Hairy plant like stuff???

[Marinegrrl]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with an ID on this hairy plant-like stuff which seems to be attaching itself to everything in my tank that doesn't move. It has totally overgrown a piece of rock which was previously covered in zoanthids - the zoas seem to have mostly died after a massive infestation of nudibranchs, but this stuff then appeared right after and seemed to make things even worse for their recovery. I have tried picking it off the rock but it seems to snap really easy and i cant get it all off - and then the day after its just as bad! It's really becoming a nuisance and makes my tank look so ugly. Help please!!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure, but possible hydroids?

 

[Marinegrrl]

What are hydroids and how can i get rid of them - my tank looks appaling!

 

[Marinegrrl]

Just been looking up hydroids, and don't think these are the same. Most sites seem to suggest they look like aiptasia or feather dusters and retract into a tube - this stuff is growning like a weed and sticking to everything it can. It doesn't seem to be able to retract and acts like a plant. Here is another photo of some i removed from my zoas earlier, but there is so much it is not humanly possible to pull it all off - plus for every piece i get out i manage to lose the same amount in the tank as it breaks off, no doubt helping it to spread. Getting desperate now and thinking of stripping all my zoas out and just having rock in there cos it doesn't seem to like bare rock as much

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I'm still not sure. I suggest you post this in the General Reefkeeping Discussion forum, as it gets more traffic and you might someone who knows a bit more than me to weigh in.

 

[Anonymous]

No need, you nailed it Tom. Those are colonial hydroids. The tentacles on the polyps clearly visible in the right side pretty much nail it.

 

[Anonymous]

Here are some pics for reference. Different species, but similar growth forms...

I've had colonial hydroids of different types in my tanks many times and, to be honest, never found them problematic. That said, if you want to get rid of yours, the usual anti-aiptasia methods work well. Kalk paste, smothering them under epoxy, manual removal (preferably outside of the tank, so the bits that break off don't float away).