Do hammer corals sting other hammer or torch corals?

[reelwise]

I'm wondering if I can store multiple Hammers of different colors in close proximity. Would that cause any issues? Also, what about keeping a Hammer and a Torch in the same general area?

[finleyd]

No issues with hammers of different colors, in my experience.

[bronzeoak]

I've had two different hammers together with no issues. I actually got the idea from a local fish store that had a display with 4-5 hammers on the same rock - it was a real showstopper, they called it their 4th of July piece with a gold hammer as the centerpiece. From my understanding, it's the torches you want to keep separate from other equipment.

[reelwise]

That sounds like a fun idea. I was thinking of doing something similar, taking a few small heads from different colors and letting them grow together as a colony.

[rileyon]

I've got a related question - will a Hammer and a Frogspawn, being cousins, sting each other? What if they grow to the point where their polyps touch regularly?

[lionoak]

I've had a torch, frogspawn, and a hammer all in the same setup, they occasionally touch and it doesn't seem to be an issue for any of them.

[RiverKai]

I've also got a hammer and frogspawn together, no issues. They're all mixed up, no problems at all.

[flintech]

I've got a hammer and frogspawn living together, no issues. But when I introduced the torch to the hammer, it got a bit aggressive, tried to sting it.

[rileyon]

Appreciate the confirmations, everyone. I've been eyeing a hammer for a while now, but space has been an issue - except right next to my Frogspawn, that is. Luckily, I've got a great coral specialist in town who gets some amazing hammers, so I'll be on the hunt. That 4th of July idea is a great one, might try something similar on a smaller scale.

A couple of questions to make sure I'm on the right track - are the lighting and flow needs for hammers the same as Frogspawn? And is mounting it on the vertical face of live rock, rather than the top, okay?

Also, I've come across some posts on this forum that mention the "branching" variety of hammers being pretty delicate, even tricky to keep alive. Is that really the case? If so, I'd rather steer clear of them - hoping my coral specialist can help me out with that. Any thoughts or advice would be great.

[Aurorix]

I've had a different experience with the branching type, personally found it to be relatively easy to care for. In contrast, I've read that wall corals can be the more challenging ones to keep.