Are these hydroids?

[Willbiker]

Hi. Ive got LOTS of stringy things all over my rocks which I believe are branching hydroids. Some are right in the middle of my fuzzy mushrooms and must be contacting with them all day long. I have lots of these but most are just a couple of cms long.

Anyone had these before and dealt with them without removing rocks? Or shall I just manually get them when they go near my corals...

 

[JGT]

Hard to see with pic but not hydroids. Appear to be Spionid worm or vermetid. Mucous net is the giveaway.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Do they come from a hard tube? Are they bothering corals?

 

[Willbiker]

I cant see the base of most of them but the longer ones near my mushrooms have little pods they seems to emerge from

Here are some pics of others in the tank..without filters as this seemed to pick them up a little better

 

[Willbiker]

Do they come from a hard tube? Are they bothering corals?

I cant see any coral bothering happening yet. The mushrooms in the pics are the only corals making contact and they seem fine. The others are short and arnt near any corals.. yet!

 

[Willbiker]

Hard to see with pic but not hydroids. Appear to be Spionid worm or vermetid. Mucous net is the giveaway.

Are these anything to worry about? Thanks for the info

 

[JGT]

The mucous net can irritate corals if it drags across them. Otherwise, no.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Ya some people hate them, but my corals don't seem to mind

 

[HB AL]

A few is no big deal but if they have a population explosion it becomes a drag as when any type of nutrition enters the water they all shoot out there webs and it covers the entire tank making a big mess.

 

[Dkmoo]

I cant see the base of most of them but the longer ones near my mushrooms have little pods they seems to emerge from

Here are some pics of others in the tank..without filters as this seemed to pick them up a little better

The ones yiu circled are vermetids snail and their web, not too bad if ur corals are not bothered.

The blue pictures are digitate hydroids. They sting corals if too close. Their population explode when there is too much dissolved organics and not enough nature competition. Looks like in yours at least the vermetids will compete for it. Just monitor and be cognizant with feeding. Usually they come and go with nutrient swings.

 

[Willbiker]

A few is no big deal but if they have a population explosion it becomes a drag as when any type of nutrition enters the water they all shoot out there webs and it covers the entire tank making a big mess.

So do you think its spionid worms or vermetid snails? Any fish or critters which eat them?

 

[Willbiker]

The ones yiu circled are vermetids snail and their web, not too bad if ur corals are not bothered.

The blue pictures are digitate hydroids. They sting corals if too close. Their population explode when there is too much dissolved organics and not enough nature competition. Looks like in yours at least the vermetids will compete for it. Just monitor and be cognizant with feeding. Usually they come and go with nutrient swings.

Thanks for this info. I have been battling dinoflagellates which maybe explains their arrival as my nutrients levels have been raised. I'm bring it back down now but will monitor. Thanks a lot