Help with hydoids PLEASE!!!

leveldrummer · 01/29/2014, 09:11 PM

I have a few small groups of what I believe to be some type of hydroid, they are NOT colonial hydroids, or digitate hydroids, they look like this...

(not my picture)

(not my picture)

These arent really bothering much, accept they are growing within the branches of a very nice candy cane colony that I have, and they seem to be bothering the polyps enough that they never expand fully. I have tried giving these a quick dip in a hydrogen peroxide mix with no help, I have also dipped in coral RX, without any help, Im debating getting my hands on a very powerful laser and trying to nuke them from orbit, but the more I read about those lasers the more Im worried about trying that. Does anyone know what will eat these dang things? mandarin? pipefish? what? Im tired of them. I want to remove them from my system somehow.

lrs183 · 01/29/2014, 09:21 PM

Growing on the branches or just up and through them?

If they're through it and not actually a part of it, move it and literally take a PASTE of Kalkwasser and smother them in it. I do not know how much hydroids hurt so I do not recommend using your bare finger to perform this procedure. However, Colonial hydroids that I have been battling recently retract quickly when I smother them and the paste I use on a small part of my finger is so thick that they'd stand no chance at stinging me anyways.

Catch it early, bud. Don't let it keep going. Digitate hydroids, which look like the ones you have (though I could be wrong) are considered to be pretty rare but like my hydroids, they're not unbeatable. Just keep at it. It's a LONG process. I've been at it for almost a month but I have almost finished them. I noticed a little hidden spot and I plan to nail them on the next water change.

Turn off your flow for about 15 minutes while you perform this. Let the kalkwasser harden up to avoid creating too much of a storm.

If they're growing on the stalk itself, that's a different story. To my knowledge other than hear say random events, no natural predator other than some Nudi's eat them, and if they're small colonies your nudi purchase (if you can even get it) will be a waste of money in a couple days.

tanked37 · 01/29/2014, 09:53 PM

Just get rid of them however you like (a razor blade comes to mind), or just glue 'em. Done.

lrs183 · 01/29/2014, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanked37

Just get rid of them however you like (a razor blade comes to mind), or just glue 'em. Done.

Gluing would possibly work though other than the fact that it is smothering them I would think it has no actual lethal aspect to it, leaving a lot of room for error. Razor blade is a bad idea due to the fact that these hydroids tend to be similar to Aiptasia in the sense that if there is any living part of them left, they will regrow and regroup.

tanked37 · 01/29/2014, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrs183

Gluing would possibly work though other than the fact that it is smothering them I would think it has no actual lethal aspect to it, leaving a lot of room for error. Razor blade is a bad idea due to the fact that these hydroids tend to be similar to Aiptasia in the sense that if there is any living part of them left, they will regrow and regroup.

Obviously you'd want to cut and remove from the tank with like a turkey baster and then glue them down. Don't just cut them and let them float away. Either way, although a small part can turn into a new colony in practice I rarely see that happen. What will; however, result in a new colony is leaving them there.

lrs183 · 01/29/2014, 10:02 PM

Please be aware of the fact that Kalkwasser can and will kill your coral if you put it on it or it comes in direct contact with it (as in a big blob or chunk of it). So get what hydroids you can off of it and then dose the given area in a layer of Kalk. It will remain white and ugly for some time but after a good while it will be overgrown by the natural elements of the tank.

Very potent and can fluctuate your tank if dosed too heavily. So if you have a whole section of live rock that is covered, don't do it all at once. Do bit by bit to avoid tank fluctuations. However, another solution would possibly be to remove the rock. Though with Hydroids I have come to find that had I followed that route in the beginning like suggested, it would have likely been other places anyways.

lrs183 · 01/29/2014, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanked37

Obviously you'd want to cut and remove from the tank with like a turkey baster and then glue them down. Don't just cut them and let them float away. Either way, although a small part can turn into a new colony in practice I rarely see that happen. What will; however, result in a new colony is leaving them there.

Though this type of hydroid could be vastly different from colonial hydroids, my understanding is these things are not just on the surface of the rock which is why they're so hard to kill. I know Colonials go up to 1-2 inches deep into the rock making a surface treatment such as a razor ineffective. Though, I will say I could be wrong about this type.

Steveb · 01/30/2014, 01:56 AM

Nuke them anyway you can as fast as you can. I got them on some live rock from the gulf of mexico. I thought they where pretty neat at first. They will grow on and sting/kill your corals. They are spawn from hell....

lrs183 · 01/30/2014, 02:46 AM

Look at those little demons. They really are just... Devil spawns

Steveb · 01/30/2014, 08:19 AM

They are! You see it? They are dancing there on the rock work having a good ole time taunting me and my efforts to get rid of them. They eventually got into the large pink stylo in the backgroud and started killing it back.. LOL...

I did ever so much enjoy dipping that rock into 1:10 HCL:H2O...

cloak · 01/30/2014, 07:13 PM

You could always try smothering those patches with epoxy. I've done this to GSP, zoanthids, clove polyps, etc with great success. GL.

bvaughn7 · 06/21/2018, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baringcs

Nuke them anyway you can as fast as you can. I got them on some live rock from the gulf of mexico. I thought they where pretty neat at first. They will grow on and sting/kill your corals. They are spawn from hell....

Did you overcome these?

Steveb · 06/22/2018, 08:14 AM

Yes. Fragged the stylo above them. Then dipped the rock in muratic acid/rodi water.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

01/29/2014, 09:11 PM	#1
leveldrummer Reefer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,831	Help with hydoids PLEASE!!! I have a few small groups of what I believe to be some type of hydroid, they are NOT colonial hydroids, or digitate hydroids, they look like this... (not my picture) (not my picture) These arent really bothering much, accept they are growing within the branches of a very nice candy cane colony that I have, and they seem to be bothering the polyps enough that they never expand fully. I have tried giving these a quick dip in a hydrogen peroxide mix with no help, I have also dipped in coral RX, without any help, Im debating getting my hands on a very powerful laser and trying to nuke them from orbit, but the more I read about those lasers the more Im worried about trying that. Does anyone know what will eat these dang things? mandarin? pipefish? what? Im tired of them. I want to remove them from my system somehow.

01/30/2014, 01:56 AM	#8
Steveb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TX Posts: 1,090	Nuke them anyway you can as fast as you can. I got them on some live rock from the gulf of mexico. I thought they where pretty neat at first. They will grow on and sting/kill your corals. They are spawn from hell.... __________________ Steve My Tanks 50x30 ABS Tub & a 48x24 frag tank at the moment Steve's Reef 265 Build In Progress

01/30/2014, 08:19 AM	#10
Steveb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TX Posts: 1,090	They are! You see it? They are dancing there on the rock work having a good ole time taunting me and my efforts to get rid of them. They eventually got into the large pink stylo in the backgroud and started killing it back.. LOL... I did ever so much enjoy dipping that rock into 1:10 HCL:H2O... __________________ Steve My Tanks 50x30 ABS Tub & a 48x24 frag tank at the moment Steve's Reef 265 Build In Progress

06/22/2018, 08:14 AM	#13
Steveb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: TX Posts: 1,090	Yes. Fragged the stylo above them. Then dipped the rock in muratic acid/rodi water. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro __________________ Steve My Tanks 50x30 ABS Tub & a 48x24 frag tank at the moment Steve's Reef 265 Build In Progress

01/29/2014, 09:21 PM	#2
lrs183 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 399	Growing on the branches or just up and through them? If they're through it and not actually a part of it, move it and literally take a PASTE of Kalkwasser and smother them in it. I do not know how much hydroids hurt so I do not recommend using your bare finger to perform this procedure. However, Colonial hydroids that I have been battling recently retract quickly when I smother them and the paste I use on a small part of my finger is so thick that they'd stand no chance at stinging me anyways. Catch it early, bud. Don't let it keep going. Digitate hydroids, which look like the ones you have (though I could be wrong) are considered to be pretty rare but like my hydroids, they're not unbeatable. Just keep at it. It's a LONG process. I've been at it for almost a month but I have almost finished them. I noticed a little hidden spot and I plan to nail them on the next water change. Turn off your flow for about 15 minutes while you perform this. Let the kalkwasser harden up to avoid creating too much of a storm. If they're growing on the stalk itself, that's a different story. To my knowledge other than hear say random events, no natural predator other than some Nudi's eat them, and if they're small colonies your nudi purchase (if you can even get it) will be a waste of money in a couple days.

01/29/2014, 09:53 PM	#3
tanked37 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 262	Just get rid of them however you like (a razor blade comes to mind), or just glue 'em. Done.

01/29/2014, 10:02 PM	#6
lrs183 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 399	Please be aware of the fact that Kalkwasser can and will kill your coral if you put it on it or it comes in direct contact with it (as in a big blob or chunk of it). So get what hydroids you can off of it and then dose the given area in a layer of Kalk. It will remain white and ugly for some time but after a good while it will be overgrown by the natural elements of the tank. Very potent and can fluctuate your tank if dosed too heavily. So if you have a whole section of live rock that is covered, don't do it all at once. Do bit by bit to avoid tank fluctuations. However, another solution would possibly be to remove the rock. Though with Hydroids I have come to find that had I followed that route in the beginning like suggested, it would have likely been other places anyways.

01/30/2014, 02:46 AM	#9
lrs183 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 399	Look at those little demons. They really are just... Devil spawns

01/30/2014, 07:13 PM	#11
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	You could always try smothering those patches with epoxy. I've done this to GSP, zoanthids, clove polyps, etc with great success. GL.