Hydroids

[spearperson]

So thanks to the assistance of Mr. Calfo's book I have identified my newest pest as hydroids. They are causing real problems by encroaching on corals and literally growing over and killing my zoos. aside from manual removal, which I have been trying, does anyone know a way to get rid of these buggers? perhaps a natural predator?

thanks,

-Graham

 

[ZANYMASTER]

I believe hydroids only come out at night and they don't look like them IMO.Others will chime in.Hydroids are reef safe anyways I believe.

 

[Master Shake]

i dont think hydroids are reef safe as that they can sting corals but i also agree that i dont believe those are hydroids

 

[rookie07]

Turn off the flow in the tank, then get a better picture

 

[spearperson]

Found answers here: http://zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?p=153425 giving the flame angel idea a try and hoping to get my hands on a sea hare too.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Good article.Have to say,never seen that type of hydroid before.Good luck getting rid of it.

 

[KathyC]

Yes, those are definitely hydroids. Didn't the Calfo book suggest a solution?

If they are confined to the one rock - I'd take the rock out
If more than one, take it out & scrape 'em off an give it a good rinse before returning it to the tank.

 

[regal]

They are hydroid and a real PITA. I had them before and they were impossible to get rid of. I used to suck them out and just had them came back at the same spot. I had them all over my tank. I tried copperband butterfly fish and they are useless. I have different angels and they were not interested. Never had a sea hare though. They finally disappeared when the tank's parameters were out of weck, but I still didn't know exactly what killed them all. If you have it on one rock, remove it ASAP and scrapping them off won't work. They will grow right back. If I were in the same situation again, I would "cook" the rock.

 

[Josh]

Myrionema, no known predators, take them out of your tank with tweezers.

 

[guarda]

+1 definitely hydroids. Mine are exactly the same. I have had a quarter sized patch smack dab in the middle of my main piece of lr for the whole 6 or 7 months i've had the rock and it has not spread. I glued zoa frags around the hydroids so they have nowhere to grow but if you want to rid yourself of them, try smothering them with superglue.

 

[guarda]

PS, if you do try to superglue over them, please do report back and let us know if it works.

 

[kool-cat]

I have similar looking hydroids and they are annoying, mine are brownish green. Super glue does work to some extent I think.

 

[pdnyc69]

I had them twice on 2 different rocks. I puled the rocks out. Scraped them. Then made a thick kalk paste and put it on and placed it back in the water with no flow on it. The kalk kills them with the hi ph. They have never come back. The kalk paste will desolve after a few days

 

[ming]

+1 Definitely hydroids and as reef safe as having aiptasia in your tank (not reef safe if you didn't get it)