Hammer Coral Care Guide

Hammer Coral (Euphyllia ancora / E. paraancora) is a beloved LPS coral named for its distinctive hammer- or anchor-shaped tentacle tips. It’s a hardy, rewarding coral for intermediate reef keepers and makes a dramatic addition to any tank.

Branching vs. Wall Hammer

• Wall hammer (E. ancora): single large fleshy base that expands to cover a wide area; harder to frag
• Branching hammer (E. paraancora): grows in distinct branches like a torch coral; easier to frag and trade

Water Parameters

• Salinity: 1.025–1.026 sg
• Temperature: 25–27°C (77–80°F)
• Alkalinity: 8–10 dKH — stability is critical; swings above 11 dKH can melt LPS tissue
• Calcium: 400–450 ppm
• Magnesium: 1250–1350 ppm
• Nitrate: 2–10 ppm
• Phosphate: 0.02–0.10 ppm

Lighting

Moderate light is ideal — 50–150 PAR. Hammer corals can bleach under SPS-intensity lighting. Place in the lower half of the tank and acclimate slowly to new light levels (start lower, raise over weeks).

Flow

Gentle, indirect flow. Tentacles should sway slowly — not be pinned back by current. Avoid direct powerhead flow. A wavemaker with a randomized gentle pattern is ideal.

Aggression & Spacing

Like all Euphyllia, hammer coral has potent sweeper tentacles. Leave 6–8 inches of space on all sides. Note: hammer and torch corals can be kept near each other in a dedicated Euphyllia garden — they’re generally less aggressive toward their own genus than to other coral families.

Fragging Hammer Coral

1. Use coral bone cutters to cut between branches (branching variety only)
2. Dip in coral dip (10 minutes) to prevent infection
3. Mount on a frag plug with reef-safe glue
4. Place in low-flow, moderate-light area for recovery
5. Allow 2–4 weeks before returning to the display

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