Hitchhiker growing in SPS

[NeverlosT]

Can you help me identify, and help me find a way to get rid of these little filter feeders? (Look like hair)

They live on/in my rock, and on/in some sps colonies, and stunt the growth of the SPS. Actually growth basically stops, so they are causing a problem.

They are tiny two-haired feeders (probably worms). The coral tries to grow over them and they just grow with it, which results in long weird tubes in the coral.

I've see them elsewhere in several sps frags and colonies and everywhere they grow, they stop coral growth.

I've tried crushing them, damaging the sps, but the worms are not killed by this. It hurts the sps more.

 

[Salty1962]

If they start messing with my corals, I put epoxy over them.

 

[NeverlosT]

If they start messing with my corals, I put epoxy over them.

I would but in some cases it is literally square inches of coral, would be a lot of coral to kill. Still, might be the only way.

Does anyone know what they are and if anything eats them?

Here's another shot of an infected frag. All of those nubs aren't growth tips, they do not have terminal polyps. At the top of each are the feeders of these creatures.

 

[Polyp Lagoon]

I have had that in the past!
Sorry forgot about the name...
I used superglue on it, locking them up will kill them. Sadly I was too late to save the sps.

 

[KJ]

Hydroids.

 

[Polyp Lagoon]

Hydroids.

Yep that's it! [emoji1360]

 

[Deniss]

Hydroids.

Any tips on how to get rid of them? I have read about a medicine that kills them, but i can't find the article anymore.

 

[KJ]

Any tips on how to get rid of them? I have read about a medicine that kills them, but i can't find the article anymore.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/here-it-is-fenbendazole-use-against-hydroids.214950/

 

[NeverlosT]

hmm. I thought hydroids were a polyp looking larval stage of jellyfish.

Fun story: I actually got sent to the hospital once and kept overnight because I'd been stung by some hydroids while snorkeling on Cape Cod (hydroidia medusa were the critters). Turns out their stings have a neuro-toxin and I was in a bad way since I'd been stung like 50 times. They started to shut down my breathing and my organs hurt. Anyhow... I lived. lol.

Ok, so hydroids. Thanks for the link, I will read up and hopefully eradicate this creature. I owe them one!

 

[NeverlosT]

@twilliard would you mind taking a look please at the above pics and let me know if those are hydroids in your estimation? I am reading through your hydroid treatment thread now...

 

[NeverlosT]

Here's a frag that won't grow because of so many darn bugs living in it. Every one of those spindly protrusions has some filter feeders sticking out of it. No polyps.

 

[Polyp Lagoon]

Found a shot of the frag that I had. Here it was just a little patch. You can see 1 with his tiny antennas out...

 

[Tori]

Here's a frag that won't grow because of so many darn bugs living in it. Every one of those spindly protrusions has some filter feeders sticking out of it. No polyps.

Have you tried dipping it again? Apologies if you mentioned that already and I didn't catch it.

 

[Deniss]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/here-it-is-fenbendazole-use-against-hydroids.214950/

Thanks mate, this is the thread i was talking about!

 

[KJ]

Thanks mate, this is the thread i was talking about!

YW

 

[NeverlosT]

Have you tried dipping it again? Apologies if you mentioned that already and I didn't catch it.

Hi Tori, I did not try re-dipping, I could do that with one of the frags as it is not super grown onto the rocks, the others might be tricky. I'll give it a shot.

 

[NeverlosT]

 

[NeverlosT]

See them off to the side there? They look like worms. I dont think that they are hydroids. I think that they are a tube worm that the SPS tries to grow over and the tube worm keeps growing its tube to out run the SPS.

 

[ccurnick]

I have these as well and cant find any info on them.... What are they?

 

[NeverlosT]

I have these as well and cant find any info on them.... What are they?

Hi Curnick, they are vermetid snails that happen to be growing in the SPS. Pain in the neck. Only solution is to constantly crush them, which the coral will also hate, or attempt a combo of crushing and supergluing over the affected area.

No known natural predator. Real pain in the rear.