Digitate Hydroid

[RoOfDiVr]

Okay got em, can't kill em, there pretty much in all my rocks, attacking my corals. You break em they spread got about 15 peppermints nope they want nothing to do with them...
So fellow mad scientist throw me some ideas besides pulling my (300+lbs) of live rock out and baking them in the sun and starting over!

 

[RoOfDiVr]

Come on I know at least one of you folks know something, anything. The local fish store thinks I'm lying but it's all over the Internet. But if no one knows all good.

 

[Race37]

What are they, I haven't heard of them

 

[RoOfDiVr]

They look like a worm real small and they have some sort of ball stinger on them

 

[Flreefer]

I have some colonial hydroids. The most effective way I've found to get rid of them, is to smear Kalkwasser paste on them.
Get some Kalkwasser powder, mix with water about to a toothpaste consistency, and cover the Hydroid with it. I wouldn't do all of them at once, as using to much Kalc at any one time will effect your Ca levels, they will increase.. How much it will effect your levels is dependant on total water volume of your set-up, more volume, less affect.
I would split up your treatments accordingly. The smaller the tank, do smaller amounts at a time, with a few days between treatments.

 

[RoOfDiVr]

Thanks for info I am willing to give anything a shot at this point. Do you get that stuff at any pet store or is it uncommon? Thanks again for the info

 

[Flreefer]

No prob. Most average pet stores won't carry it, but some stores that specialize in saltwater will.
Your best bet would be to order it through an online saltwater supplies store, like Bulk Reef Supply or Drs. Foster and Smith.
Kalkwasser is used as a Ca supplement for reefs.

 

[RoOfDiVr]

Thanks again! I appreciate all the info. It's been very helpful.

 

[Flreefer]

Good luck with it, it should take care of them.

 

[mikestanked]

i have the same issue in my tank at the moment, my 29g FOWLR has plenty of them and they only come out during the night for the most part, how is it possible to target them all? i didnt realize that they were harmful until yesterday! i also have a recuring problem with aiptasia (just about 3, 1/2" ones at the moment) does the aiptasia issue coinside with the digiitate hydroids?

 

[mikestanked]

and i also have 3 peppermints shrimp also, but they always stay on the sand bed? would aquiring more help both my issues? my 550gph power head is pointing towards the front glass and over my LR would this keep them from roaming around the rocks?

 

[Flreefer]

I don't think the hydroids have anything to do with the Aptasia, just coincidence.
The shrimp should roam the tank, when the lights are off, they aren't very active during the day, for fear of predation. Some Peppermints eat the Aptasia, some don't. Give them a little time, they worked for me. I only had a couple, but they were gone in a few days.
I don't think any type of certain flow patterns will keep the hydroids from spreading. Just try to treat small clumps at a time with the Kalc paste.
I have some colonial hydroids. I've tried cutting them out, pulling them out, covering them with rocks to cut off light, just about everything I could think of. The only thing that seemed to work was hitting them with Kalc paste. I do have a Copperband Butterfly that seems to tear off the crowns of them occasionally, but I wouldn't recommend one for this purpose, unless you are commited to taking care of this type of fish. Most only eat pods, unless eating other foods at the LFS, mine was, and they are quite delicate. I've had mine for about a year now, but its in a 180 reef, with only 3 other fish.
IMO/E, your best bet will be the Kalc paste.