Tube Worm (?) ID

Reef Box · Oct 17, 2017

So I have these little guys absolutely EVERYWHERE! It started off with only a couple, then a few, then a bunch and now they are all over. They don't seem to do much harm but I'd just as soon not have them all over everything. Seems like they are some sort of tube worm. The actual tube is maybe the diameter of a needle and about 1/8 of an inch long with a single strand about the size of a hair that is 1 to 2 inches long. I currently have a coral only tank and will be adding fish as soon as my Hospital tank is up and running (currently in the build stage) I'd like to find out what they are so I can try to find a natural predator to keep them in check.

TIA!

KJ · Oct 17, 2017

Digitate Hydroids

Barrett · Oct 17, 2017

+1 digitate hydroids, I have them as well, now if someone can tell is how to get rid of them that would be great.

Bruzzerfish · Oct 17, 2017

+1 Digitate Hydroids. I had them in my tank when it was about 1 year old and they stuck around till the tank was about 2-3years old. I believe mine died out with time, I never bought any critter to specifically take care of them and I never targeted them for removal. I don’t know if anyone else ever had a similar experience. My tank is now about 5 years old and it is free of them besides a few left over tube skeletons

Reef Box · Oct 18, 2017

Thanks for all the feed back. I looked up the Digitate Hydroids and that's dead on. I've also read some got better and some got worse. I'm going to pick up a melanurus Wrasse and possibly a peppermint shrimp or two. Some had luck eradicating them and these are a couple of my original choices for the tank from the start anyway.

Roy 9121 · Oct 18, 2017

The only thing I've ever heard of that will eat hydroids is a Lynx Nudibranch, pearl scale butterfly, or maybe a file fish. I haven't tried any of them. I've had colonial hydroids in my tank for a out a year, I usually try to cover them with some kind of puddy. I've heard sometimes they will run their course and go away, you can also try increasing tank circulation and reduce feeding.

Reef Box · Oct 18, 2017

Roy 9121 said:
The only thing I've ever heard of that will eat hydroids is a Lynx Nudibranch, pearl scale butterfly, or maybe a file fish. I haven't tried any of them. I've had colonial hydroids in my tank for a out a year, I usually try to cover them with some kind of puddy. I've heard sometimes they will run their course and go away, you can also try increasing tank circulation and reduce feeding.

Thanks Roy. I'll look into a couple of your suggestions. I can say I can't bump up the current much without blowing the tissue off of my SPS and since I have no fish I currently feed absolutely zero and haven't for months.

Roy 9121 · Oct 18, 2017

Dewayne Whitesell said:
Thanks Roy. I'll look into a couple of your suggestions. I can say I can't bump up the current much without blowing the tissue off of my SPS and since I have no fish I currently feed absolutely zero and haven't for months.

There are some post here about people using horse dewormer to treat hydroids, you can search for them. I have though about trying it, but i wanted to try everything else first. It seems pretty extreme.

Reef Box · Oct 18, 2017

Roy 9121 said:
There are some post here about people using horse dewormer to treat hydroids, you can search for them. I have though about trying it, but i wanted to try everything else first. It seems pretty extreme.

I agree, sounds extreme. I do my best to keep chemicals and treatments out of my system. It'll have to be a long hard fight before I give it a shot. I appreciate the input, there may be someone following along that has already gone as far as they can and may consider it.

Roy 9121 · Oct 18, 2017

Dewayne Whitesell said:
I agree, sounds extreme. I do my best to keep chemicals and treatments out of my system. It'll have to be a long hard fight before I give it a shot. I appreciate the input, there may be someone following along that has already gone as far as they can and may consider it.

Well, good luck in your fight, let me know if you have any success with anything. I'll be following this thread.