i think i have hydroids, how do i get rid of them?

sabazerehi · 04/20/2008, 01:53 PM

i think i have hydroids, however, i'm not sure exactly what i have is called. they look like little aptasia that don't really grow bigger and they're in clusters (sorry i tried taking a pic and nothing would come out clear since they're kind of small). any idea what it is and how i can get rid of it? thanks so much, sorry if this is of no help at all i'll try to get a good pic.

IndyReefMan · 04/20/2008, 03:17 PM

Hard to say without a picture... there are so many different types of hydroids. I had a bad infestation of the Myronema type. Battled them for a couple of years. The only thing that has helped me is a Flame Angel. When he's hungy enough, he will eat them. Unfortunately, he also has a tendency to pick at corals once in a while.

spleen93 · 04/20/2008, 03:18 PM

Does it look like this? (the stuff in the middle under the clove polyps)

If so, then yes, you have hydroids. Manual removal is the best way to try to remove them (pulling the rock out of the tank and plucking them off with tweezers or pliers). Otherwise, you can try kalkpasting them but I never had any success with that. They do tend to multiply and spread easily so good luck if you do have them.

sabazerehi · 04/20/2008, 06:08 PM

yes that's exactly what they look like. so just take some tweezers to them? nothing will eat them? unfortunately they're on a rock i can't take out. thanks for the pic

spleen93 · 04/21/2008, 04:21 AM

Anything that might eat them will also tend to eat more "desirables" in the tank. Yeah, I think you might just need to start pulling them out.

Potsy · 04/21/2008, 07:39 AM

People often have success with super glue. Turn the pumps off and smother them with super glue gel. If you can remove the rock they're on, even better - wouldn't want curious fish to get a mouthful of glue. I've tried clipping, prolonged fw dip... nothing.

sabazerehi · 04/21/2008, 02:55 PM

ok i will try yanking them off if that doesnt' work i'll get out the superglue! thanks so much

04/20/2008, 01:53 PM	#1
sabazerehi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles, 90049 Posts: 2,491	i think i have hydroids, how do i get rid of them? i think i have hydroids, however, i'm not sure exactly what i have is called. they look like little aptasia that don't really grow bigger and they're in clusters (sorry i tried taking a pic and nothing would come out clear since they're kind of small). any idea what it is and how i can get rid of it? thanks so much, sorry if this is of no help at all i'll try to get a good pic.

04/20/2008, 03:18 PM	#3
spleen93 crabby hermit Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere at the end of the rainbow Posts: 1,363	Does it look like this? (the stuff in the middle under the clove polyps) If so, then yes, you have hydroids. Manual removal is the best way to try to remove them (pulling the rock out of the tank and plucking them off with tweezers or pliers). Otherwise, you can try kalkpasting them but I never had any success with that. They do tend to multiply and spread easily so good luck if you do have them. __________________ Spleen "Put that in your Mag Drive and smoke it." - jnarowe "Beware of the banter" - mpoletti "Now I know that some things are just out of our control and we should enjoy the good parts as much as we can." - pookstreet

04/21/2008, 04:21 AM	#5
spleen93 crabby hermit Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: somewhere at the end of the rainbow Posts: 1,363	Anything that might eat them will also tend to eat more "desirables" in the tank. Yeah, I think you might just need to start pulling them out. __________________ Spleen "Put that in your Mag Drive and smoke it." - jnarowe "Beware of the banter" - mpoletti "Now I know that some things are just out of our control and we should enjoy the good parts as much as we can." - pookstreet

04/20/2008, 03:17 PM	#2
IndyReefMan Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 477	Hard to say without a picture... there are so many different types of hydroids. I had a bad infestation of the Myronema type. Battled them for a couple of years. The only thing that has helped me is a Flame Angel. When he's hungy enough, he will eat them. Unfortunately, he also has a tendency to pick at corals once in a while.

04/20/2008, 06:08 PM	#4
sabazerehi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles, 90049 Posts: 2,491	yes that's exactly what they look like. so just take some tweezers to them? nothing will eat them? unfortunately they're on a rock i can't take out. thanks for the pic

04/21/2008, 07:39 AM	#6
Potsy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kinnelon, NJ Posts: 1,827	People often have success with super glue. Turn the pumps off and smother them with super glue gel. If you can remove the rock they're on, even better - wouldn't want curious fish to get a mouthful of glue. I've tried clipping, prolonged fw dip... nothing.

04/21/2008, 02:55 PM	#7
sabazerehi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles, 90049 Posts: 2,491	ok i will try yanking them off if that doesnt' work i'll get out the superglue! thanks so much