Need help identifying this.

Cmacke85 · 01/17/2016, 07:21 PM

I've noticed these little guys sprouting up thru out my tank. I've searched like no other trying to figure out what it is and have had no luck. Anyone know what these are? Is it a good thing they are showing up or do I need to take action?

Scoted · 01/17/2016, 09:08 PM

They look like hydroids. Not good! They are very hard to get rid of. I would remove the rocks with them and use muriatic acid or bleach to kill them off. Try to post a better picture of them to confirm ID.

Fiver · 01/17/2016, 09:10 PM

Aiptasia? Also bad.

skp · 01/17/2016, 09:27 PM

Colonial hydroids. They are the kind in flexible tubes. I fought them for over 3 years and finally had to dry the rock out to get rid of them.

OrQidz · 01/18/2016, 01:41 AM

Looks like hydroids to me too.

pyithar · 01/18/2016, 08:16 AM

they look like colonial hydroids to me as well. if you can't take the rock out, try covering them with thick kalkwasser paste over a small patch a day.

Cmacke85 · 01/18/2016, 05:24 PM

This is the best pic I could get. I'd hate to pull the rocks out to dry them out as i have quit a few corals on them. Stupid me for thinking it was corals spreading. Would boiling R/O water and pulling the rocks out one by one, putting it on the avoid the corals kill them?

skp · 01/18/2016, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmacke85

This is the best pic I could get. I'd hate to pull the rocks out to dry them out as i have quit a few corals on them. Stupid me for thinking it was corals spreading. Would boiling R/O water and pulling the rocks out one by one, putting it on the avoid the corals kill them?

Boiling water will kill them but it will be hard to know you got them all. Basically there is a stolon inside the rock where the tubes all branch off of and it can grow fairly large. Boiling water over a large area will cause a large die off which will cause an ammonia spike. Also be careful not to inhale the steam when pouring boiling water on rock.

Cmacke85 · 01/18/2016, 06:08 PM

Sounds like a plan! Figured i would dry out rocks w/o corals and put boiling water on the others!

Thanks folks!

Cmacke85 · 01/19/2016, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skp

Boiling water will kill them but it will be hard to know you got them all. Basically there is a stolon inside the rock where the tubes all branch off of and it can grow fairly large. Boiling water over a large area will cause a large die off which will cause an ammonia spike. Also be careful not to inhale the steam when pouring boiling water on rock.

Just was thinking, and I'm curious what would happen if I froze the affected areas with liquid CO2. Using a can of compressed air flipped upside down?

01/18/2016, 08:16 AM	#6
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	they look like colonial hydroids to me as well. if you can't take the rock out, try covering them with thick kalkwasser paste over a small patch a day. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

01/17/2016, 09:08 PM	#2
Scoted Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: South Jersey Posts: 126	They look like hydroids. Not good! They are very hard to get rid of. I would remove the rocks with them and use muriatic acid or bleach to kill them off. Try to post a better picture of them to confirm ID.

01/17/2016, 09:10 PM	#3
Fiver Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 365	Aiptasia? Also bad.

01/17/2016, 09:27 PM	#4
skp Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 205	Colonial hydroids. They are the kind in flexible tubes. I fought them for over 3 years and finally had to dry the rock out to get rid of them.

01/18/2016, 01:41 AM	#5
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	Looks like hydroids to me too.

01/18/2016, 06:08 PM	#9
Cmacke85 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 10	Sounds like a plan! Figured i would dry out rocks w/o corals and put boiling water on the others! Thanks folks!