Hydroids?

[Dan P]

Are these both forms of hydroids? I have a few small patches of the first kind (which looks like most of the hydroid pics I’ve seen) and a single small patch of the second. Both have been in there for a while. Are hydroids always considered a pest? None of them have done much except sit there and glow under the actinics.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Yes, unfortunately Not sure of a means of eradication other than manual removal.

 

[Dan P]

Well, I’ll probably work on that while the patches are still small if that’s the case. I thought they were pretty lol.

 

[Cristy17]

Well, I’ll probably work on that while the patches are still small if that’s the case. I thought they were pretty lol.

I don’t have any but my LFS had them in a large tank and it was overrunning the tank, which is why they are considered a pest I think..Anyways, he treated the entire tank with some veterinary medicine and it killed them off, unfortunately there were other things that died too..I can’t remember what..inverts I think..

 

[Dan P]

I don’t have any but my LFS had them in a large tank and it was overrunning the tank, which is why they are considered a pest I think..Anyways, he treated the entire tank with some veterinary medicine and it killed them off, unfortunately there were other things that died too..I can’t remember what..inverts I think..

I see. I’ll probably try manual removal and gluing over what’s left as a first attempt, as I’d hate to inadvertently kill my pistol shrimps or pompom crabs n such. Thank you for the info

 

[Joshua2598]

I see. I’ll probably try manual removal and gluing over what’s left as a first attempt, as I’d hate to inadvertently kill my pistol shrimps or pompom crabs n such. Thank you for the info

Sounds like a good plan

 

[jk_s124]

I have the same colonial hydroids in my tank. Have been doing battle with them for the better part of a year. I began following this thread. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/here-it-is-fenbendazole-use-against-hydroids.214950/page-26
Some useful info. I did a few rounds of this treatment in the spring at a dose of about 1.5 mg per gallon and it knocked them back. Also killed my toadstool leather and astrea snail. Everything else was fine. Hydroids came back in force though. 3 weeks ago I redosed at 2.8 mg per gallon. I followed up 1 week later with the same dose. All corals look good, palys are closed up and irritated but okay, inverts good as well. I think I may have finally got them all. I have one packet left and I am debating if I should give it one more go in another week just to make sure.

 

[jk_s124]

Fenbendazole is harmful to leather corals snails (my nassarius have always been fine as I knock on wood) sea cucumbers, worms (it's used as a fish and canine dewormer) blue clove polyps, and green star polyps. Shrimp, crabs, fish, mist lps and sps and softies seem to handle it well. My brittle stars never seem to succumb to the treatment either. No more bristle worms though.

 

[Dan P]

Hmm. I have two nice patches of gsp, but I’d be more worried about losing my christmas worms if it’s hard on feather dusters. Thanks for the link and info, I’ll look into it. Hoping with just a few small clumps I can knock it out before it’s a real issue.

 

[jk_s124]

I have had success covering small patches for a few weeks with this stuff too. There always seems to be a couple that survive for me. Good luck though!

 

[Dan P]

I have had success covering small patches for a few weeks with this stuff too. There always seems to be a couple that survive for me. Good luck though!

Edit because it didn’t show the “fingers crossed” I put up.

 

[jk_s124]

I have had success covering small patches for a few weeks with this stuff too. There always seems to be a couple that survive for me. Good luck though!

Sorry forgot to add the link. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/two-little-fishies-aquastik-underwater-epoxy-putty.html

 

[Dan P]

So I pulled what I could with my tank tweezers and puttied over what was left. Covered a little extra. Those tubes are surprisingly strong! If they come back I’ll probably go with the fenbendazole.

 

[jk_s124]

Good luck! Using the tweezers to manually remove them is the best bet if you can get them. Even if you use the fenbendazole, make sure to remove the dead tubes so it's harder for them to come back. Sounds like you recognized the problem early. So you have already won most of the battle!

 

[Dan P]

Just to finish the thread, I have not seen another hydroid since the plucking and puttying over. I removed some of the putty and have seen no signs of reappearance from underneath either. I would say this appears to be a good method of removal, at least for small populations.

Dan