Does anyone know how to kill digitate hydroids

[SC_^2P]

My reef minions are stupidly well fed lol. I can’t bring myself to even let them go 1 day without a feast.

What is the benefit/reason you want one from the Keys?

What do you feed them?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Old thread but my tank still has zero digitate hydroids and aiptasia. I haven’t had any peppermint shrimp in a couple years either

 

[Sweet Reef Corals]

What do you feed them?

I feed my fish a home made mix of frozen varieties, small amount of Roids and Chili, garlic, chopped up Nori. I mix it all together and then re-freeze it

Old thread but my tank still has zero digitate hydroids and aiptasia. I haven’t had any peppermint shrimp in a couple years either

Same here. I started running my thawed mix thru a strainer to remove some of the particulates due to phosphate issues and before long the hydroids just disappeared. In fact I had totally forgotten about them until this popped up!

 

[GDiaz]

About three years is all that you can expect the peppermints to live. Make a mental note to replace them about then. I have never had them eat any coral, but I also make sure that they are fed. They are not coral eaters, but they probably will before they starve... and so would any of us.

I get mine from reeftopia.com so that I know that they came from the Florida Keys.

Thanks for adding this. I recently had these pests in my tank and ordered 5 peppermints from reeftopia.com. My display is 82gl it took 1 week for the shrimp to eat these critters all up. My tank was covered in these and I was very frustrated looking at them. Best decision.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Last saturday got three peppermints for a 36 gallon tank with a bunch of colonial hydroids. I will post pics and observations, if any progress occurs. Thanks for this thread!

 

[GDiaz]

Last saturday got three peppermints for a 36 gallon tank with a bunch of colonial hydroids. I will post pics and observations, if any progress occurs. Thanks for this thread!

You won’t be sorry. 2 of the 5 were sucked into my power heads so I felt like I should have gotten more but it’s ok. With the remaining ones it should keep them at bay.

 

[reefiniteasy]

I’ll have to get a couple of peppermint shrimp then. Been dealing with digitate hydroids for a couple months now. They don’t seem to be affecting much but I hate seeing them. At night 2-3” threads just swaying in the flow. I’ll update after a bit and hopefully I have the same results.

 

[GDiaz]

I’ll have to get a couple of peppermint shrimp then. Been dealing with digitate hydroids for a couple months now. They don’t seem to be affecting much but I hate seeing them. At night 2-3” threads just swaying in the flow. I’ll update after a bit and hopefully I have the same results.

That is how mine started. If I knew it was going to turn into the massive outbreak, I would have acted sooner. Don’t be fooled those critters mean business lol. The turning point was how many, quickly spread and they started to disturb some corals. I thought I was doomed but thankfully I came across this thread.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Well I tossed in 3 peppermint shrimp this morning. If my Flame Hawkfish doesn’t eat them, hopefully they’ll get the job done.

 

[reefiniteasy]

It’s been 5 days. Left side of my rockscape that was covered in small digitate hydroids is clear. Can’t find a single one. We might be on to something. Will update again soon.

 

[GDiaz]

It’s been 5 days. Left side of my rockscape that was covered in small digitate hydroids is clear. Can’t find a single one. We might be on to something. Will update again soon.

That’s great to hear! I’m so glad for this discussion thread and to know this still works. It’s helped so many of us.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Alright, I just got done inspecting the tank with a flashlight and there is not a single digitate hydroid visible. NOTHING! These shrimp are cross-crossing the tank, taking care of business. I can say with 100% certainty, Peppermint shrimp eat digitate hydroids.

 

[Nick711]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone else has/had success with different methods?

I have a pair of coral banded shrimp which would probably make quick work of peppermints if I added them…. But these digitate hydroids are a huge PITA!

I’ve limited feedings quite substantially over the last couple weeks and they still seem to multiply at a fast pace … CBS, hermits, limpets, urchins don’t seem to care for them. I’ll be adding a yellow coris wrasse soon but from what I see it’s doubtful they show any interest

Manual removal is all but impossible - I spend 20 minutes with a pair of tweezers and maybe grab 5 of the ones I can find attached to a piece of sand. Ones on rock are very secure / evasive.

I would like to avoid any chemicals, but I’m at a loss. I guess continuing to limit feedings to only what is necessary for my fish / anemones until I hopefully see a regression is my only hope

 

[reefiniteasy]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone else has/had success with different methods?

I have a pair of coral banded shrimp which would probably make quick work of peppermints if I added them…. But these digitate hydroids are a huge PITA!

I’ve limited feedings quite substantially over the last couple weeks and they still seem to multiply at a fast pace … CBS, hermits, limpets, urchins don’t seem to care for them. I’ll be adding a yellow coris wrasse soon but from what I see it’s doubtful they show any interest

Manual removal is all but impossible - I spend 20 minutes with a pair of tweezers and maybe grab 5 of the ones I can find attached to a piece of sand. Ones on rock are very secure / evasive.

I would like to avoid any chemicals, but I’m at a loss. I guess continuing to limit feedings to only what is necessary for my fish / anemones until I hopefully see a regression is my only hope

Peppermint Shrimp will do it 1000%. However, my issue is my Flame Hawkfish. He kills the shrimp after a week. And then the Digitate Hydroids come back.

Next I will try the laser from ITC Reefculture. Maybe I can zap them. We will see.

 

[Nick711]

Peppermint Shrimp will do it 1000%. However, my issue is my Flame Hawkfish. He kills the shrimp after a week. And then the Digitate Hydroids come back.

Next I will try the laser from ITC Reefculture. Maybe I can zap them. We will see.

Curious to hear the results from the ITC device. I’ve heard lynx and fringeback nudibranch do a great job, but they’re impossible to find

 

[reefiniteasy]

Curious to hear the results from the ITC device. I’ve heard lynx and fringeback nudibranch do a great job, but they’re impossible to find

Last time I went into Top Shelf I asked about the Lynx. I’m waiting to hear back if there fish people are able to get one.

I’d rather have ich and aptasia. LOL

 

[Idech]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone else has/had success with different methods?

I got rid of mine by getting an army of blue legged hermit crabs. I had dozens everywhere and now I have trouble finding a single one.

Most crabs are gone now and the digitate hydroids still don’t reappear (touch wood). Maybe my 2-3 peppermint shrimps are taking care of maintaining the population down.

 

[Nick711]

I got rid of mine by getting an army of blue legged hermit crabs. I had dozens everywhere and now I have trouble finding a single one.

Most crabs are gone now and the digitate hydroids still don’t reappear (touch wood). Maybe my 2-3 peppermint shrimps are taking care of maintaining the population down.

Unfortunately my dozen or so blue legged hermits don’t seem to care for them lol…unless I’m just not seeing their work due to the sheer number of hydroids and they decide to pass by them when I’m watching.