix with sw and place the coral in for about 5 minutes. it is basically an iodine solution that works as an antibacterial control. it will kill any bacteria, pariasties, baddies except the boring green algae. kent also makes a dip called tech d that ive used before, and it seems to work as well.
good luck and keep us posted!
jon

 

[eng50]

I got the Kent D dip, and will be trying it later, Ill let you know how it goes... Thank you for all the help!!

 

[kpogue]

I had one like that - same thing - didn't make it.