I.D. - plz white fuzzy hairs on rock

BioNub · 02/24/2018, 12:24 PM

My BioCube is roughly 6months old and its developing these white fuzzy hairs, any Idea on what they are or is there a way for me to find out? Ive heard theres some kind of die that turns blue or something if ita fungus?

AlSimmons · 02/24/2018, 01:01 PM

Do the tubes have a crown or have you seen anything come out of them? It looks kind of like a cluster of Hydroids.

BioNub · 02/24/2018, 01:38 PM

I haven't seen anything come out of them, it kind of looks like a solid strain of hair with tiny hairs growing from it.

ramseynb · 02/24/2018, 01:57 PM

My guess would be hydroids of some kind. I recently had exactly what you're describing crop up on the back of a hermit crab's shell. I took the hermit out of the tank and scrubbed them off really good and rinsed in new salt water. I haven't seen them since but it's only been about a week. I even thought about putting the hermit in fresh water to see if I can get him out of the shell then give him a selection of other shells to choose from and toss that one in the garbage.

BioNub · 02/25/2018, 01:04 PM

Think I might have found a way to get rid of them:

I looked around and apparently there are a few types of hydroids so looking at images it does seem to be a certain type of them.. bluish with a dotted tip and little hairs through out the stem.

So yesterday while feeding, my cleaner shrimp closed my zoas walking all over them like a turd and I noticed a tiny little Aiptasia sticking its claw out. =(
So I pulled my little pink bottle of Aiptasia-X and hit it real good.. then, since I had a bit left in the syringe I figured why not try it on these Hydroids and see what happens. To my surprise, by night time the Hydroids were COMPLETELY GONE!

I hit 2 different areas of the tank where I had spotted Hydroid growth and both areas show absolutely no signs that they were ever there, even this morning with the lights on I can't even tell where they were.

Ill keep a close eye on them next few days to see if they come back, but I really doubt it.
Thanks again for the replies!

02/24/2018, 01:01 PM	#2
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Do the tubes have a crown or have you seen anything come out of them? It looks kind of like a cluster of Hydroids.

02/24/2018, 01:38 PM	#3
BioNub Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 13	I haven't seen anything come out of them, it kind of looks like a solid strain of hair with tiny hairs growing from it.

02/24/2018, 01:57 PM	#4
ramseynb Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 630	My guess would be hydroids of some kind. I recently had exactly what you're describing crop up on the back of a hermit crab's shell. I took the hermit out of the tank and scrubbed them off really good and rinsed in new salt water. I haven't seen them since but it's only been about a week. I even thought about putting the hermit in fresh water to see if I can get him out of the shell then give him a selection of other shells to choose from and toss that one in the garbage.

02/25/2018, 01:04 PM	#5
BioNub Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 13	Think I might have found a way to get rid of them: I looked around and apparently there are a few types of hydroids so looking at images it does seem to be a certain type of them.. bluish with a dotted tip and little hairs through out the stem. So yesterday while feeding, my cleaner shrimp closed my zoas walking all over them like a turd and I noticed a tiny little Aiptasia sticking its claw out. =( So I pulled my little pink bottle of Aiptasia-X and hit it real good.. then, since I had a bit left in the syringe I figured why not try it on these Hydroids and see what happens. To my surprise, by night time the Hydroids were COMPLETELY GONE! I hit 2 different areas of the tank where I had spotted Hydroid growth and both areas show absolutely no signs that they were ever there, even this morning with the lights on I can't even tell where they were. Ill keep a close eye on them next few days to see if they come back, but I really doubt it. Thanks again for the replies!