Hydroids and aminos? (Also do they use silicate)

[Spare time]

Does anyone know if branching hydroids are capable of using free form amino acids, fatty acids, and carbs such as reef energy? If not, what EXACTLY do they eat? Everyone I have seen says they eat coral food and that is not helpful. They normally stay on one rock in my tank but recently have spread greatly. I haven't done anything different recently except heavily feeding reef energy to help a sick pearly bubble coral and some frags that got stressed. I normally feed this and phyto so I am not sure what is making them thrive compared to before. I do soak food more in what are basically fish oil additives (continuum omega 3 and hufa).

Also, do they use silica? My DI resin is nearing its end and I have noticed some sponges starting to grow a lot more or coming back so I am curious if my meter needs calibration (no clue how often that is needed)

 

[Spare time]

I also want to add that I have previously used reef energy heavily when my tank kept bottoming out phosphates and they were not a problem then.


My main concern is that I think they are killing of my palys on a rock. That rock is also being completely smothered by sponges that seem to have taken off lately for some reason.

 

[Jaden9933]

I’m having the same problem and would love some advice! I’ve got a couple different kinds of hydroids and the colonial ones are starting to cause some damage

 

[karsie]

Wondering the same

 

[sixty_reefer]

Can you share a picture of the hydroids

 

[Spare time]

They ended up not being much a problem at some point and the paly's came back. I am not home with the tank now and won't be for a period of time but I can share a pic in a month

 

[sixty_reefer]

They ended up not being much a problem at some point and the paly's came back. I am not home with the tank now and won't be for a period of time but I can share a pic in a month

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hydroids-of-some-sort.953831/#post-10858679
This one’s?

 

[Spare time]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hydroids-of-some-sort.953831/#post-10858679
This one’s?

More translucent/white at the bases if I remember correctly.

 

[elysics]

I had success in keeping them at bay with a blue line Hermit (Calcinus elegans). Someone else here recommended them and I think it worked. Changed from me pulling finger sized bushes out all around the tank to maybe seeing a few polyps here and there.

Not sure if it's eating them, but it's ripping them out

It's definitely a hermit doing hermit things though, so glue down your corals properly