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digitate hydroids!!! (1 Viewer)

Kepler

Kepler

Former: Koletang
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
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Location
Woodbury, MN
I was looking at the tank and noticed fine long almost thread like clear/white things popping out of the rock and swaying in the current. Kinda fuzzy too. They almost shrivel up. They are each one individual thread that comes out of the rocks

What are they? are they bad?
 
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I did some research, they are digitate hydroids. How to I get rid of them?! Half the people say they die off after a while and the other half say they are invincible, that's one of the things I HATE about forums...
 
Just Google imaged them and I think I have them as well. Mine do not have the barbs on the thread like extensions, but loo exactly like other images I saw.

They are a pain. I can tell you that much. They like to reproduce and their long tentacles do irritate corals. I have never had them kill anything off but they sure are ugly. I go in and break them off. Mine for a calcium based tube that they come out of and if I break them off right at the base sometimes I get them.

I have heard of people putting a drop of super glue in the tube to kill them off. Sometimes this works but sometimes the grow out the other end. I would say erraticate them if you can. They spread.
 
Adam G said:
Just Google imaged them and I think I have them as well. Mine do not have the barbs on the thread like extensions, but loo exactly like other images I saw.

They are a pain. I can tell you that much. They like to reproduce and their long tentacles do irritate corals. I have never had them kill anything off but they sure are ugly. I go in and break them off. Mine for a calcium based tube that they come out of and if I break them off right at the base sometimes I get them.
Click to expand...

Just want to make sure we're all thinking about the same thing... ???
This is what I found on Google (I also have these in my tank and they sway in the current. If you touch one, it retracts)
IMG_4214copy.jpg
 
No, I have something different. I saw that on google image but also saw what I have. My experience will not apply. Probably a good thing!
 
I encountered one of these for the first time last Spring. I was very excited, since I had not seen or heard of these before, and this was some really cool diversity I did not know was in the tanks (and I had not added anything to the tanks in years so they must have been in there a long time). They have not become overabundant by any means. I rarely see them (though I know of a rock where I can usually find one to show students).

If they become super-abundant and cover your rocks and sting everything else in your tank, then OK, maybe they are something to be concerned about.

Otherwise, take pleasure in having the privilege of being able to see all this really cool biological diversity in your tanks. These creatures are as much a part of coral reefs as many of the other things we keep in our tanks. In fact, small creatures like this are probably much more abundant on coral reefs than many of the things we intentionally purchase to keep in our tanks. Enjoy them, and be amazed by the diversity. If you learn something about them and understand what they are a bit you can't help but see them as being beautiful.

I've not heard of them becoming super-abundant like Aiptasia, but perhaps they can do that in some cases. I don't know. All I know is that they have not done that in my tanks.
 
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There are many kinds, I have the clear ones.

There are colonial ones that are more brown and much easier to get rid of.

I believe that they are more of an eye sore than a problem, like the brown planaria I have. You'll always get the apocalyptic people that will go on and on about all of these extreme measures to get rid of stuff that does more harm than good.

I always go with the natural things like an invert or fish to get rid of stuff.

I have heard reports of peppermint shrimp eating them, but I'm not sure about that.

My plan is to do a water change + cut back on excess nutrients + time.
 
capman said:
I encountered one of these for the first time last Spring. I was very excited, since I had not seen or heard of these before, and this was some really cool diversity I did not know was in the tanks. They have not become overabundant by any means. I rarely see them (though I know of a rock where I can usually find one to show students).

If they become super-abundant and cover your rocks and sting everything else in your tank, then OK, maybe they are something to be concerned about.

Otherwise, take pleasure in having the privilege of being able to see all this really cool biological diversity in your tanks. These creatures are as much a part of coral reefs as many of the other things we keep in our tanks. In fact, small creatures like this are probably much more abundant on coral reefs than many of the things we intentionally purchase to keep in our tanks. Enjoy them, and be amazed by the diversity.

It is entirely possible they can become pests in some tanks. I don't know. All I know is that they have not done that in my tanks.
Click to expand...


I like that, thanks :)
 
Adam G said:
Just Google imaged them and I think I have them as well. Mine do not have the barbs on the thread like extensions, but loo exactly like other images I saw.

They are a pain. I can tell you that much. They like to reproduce and their long tentacles do irritate corals. I have never had them kill anything off but they sure are ugly. I go in and break them off. Mine for a calcium based tube that they come out of and if I break them off right at the base sometimes I get them.

I have heard of people putting a drop of super glue in the tube to kill them off. Sometimes this works but sometimes the grow out the other end. I would say erraticate them if you can. They spread.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you are talking about vermetid snails.
 
capman said:
It sounds like you are talking about vermetid snails.
Click to expand...

I have those and I hate them. My zoas weren't doing well so I took a closer look and the plug had quite a few of them and they were causing the zoas to close up. I picked them off and the zoas are doing great.
 
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