Hydroids: Do you / did you have them too?!

[MissMolly]

Hi! I recently discovered hydroids (with the ID help from you guys) and I have quite a lot of them in my pick tank. Also in the other tank but not nearly as much.

Mine are tiny and white, and they prefer to sit under rocks, under HOB filter (really in the shade), and also on glass furthest away from lamps and flow direction. Making me think they avoid either light or flow. Not sure which one?

Have you had hydroids too? Which ones and how did it go? Please share your story and any advice.

Thanks!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

These are mine below, colonial hydroids. They spread very slow, but they are super resilient, and so ugly, its like a furry brown caterpillar on my rock.

 

[fishyjoes]

I had some that looked like tiny little jelly fish swimming around shortly after setting up my tank - they eventually just died off and I haven't seen them again

 

[MissMolly]

These are mine below, colonial hydroids. They spread very slow, but they are super resilient, and so ugly, its like a furry brown caterpillar on my rock.

How big are these? Mine are smaller than pods. Did you try and fight them?

 

[FUNGI]

OP...you have non colonial hydroids

 

[BriDroid]

I have zanclea hydroids all over my 10 gallon nano. They do seem to bother my zoas. I fight them back with hydrogen peroxide from time to time. I try to starve them with DIY coral snow. I tried a banded shrimp, he doesn't care about them. I would try a tiger cowrie if I could find one. I've also thought about an emerald crab, some have said they will eat them???

I've been told by some that they will be around forever and others have said that they will disappear on their own with time....

 

[MissMolly]

OP...you have non colonial hydroids

Yes I know. They don't look like Mr. Mojos. I think mine looks more like hydractinia echinta and they actually do like to sit on my snail's houses. But I'm not sure cause mine are the same height and echinata seems to range in height.. Actually it's easier to find the ones that they are not

 

[MissMolly]

I have zanclea hydroids all over my 10 gallon nano. They do seem to bother my zoas. I fight them back with hydrogen peroxide from time to time. I try to starve them with DIY coral snow. I tried a banded shrimp, he doesn't care about them. I would try a tiger cowrie if I could find one. I've also thought about an emerald crab, some have said they will eat them???

I've been told by some that they will be around forever and others have said that they will disappear on their own with time....

Is it tiger cowrie? Not money cowrie, cause I read somewhere that pones money cowrie ate them?

 

[MissMolly]

I had some that looked like tiny little jelly fish swimming around shortly after setting up my tank - they eventually just died off and I haven't seen them again

Lucky you!

 

[MissMolly]

OP...you have non colonial hydroids

And honestly it's driving me crazy that I can't pinpoint the EXACT species that I have. I need to know!!

 

[MissMolly]

These are mine btw. They are smaller than a pod as you can see and they stay this small

 

[BriDroid]

Is it tiger cowrie? Not money cowrie, cause I read somewhere that pones money cowrie ate them?

Not sure? I've read posts with both of them mentioned...

 

[MissMolly]

Not sure? I've read posts with both of them mentioned...

Okay maybe they both do. I also saw that someone hd luck with filefish. Makes sense since it seems close to aiptasia?

 

[BriDroid]

Okay maybe they both do. I also saw that someone hd luck with filefish. Makes sense since it seems close to aiptasia?

I'm willing to try anything at this point! I'm even considering the nuclear option, Fenbendazole. I just really don't want to if I can find something to keep them in check.

 

[PotatoPig]

I used to have a bunch of them in lower flow areas but they weren’t near any corals and didn’t seem to bother anything, so I mostly ignored them other than cut back a little on reef roids. Eventually they just went away on their own.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[BriDroid]

I wanted to add a tiny emerald crab anyway, and I've read where a few people say that they've picked on the hydroids some. So I got a small one at lunch time today. We'll see if he helps with them. He's already eating algae off the sand and rocks.

 

[BriDroid]

Well, the emerald crab is already doing something. He's not eating every single one of them, but he's like Godzilla, ripping them off the rocks to get to what is under/around them. He is eating a few in the process. When he moves on, there are 60-70% less hydroids there! Maybe he'll develop a taste for them even more!!!!

Emerald crab eating hydroids

 

[MissMolly]

I wanted to add a tiny emerald crab anyway, and I've read where a few people say that they've picked on the hydroids some. So I got a small one at lunch time today. We'll see if he helps with them. He's already eating algae off the sand and rocks.

That’s interesting, please keep us posted!

 

[MissMolly]

Well, the emerald crab is already doing something. He's not eating every single one of them, but he's like Godzilla, ripping them off the rocks to get to what is under/around them. He is eating a few in the process. When he moves on, there are 60-70% less hydroids there! Maybe he'll develop a taste for them even more!!!!

Emerald crab eating hydroids

Wow!!! That’s amazing!!!!!!!!!

 

[MissMolly]

I'm willing to try anything at this point! I'm even considering the nuclear option, Fenbendazole. I just really don't want to if I can find something to keep them in check.

I actually tore down my pico tank today. Partly due to MANY hydroids but also some cyano suddenly appearing. Wasn’t too happy about my sandbed choice either so I figured I just as well bring it to an end. Now hoping that my main tank will keep only showing very low number of hydroids. The kind I have does only grown in low flow low light so not bothering my acros in any way.

Otherwise I’m planning on adding file fish and six line wrasse.