Digitate hydroids spreading. What to do?

[Backreefing]

Limpets do not work against hydroids .
hydroids spread quickly in a aquarium without fish for some reason . I have hundreds of them. Used to be thousands of hydroids.
I don’t know what kills them , yet . I’ve been thinking of bumble bee snails?? I did notice a sea hare will eat some , but I still have hydroids after the sea hare starved.

 

[b4tn]

I have a 4 month old mixed reef with fish and have an explosion of these things. They only come out at night and flop around in the flow. They started embedded in a zoa patch that is open during the day just fine and have spread fast all over my tank. I am feeding heavy to keep nitrates up. What’s strange is all my coral came from my old reef and I do not recall ever seeing them. Here is a vid of them from ground zero in my zoa patch.

 

[Backreefing]

I don’t think they are hydroids . Hydroids look like clusters of feather duster worms but tiny with tubes.

 

[DoctaReef]

I have a 4 month old mixed reef with fish and have an explosion of these things. They only come out at night and flop around in the flow. They started embedded in a zoa patch that is open during the day just fine and have spread fast all over my tank. I am feeding heavy to keep nitrates up. What’s strange is all my coral came from my old reef and I do not recall ever seeing them. Here is a vid of them from ground zero in my zoa patch.

Those are defininty hydroids. I have them all over and are threatening just about everything. I can say Zoas, Montis and a trumpet coral are the most affected right now.
Has anyone found a solution? I’m about to add an army of peppermint shrimp, hopefully one will take a liking to them...

 

[Backreefing]

Tuxedo urchins eat hydroids.

 

[DoctaReef]

I will try anything at this point...let you know if they attack mine...

 

[D. Torres]

Bump. I'm assuming this is what is being discussed in the thread? (See picture) That is attached to a piece of Hawaii black sand for size reference.

 

[Nano sapiens]

I had a few come in a frag plug. They especially multiply when small particle foods are fed. I have controlled/reduced them by rinsing all frozen food first, limiting ReefRoids to a small portion once a week using a filter sock on cleaning day and grabbing the 'string' part with a tweezers whenever I can (since it breaks off, the animal is forced to rebuild a new one and If I do it 3-4 times the animal disappears, so either moves or dies. On occasion, I have found the base pseudopod ('foot') and have been able to remove the whole animal at once with a surgical tweazer.

 

[Backreefing]

I’m wondering if a copper band butterfly will eat them?

 

[attiland]

I’m wondering if a copper band butterfly will eat them?

Likely. I wouldn’t able to confirm anymore as mine just died fee day ago after 1 month in my tank for unknown reasons but it was eating anything can be picked of a rock

 

[Muwahha]

I read somewhere that Halloween hermit crabs take care of these. I bought 2 the last trip to the LFS. I know one half of my tank is clear but the other side is untouched. Both seemed to molt right after I got them so they only had a couple of days to graze. They are just now starting to get motivated again. I have 2 patches on some rock that I’m watching specifically to see if they disappear. Don’t want to spread any false hope until I know for sure. So far one half is clear but I never paid to much attention on any specific patches.

 

[ReefBeta]

Looks like I'm getting them in the tank.

 

[Backreefing]

I can say tuxedo urchins aren’t doing the job . Same goes for hermits. I’m going through a move right now so I haven’t had time to get a copperband butterfly.

 

[attiland]

I read somewhere that Halloween hermit crabs take care of these. I bought 2 the last trip to the LFS. I know one half of my tank is clear but the other side is untouched. Both seemed to molt right after I got them so they only had a couple of days to graze. They are just now starting to get motivated again. I have 2 patches on some rock that I’m watching specifically to see if they disappear. Don’t want to spread any false hope until I know for sure. So far one half is clear but I never paid to much attention on any specific patches.

so how it is working now? although it is said that these will retrakt as the thank matures I would be interested if Halloweens worked.

 

[Muwahha]

Well, with the one hermit he has actually just about cleared the tank. I would say it was about 3 weeks and I really have to search to find one. If I had a second it would be completely clear.
Only one of the two I originally bought survived. The second wasn’t doing much and within a week had passed.

 

[attiland]

Well, with the one hermit he has actually just about cleared the tank. I would say it was about 3 weeks and I really have to search to find one. If I had a second it would be completely clear.
Only one of the two I originally bought survived. The second wasn’t doing much and within a week had passed.

Time for shopping than always need a good excuse

 

[Waterbender]

hey guys, I am having a hydroid explosion in my QT. Would be great to know what worked for you. Thanks.

 

[attiland]

hey guys, I am having a hydroid explosion in my QT. Would be great to know what worked for you. Thanks.

As above the Halloween Hermits make a dent on the population. I have literally just managed to get one. They reduced over time anyway but I like those hermits. @Muwahha had success within a few weeks.

 

[Waterbender]

As above the Halloween Hermits make a dent on the population. I have literally just managed to get one. They reduced over time anyway but I like those hermits. @Muwahha had success within a few weeks.

Awesome. I still have a couple of these guys in my display. You're right, I used to have a dozen of them. Very peaceful guys, never touched my snails

 

[Just John]

Have a look at this:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hydroids-a-reference-to-some-strategies.819522/