Why do the purple tips on my Purple Tip Hammer Coral fade or turn brown under the same lighting that keeps other LPS vibrant?

This coral’s tip color is sensitive to spectrum and nutrient balance. Strong white-heavy light and very low nutrients can wash out tips, while excess nutrients increase zooxanthellae, browning them. Aim for moderate PAR (80–150), blue-heavy spectrum, nitrate 5–15 ppm, phosphate 0.03–0.1 ppm. Increase light slowly after moves. Stable potassium and iodine within natural seawater ranges support tip definition.

My Fimbriaphyllia paraancora retracts and shows tissue wear at the branch edges—flow looks “moderate.” What should I adjust?

Branching hammers dislike direct, linear streams. Even “moderate” flow that hits one side continuously can chafe tissue at skeleton edges. Redirect to a wider, alternating pattern with indirect pulses, allowing tentacles to sway without folding. Ensure flow reaches under the branches to prevent detritus buildup. Check for vermetid snails or sand abrasion; both can cause localized recession.

Can I place this hammer near other Euphylliids, and how far should I keep it from different LPS?

It generally tolerates close proximity to other hammers and some frogspawn, but chemical warfare still occurs, especially in smaller systems. Give 3–6 inches to relatives and 6–10 inches to unrelated LPS. At night it can throw sweepers several inches. Watch for stinging lines on neighbors. Activated carbon and periodic water changes help reduce allelopathic stress.

I’m seeing slow base recession despite stable parameters. Could this be shadowing, and how do I fix it?

Yes—dense heads can shade lower tissue, starving it of light while trapping detritus. Raise the colony slightly, angle it to open the branching “canopy,” and add gentle crossflow beneath. Consider a small trim of interior branches to improve light and water movement. Verify that alk, Ca, and Mg are steady and that vermetids or cyanobacteria aren’t irritating shaded tissue.

Purple Tip Hammer Coral

Euphyllia LPS Hammers

Overview

Purple Tip Hammer Coral has inflated, branching tentacles with hammer-shaped tips capped in purple. Fimbriaphyllia paraancora is a branching large-polyp stony coral that prefers moderate light and gentle, indirect water flow. It hosts symbiotic algae for most nutrition but benefits from occasional small meaty foods, which can support growth and maintain color. Place with ample space and avoid contact with other corals, as it can extend stinging sweepers.

Quick Facts

Care Moderate

Lighting Moderate

Flow Moderate indirect

Placement Mid–Low

Temperament Semi-aggressive (6–8 inches spacing)

Recommended Parameters

Temp 76–80°F

pH 8.1–8.4

Salinity 1.025–1.026

Calcium 400–450 ppm

AlkAlkalinity 8–10 dKH

Magnesium 1280–1350 ppm

Feeding photosynthetic (primary), mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, zooplankton, microplankton, coral-specific particulate foods, marine snow

Care & Placement

Purple Tip Hammer Coral (Fimbriaphyllia paraancora) prefers moderate light and gentle, indirect flow. Target 80–150 PAR; acclimate slowly with a screen or by starting low and moving up over 2–3 weeks to prevent bleaching. Provide a random, swaying current that keeps tissue moving without whipping; this helps avoid detritus buildup and bacterial issues. Place mid to low in the tank on stable rock; epoxy the base so it cannot tip. Leave 6–8 inches of space from neighbors—this coral has long nighttime sweeper tentacles and is semi‑aggressive, including toward other Euphyllia/Fimbriaphyllia types. Ideal parameters: temperature 24–26°C (75–79°F), salinity 1.025–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, alkalinity 8.0–9.5 dKH, calcium 400–450 ppm, magnesium 1250–1350 ppm, nitrate 2–10 ppm, phosphate 0.03–0.08 ppm. Test weekly, dose to maintain stability, and avoid rapid swings. Drip acclimate new specimens and handle only by the skeleton to prevent tissue tears.Feed 1–2 times per week with small meaty foods (mysis, enriched brine, LPS pellets); turn off pumps for 10–15 minutes to improve capture. Good coloration and polyp inflation are signs of health; retracted tissue, brown jelly, or recession often point to too much flow, unstable alkalinity, or tissue damage—perform an iodine dip and increase flow around (not on) the coral if bacterial issues appear. Keep away from nipping fish (many angels, some butterflies) and rough hermits. If a clownfish tries to host and causes irritation, redirect it with an alternative coral or a substitute (e.g., a toadstool) and adjust flow/light to reduce stress.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Purple Tip Hammer Coral

Why do the purple tips on my Purple Tip Hammer Coral fade or turn brown under the same lighting that keeps other LPS vibrant?

This coral’s tip color is sensitive to spectrum and nutrient balance. Strong white-heavy light and very low nutrients can wash out tips, while excess nutrients increase zooxanthellae, browning them. Aim for moderate PAR (80–150), blue-heavy spectrum, nitrate 5–15 ppm, phosphate 0.03–0.1 ppm. Increase light slowly after moves. Stable potassium and iodine within natural seawater ranges support tip definition.
My Fimbriaphyllia paraancora retracts and shows tissue wear at the branch edges—flow looks “moderate.” What should I adjust?

Branching hammers dislike direct, linear streams. Even “moderate” flow that hits one side continuously can chafe tissue at skeleton edges. Redirect to a wider, alternating pattern with indirect pulses, allowing tentacles to sway without folding. Ensure flow reaches under the branches to prevent detritus buildup. Check for vermetid snails or sand abrasion; both can cause localized recession.
Can I place this hammer near other Euphylliids, and how far should I keep it from different LPS?

It generally tolerates close proximity to other hammers and some frogspawn, but chemical warfare still occurs, especially in smaller systems. Give 3–6 inches to relatives and 6–10 inches to unrelated LPS. At night it can throw sweepers several inches. Watch for stinging lines on neighbors. Activated carbon and periodic water changes help reduce allelopathic stress.
I’m seeing slow base recession despite stable parameters. Could this be shadowing, and how do I fix it?

Yes—dense heads can shade lower tissue, starving it of light while trapping detritus. Raise the colony slightly, angle it to open the branching “canopy,” and add gentle crossflow beneath. Consider a small trim of interior branches to improve light and water movement. Verify that alk, Ca, and Mg are steady and that vermetids or cyanobacteria aren’t irritating shaded tissue.