Hammer Coral

This coral looked great until this morning. The branch part looks like somebody has been eating it. Any ideas. I have some astrea snails and blue legged hermits, green emerald, peppermint shrimp, oscellaris clowns, fairy wrasse anda mandarin., serpent star. Water parameters are 1.025, ph is 7.9-8, alk is 10 calcium is 400-420, temp is 78. All other corals look good except my long tentacle plate. He had some sand on him and I tried to get it off and now that area (middle right side of him) looks discolored(darkish) and he is not opening up now.
Adam

 

the only critters that might of done that is blue legged hermits or green emerald crab, the other ones that you mention i don't think. And by the way your parameters are they seem ok, how long have you known this? by the looks of what I've seen in the pics, something has been nibbling at it.

 

Sounds like you may have injured or irritated it while removing sand.

Hard to say if it will recover. :-/

This coral is much more sensitive then its hardier cousin Frogspawn.

About all you can do is watch it recover (or not)...sorry. :-[

 

Frogspawn Coral

I didn't think blue legged hermit crabs or emerald crabs would cause any damage. They are pretty reef safe I thought?
Adam