Is a hammer coral too hard for a beginner?

[spoonman]

My LFS just got a bunch of corals in and I am wondering if a hammer is too difficult for a rookie to keep? Water is at 0,0,5 and 1.025 consistantly. I have a 29 gallon, young aquarium with a pair of percula clowns, hectors goby, lawnmower blenny. I also have 2 turbo snails, 2 emerald crabs, 2 red leg hermits, cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp. For corals I have a frogspawn, torch, candy cane, Gonipora, GSP and pulsing xenia. All are doing well. I am feeding brine and flakes 3 times a week and suplimenting with Kent microvert 3 times a week for the corals. Love the hammers and want that to be my last edition to the tank. Eventually my 140 gallon fresh water tank will be salt and all will be moved to it. That will be a year down the road probably though.

[EriksFish315]

https://sites.google.com/a/asira.org/www2/caresheets

Coral guide.

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Ya hammer are pretty easy, its like frogspawn as far as difficulty goes

[AquaRick]

If you can keep a frogspawn, and especially Gonipora, you can definitely keep a Hammer.

[TLTGF]

My hammer was my 1st coral and its grown like crazy. I purchased about 8 months ago with two small heads and I'm not up to six large heads. Very easy coral and gets everything from moderate light and the water column.

[mfdrookie516]

Originally Posted by spoonman

My LFS just got a bunch of corals in and I am wondering if a hammer is too difficult for a rookie to keep?

What are you trying to say, Tim? lol

[spoonman]

I meant other rookies, not you. You have become a master in a very short time.

[Gboy66]

Originally Posted by mfdrookie516

What are you trying to say, Tim? lol

Hmmm.. i think he's calling you a noob lol! Jk.

Go for it! Hammers are so cool, and great for beginners (like myself).

What type of hammer do they have at the lfs?

[spoonman]

They are actually returning from San Diego tonight and will have them in the store tomorrow. I am going to call him in the morning to find out what kind they got. They are all pretty cool, so I don't really care.

I read in the link that Eriksfish319 posted that they have tentacles that sweep out at night and you have to keep them away from other corals. Anyone with experience with that happening?

[EriksFish315]

Yeah that links a very helpful link lol bookmarked it and have been using it.

[spoonman]

So, the LFS got one hammer and the guy that works there bought it. I got this instead. He said he is going again next week and will get one for me.





Immediately after putting it in the tank





An hour later

I know it is a plate coral and the care instructions from LA. Anyone want to volunteer some information?

[Leighton79]

Plate corals, or fungia are easy. Low/ med light and just enough flow to blow its tentacles a bit. Then spot feed it when you feed your fish. It has superb prey capture abilities as those tentacles are super sticky.

[spoonman]

So I should start feeding the brine with a syringe and hit the plate with it? Do I need to aim it at the mouth. I assume it is the mouth that is the split in the center of the plate? I have given it a dose of microvert tonight. I put it in a syringe and give just a partial squirt to each coral. Am constantly learning about corals right now. I am more interested in the corals now than fish. I have a pair of percula clowns, algae benny and a hectors goby. I may add one more fish later, but it is the corals that interest me right now!

[Leighton79]

No, don't aim for the mouth just into the tentacles. They will then move it to the mouth, it's good to watch!