Mauve Hammer Coral
The Mauve Hammer Coral is a beautiful flowing LPS coral featuring soft mauve-to-purple tones and the distinctive hammer-shaped tentacle tips that make this group of corals so popular.
When fully extended, its large fleshy polyps sway gently in the current, adding natural movement and colour to the aquarium. The softer mauve colouration gives this Hammer Coral a more subtle appearance than brighter green varieties while still standing out beautifully under reef lighting.
Care Information
Coral Type: LPS
Genus: Fimbriaphyllia
Common Name: Hammer Coral
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Lighting: Moderate
Recommended PAR: Approximately 75–150
Water Flow: Low to Moderate, indirect
Placement: Lower to middle areas of the aquarium
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Feeding: Photosynthetic with optional supplemental feeding
Aquarium Placement
Mauve Hammer Coral performs best with moderate lighting and gentle, indirect water movement.
The flow should be strong enough to keep the polyps softly swaying without forcing the fleshy tissue hard against the skeleton. Strong, direct flow can cause the coral to remain retracted or potentially damage its tissue.
Feeding
Hammer Corals receive most of their energy through photosynthesis but can benefit from occasional target feeding.
Suitable foods include:
- Mysis shrimp
- Enriched brine shrimp
- LPS coral pellets
- Finely chopped marine foods
- Dedicated coral foods
Feeding once or twice per week can help support healthy growth and new head development.
Give It Plenty of Space
Hammer Corals can extend long sweeper tentacles at night capable of stinging nearby corals.
Allow approximately 10–15 cm or more of clearance from neighbouring livestock and remember to account for future colony growth when choosing its position.
Stable Reef Parameters
For best results, aim for stable conditions around:
Calcium: 420–440 ppm
Alkalinity: 8–9 dKH
Magnesium: 1300–1400 ppm
Consistency in salinity, temperature and nutrient levels is equally important.
With its soft mauve colouration, flowing polyps and classic Hammer Coral shape, the Mauve Hammer Coral is an excellent feature LPS for an established reef aquarium.
Colour, tentacle shape, head count and colony size may vary between individual specimens.
