hammer coral regrowing from empty skeleton

[lnk89]

So about 8 months ago I bought 2 hammer coral frags. One has done really well but the other started to die within a couple of weeks. Eventually all that was left of the hammer coral was a empty white skeleton. Since I am new to this saltwater keeping thing I decided to leave it in the tank to see what happens. And now it kinda looks like something is growing on it again. Is this possible?

I see something green sticking out the side of the skeleton and a bit of green at the bottom near the back of the skeleton. I have only noticed this within the last few weeks.

Has the coral started to regrow or has the other hammer coral spread?

Attached a crappy cell phone pic of the possible regrowth.

[DKoKoMan]

May just be green hair algae growing in the skeleton due to the increase in nitrates and phosphates.

[zhasan]

That's possible. It happened to a hammer I purchased few years back. It was fine then it died for no reason and I dumped the left over stem in the sump. 6 months later polyps started sprouting from the sides of it.

[lnk89]

Originally Posted by DKoKoMan

May just be green hair algae growing in the skeleton due to the increase in nitrates and phosphates.

I don't think it's hair algae. It looks different than the hair algae I have had previously. Also parts of it glow bright/fluorescent green under the blue lights. I have not seen any of the hair algae I have had in my tank do that before. Is there a kind that does?

Originally Posted by zhasan

That's possible. It happened to a hammer I purchased few years back. It was fine then it died for no reason and I dumped the left over stem in the sump. 6 months later polyps started sprouting from the sides of it.

Cool. that is about the same timeline I am on. And the possible new growth is beside the dead skeleton. I guess I will find out what it is when it grows.

The hammer coral that survived is green the one that died was purple tipped. So it should be easy to see if it's regrowing or just the green one that traveled.

[maron6977]

I've had hammer for years . Still amazes me , the dead looking stalk will start to grow babies ! So yes , it's possible

[kengeroo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMjQ3hA9mEA

[Default]

I had a hammer that fell behind my rock work. I forgot about it and when I found it I kept the skeleton in the front and about 1 year later little heads started to grow out of it.
I think it's common for hammers.

[lnk89]

Originally Posted by Default

I had a hammer that fell behind my rock work. I forgot about it and when I found it I kept the skeleton in the front and about 1 year later little heads started to grow out of it.
I think it's common for hammers.

That's cool that they can come back like that. I am guessing it was never fully dead in order for it to come back?