Digitate Hydroids

[anthonys_aqua]

I have seen to gotten digitate hydroids, I hear they sting corals/ may not but I've been seeing some pissed off corals with hydroids near them. So what can I do about it besides dosing Fenbendazole? that seems to be the most recommended option

 

[Humblefish]

@35ppt

 

[35ppt]

I have seen to gotten digitate hydroids, I hear they sting corals/ may not but I've been seeing some pissed off corals with hydroids near them. So what can I do about it besides dosing Fenbendazole? that seems to be the most recommended option

Have you tried manual removal? How old is the tank? If newer they might go away on their own. What's your feeding like?

 

[Lachri]

Have you tried manual removal? How old is the tank? If newer they might go away on their own. What's your feeding like?

Manual removal for the digitate hydroids isn't really possible like the other types. They're usually too skinny and just retract even if you try and use tweezers. Plus they really root into wherever they attached themselves to. My tanks all have them, cleaner shrimp help but I feed so well they don't eat a lot of them. They've not bothered any of my coral (softies and a couple lps) so I just leave them alone.
Fenbendazole seems a really high risk for something like this.

 

[35ppt]

Manual removal for the digitate hydroids isn't really possible like the other types. They're usually too skinny and just retract even if you try and use tweezers. Plus they really root into wherever they attached themselves to. My tanks all have them, cleaner shrimp help but I feed so well they don't eat a lot of them. They've not bothered any of my coral (softies and a couple lps) so I just leave them alone.
Fenbendazole seems a really high risk for something like this.

I've definitely been able to remove them previously but but this was in a quarantine tank where I could just pull the rock or plug. I'm sure if they're down in something you don't want to move that may not be possible.

 

[Lachri]

I've definitely been able to remove them previously but but this was in a quarantine tank where I could just pull the rock or plug. I'm sure if they're down in something you don't want to move that may not be possible.

I couldn't even get it off a snail shell when I tried with tweezers. I gave up and accepted them as residents lol.

 

[35ppt]

I couldn't even get it off a snail shell when I tried with tweezers. I gave up and accepted them as residents lol.

Scrape that sucker off with a razor blade! 😄

 

[Lachri]

Scrape that sucker off with a razor blade! 😄

Can't. He's family now. You don't cut family!

 

[bishoptf]

wow...I was just going to post a topic on this very same subject, lol and ping @35ppt

I have been looking at my tank after lights out since I added some bumble bee snails a few weeks back for vermited snails (what a pain) and they only come out after dark. I have a red led flashlight that I use so things do not appear to notice it but I started seeing instances of these tentacle like things coming out and waving about. I only have three that I can see but they appear to hurt SPS, I have some that appear to have irritated spots on the acros. I did some googling and finally identified them to be Digitate hydroids, reefcentral has a good thread on them - Digitate hydroids help? - Reef Central Online Community some say peppermint shrimp and halloween hermits. I actually have a halloween hermit in this tank so I dunno if they really help or not, but I only have three that I can see.

Would like to see if anyone finds anything that works, right now I am trying to do manual but some of them are buried deep in the rocks and I cannot see where they are coming from...

 

[35ppt]

wow...I was just going to post a topic on this very same subject, lol and ping @35ppt

I have been looking at my tank after lights out since I added some bumble bee snails a few weeks back for vermited snails (what a pain) and they only come out after dark. I have a red led flashlight that I use so things do not appear to notice it but I started seeing instances of these tentacle like things coming out and waving about. I only have three that I can see but they appear to hurt SPS, I have some that appear to have irritated spots on the acros. I did some googling and finally identified them to be Digitate hydroids, reefcentral has a good thread on them - Digitate hydroids help? - Reef Central Online Community some say peppermint shrimp and halloween hermits. I actually have a halloween hermit in this tank so I dunno if they really help or not, but I only have three that I can see.

Would like to see if anyone finds anything that works, right now I am trying to do manual but some of them are buried deep in the rocks and I cannot see where they are coming from...

Peroxide maybe?

 

[bishoptf]

Peroxide maybe?

Yeah not read much in regards to that working, they only come out at night and it makes it harder to go after them, they are so well camouflaged and small that it makes them hard to find under the lights. Going to follow along this thread and see if anyone figures out a way to go after them, still not sure my bumble bee snails are making a dent in my vermatid snails..ugh.