Digitate hydroids (NEED GONE)

[MollyDog]

I’m looking for some recommendations as to how to rid my tank of these pests.

After being told to let them run their course I’ve had no luck in them disappearing. They now cause my zooanthids to constantly shut. Have read that it’s due to their stinging nature.

Looking for an invertebrate or a fish whom will consume them if anyone knows of something to recommend.

Have also heard that hydrogen peroxide dosing will help but am unsure as to how to go about that.

Attached are some pictures of the tank and the pests I’m assuming are digitate hydroids.

 

[Saltyreef]

My 6 line wrasse loved to eat them.

 

[MollyDog]

My 6 line wrasse loved to eat them.

Where it’s only a 20 gallon long tank I’d be afraid the tank would be too small for a wrasse?

 

[Saltyreef]

Where it’s only a 20 gallon long tank I’d be afraid the tank would be too small for a wrasse?

If you dont have a bunch of fish a 6 line can make a great nano fish.
I kept one in a 14g with 2 clowns for quite some time.

 

[Aqua Man]

Where it’s only a 20 gallon long tank I’d be afraid the tank would be too small for a wrasse?

Do have a lid? Wrasse are jumpers. No help for the hydroids, just wanted to say that’s a great picture of the little demons!!

Could try to super glue over the Hydroids.

 

[Saltyreef]

Do have a lid? Wrasse are jumpers. No help for the hydroids, just wanted to say that’s a great picture of the little demons!!

Could try to super glue over the Hydroids.

They truly are evil

 

[TokenReefer]

Pia these things. I tried rinsing frozen food to limit tiny particles they'd consume (to starve them out)... For about a month... Ultimately I removed my zoa plug and with pliers just broke off the areas they were growing. The colony is free of them now still. Sometimes ya just gotta get physical lol

 

[MollyDog]

Do have a lid? Wrasse are jumpers. No help for the hydroids, just wanted to say that’s a great picture of the little demons!!

Could try to super glue over the Hydroids.

Yes the tank has a plexiglass lid I custom made! Love the look without a lid but have always kept the lid on when not around the tank in fear that the clown fish would end up on the floor. Especially where I’m a 5 hour drive to my closest LFS that’s sells marine.
So buying a 6 line wrasse would be something I’d have to be sure works out before purchasing as I don’t know anyone else with a tank nor do I have a second system! Thanks
Super gluing the hydroid shut wouldn’t exactly work for me as there’s easily a 100 of them and they don’t seem to have a main base from what I can see. Thanks!

 

[MollyDog]

Pia these things. I tried rinsing frozen food to limit tiny particles they'd consume (to starve them out)... For about a month... Ultimately I removed my zoa plug and with pliers just broke off the areas they were growing. The colony is free of them now still. Sometimes ya just gotta get physical lol

I wish this was as simple as doing that in my system I’ll try to get more pictures of them but there doesn’t seem to be a base to break off, and they’re also all over the rocks and sand bed. Thanks!

 

[Saltyreef]

Yes the tank has a plexiglass lid I custom made! Love the look without a lid but have always kept the lid on when not around the tank in fear that the clown fish would end up on the floor. Especially where I’m a 5 hour drive to my closest LFS that’s sells marine.
So buying a 6 line wrasse would be something I’d have to be sure works out before purchasing as I don’t know anyone else with a tank nor do I have a second system! Thanks
Super gluing the hydroid shut wouldn’t exactly work for me as there’s easily a 100 of them and they don’t seem to have a main base from what I can see. Thanks!

I wouldnt hesitate to get one. There would be very little reason for it not to work out unless he was agressive to your clowns or the opposite.

FWIW, I always include a 6 line and LMB in my tank for natural neussiance relief.

 

[MollyDog]

I wouldnt hesitate to get one. There would be very little reason for it not to work out unless he was agressive to your clowns or the opposite.

FWIW, I always include a 6 line and LMB in my tank for natural neussiance relief.

Ok thanks! What is a LMB? I think I’ll get one ordered and use it as an excuse to get more corals in! Do you find the 6 line is the best wrasse for neussiance relief?

 

[Saltyreef]

Ok thanks! What is a LMB? I think I’ll get one ordered and use it as an excuse to get more corals in! Do you find the 6 line is the best wrasse for neussiance relief?

Well they eat flatworms and pods, pick around coral for things to eat...its the smallest and most readily available reef safe wrasse.

Lawn mower blenny for algae but if you dont have much algae growth i would skip it since you need to be very selective with such a small tank.

 

[kevgib67]

Where it’s only a 20 gallon long tank I’d be afraid the tank would be too small for a wrasse?

I’ve had 6 line in all of my tanks for over 17 years, the smallest was a 15 gallon. I agree with Saltyreef, a 20 gallon would be fine. Oh, I have never had flat worms or hydroids. I know I have had to have introduced them over the years but I believe the six line took care of them before I could notice them.

 

[MollyDog]

Well they eat flatworms and pods, pick around coral for things to eat...its the smallest and most readily available reef safe wrasse.

Lawn mower blenny for algae but if you dont have much algae growth i would skip it since you need to be very selective with such a small tank.

Got my 6 line wrasse in yesterday evening! Showed up on the bus almost by with some frags! I’ll post some pictures once I glue them in place! Montipora digitata, setosa, and green cap! Green pocillapora and some trumpet coral! And a purple photosynthetic gorg.

The wrasse is already out swimming in the tank openly and seems to have found every crack in the rock possible. I can hear the pistol shrimp standing his ground but I believe he’s slowly leaving who owns what part of the tank!

 

[MollyDog]

 

[DannoOMG]

I had a 6 line wrasse in my nano tank for a while (13 gallons).

Except one morning I noticed his tail fin was missing. I have no idea how that happened. Only thing I could come up with was he got too close to the powerhead. Very bizarre.

 

[Saltyreef]

I had a 6 line wrasse in my nano tank for a while (13 gallons).

Except one morning I noticed his tail fin was missing. I have no idea how that happened. Only thing I could come up with was he got too close to the powerhead. Very bizarre.

Yeah fish are super weird. My 6 line would hide in the weirdest places so im not surprised.
I had a blue hippo tang that used to sleep sucked to the overflow weir. I thought it was dead the first time i saw it happen. Then i noticed it did it everynight.
Some weaker fish havent been as lucky to escape that one lol.

 

[MinnieMouse2]

I have the hydroids that glow kelly green under blue lights. Colonial hydroids. I have to scrap them off as they get bigger colonies. I have never been able to get rid of them completely, not even changing out some of the rocks helped. Occasionally, I have gotten a blistering rash after working in the tank. The rash covered my arm up and down any part that touched the water. The last time it put my blood pressure into the red. They are of the jelly fish family, toxic. Now I only work in the tank with long gloves. If you can get rid of it now, I would do it before they spread all over your tank.

 

[Auto-pilot]

I have the hydroids that glow kelly green under blue lights. Colonial hydroids. I have to scrap them off as they get bigger colonies. I have never been able to get rid of them completely, not even changing out some of the rocks helped. Occasionally, I have gotten a blistering rash after working in the tank. The rash covered my arm up and down any part that touched the water. The last time it put my blood pressure into the red. They are of the jelly fish family, toxic. Now I only work in the tank with long gloves. If you can get rid of it now, I would do it before they spread all over your tank.

Man I hate those guys. I'm not sure but eventually mine just disappeared and I never saw them again. I had some crazy bumps after sticking my hand in the tank during that time. I wonder if it was these guys that did that to me