Colonial hydroids taking over tank

[biotex]

I bought a coral and noticed hydroids all along the base of it when it was in quarantine. They were irritating the coral at the base and I had stn. I fragged the healthy coral bits into a new plug and discarded the old plug with the hydroids and all. I must have missed the tiniest polyp or something because a week later my tank is full of them.

They seem to grow away from light and under other corals. I've been using micro scissors to remove them from under corals and I inject boiling water with a syringe at ones on the rockwork. Peroxide didn't work. Anyone get rid of them forever? I have a 15 gallon so large fish aren't an option.

 

[exnisstech]

Bump

 

[sixty_reefer]

The only natural method I’m aware for this one’s it’s a banded shrimp or chemical (Febenzadol), really do not recommend that method as it basically nukes the tank and it’s not always effective. they’re actual name is zanclea hydroids.

 

[BriDroid]

I have these too, in mostly high flow areas and in the shade. I do hit them with peroxide from time to time, it seems to knock them back some, but they come back.

Interesting about the banded shrimp. I may have to add one? I've also heard that maybe a halloween hermit might eat them too?

 

[sixty_reefer]

I have these too, in mostly high flow areas and in the shade. I do hit them with peroxide from time to time, it seems to knock them back some, but they come back.

Interesting about the banded shrimp. I may have to add one? I've also heard that maybe a halloween hermit might eat them too?

Ive not had any person experience with them, wouldn’t be able to comment on that, I did notice that they go crazy in growth if small foods are available.

 

[biotex]

The only natural method I’m aware for this one’s it’s a banded shrimp or chemical (Febenzadol), really do not recommend that method as it basically nukes the tank and it’s not always effective. they’re actual name is zanclea hydroids.

Fenbendazole isn't an option for me, I have a lot of corals/inverts that are sensitive to that. Banded coral shrimp might be an option, but by the time I find one and order it, these will have already spread all over my tank. May have to do the old scrub and siphon method. I don't feed fine foods, but I have a ton of copepods and rotifers naturally in my water column which I don't want to sacrifice since they make my coral, feather dusters, sponge, and porcelain crab happy.

What is the best spot treatment for killing them? Peroxide and boiling water via syringe is ineffective. I can't get kalk paste on rock overhangs. Vinegar?

 

[sixty_reefer]

Fenbendazole isn't an option for me, I have a lot of corals/inverts that are sensitive to that. Banded coral shrimp might be an option, but by the time I find one and order it, these will have already spread all over my tank. May have to do the old scrub and siphon method. I don't feed fine foods, but I have a ton of copepods and rotifers naturally in my water column which I don't want to sacrifice since they make my coral, feather dusters, sponge, and porcelain crab happy.

What is the best spot treatment for killing them? Peroxide and boiling water via syringe is ineffective. I can't get kalk paste on rock overhangs. Vinegar?

Nothing else worked for me, they one of the most difficult pest to deal with in my opinion.

 

[BriDroid]

I just ordered a yellow coral banded shrimp. He should be here Tuesday. We’ll see!!!!

 

[fish_collector]

You've only got a 15g, can you use a toothbrush and just brush them off? Eventually you'd get them all. Those come and go in my sump, sometimes thousands of them and then there will be none.

 

[GSPClown94]

I did notice that they go crazy in growth if small foods are available.

That's also been my experience with them. Recently I've been seeing a lot of people say they usually just go away on their own and I wonder if that might only be true for lower nutrient environments.

 

[BigAl07]

Has anyone tried using a LASER to remove these?

Back in the day, we used a high power laser (with appropriate PROTECTIVE GEAR) to remove tank tank pests but I never had to deal with these. We used the laser for bubble algae, aptasia, and other quick spreading pests.

 

[biotex]

Update: I reduced my feeding and noticed that my blue legged hermit crabs are picking at them. My money cowries and tuxedo urchin steamroll them. I'm hopeful that they will get curbed.

I tried using a toothbrush to get them off the rocks but what ends up happening is they explode with growth overnight when I scrub them off. I think this is because the scrubbing doesn't get their base.

My phosphates tested high, so I'll fix that as well and see what happens.

 

[TheDuude]

Dosing calcium carbonate seems to help

 

[sixty_reefer]

Update: I reduced my feeding and noticed that my blue legged hermit crabs are picking at them. My money cowries and tuxedo urchin steamroll them. I'm hopeful that they will get curbed.

I tried using a toothbrush to get them off the rocks but what ends up happening is they explode with growth overnight when I scrub them off. I think this is because the scrubbing doesn't get their base.

My phosphates tested high, so I'll fix that as well and see what happens.

I wouldn’t scrub as that would just allow them to reproduce faster, they behave in similarity to Aipatasia. Just a little faster growing

 

[biotex]

Final update: Cowries wiped them out. They might come back, but they're well controlled once the cowries have a taste for them.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Nothing else worked for me, they one of the most difficult pest to deal with in my opinion.

Agreed. The only reason I ever had to break down a tank was because of these.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Agreed. The only reason I ever had to break down a tank was because of these.

Mines survived 3 treatments of Febenzadol, might as well have broken it down. It was horrible after that.

 

[gregrock68]

Mines survived 3 treatments of Febenzadol, might as well have broken it down. It was horrible after that.

Hopefully not headed toward breaking it down. Clearly my coral feeding and phyto dosing fostered this, which I have stopped. I did not feed much, twice a week but I am sure that's contributing to the issue. I found some cowrie snails and purchased them, should be here next week. Hopeful for positive results as they seem to be the best option. Only other option seems to be a breakdown and restart....... Ugh

 

[Schulks]

Do cowries eat hybrids? Is this new information? Why do people use fenbendenazole if cowries can do it?