Hydroids! - Please help!
- Thread starter Psychedelic Mandarin
- Start date
JHardman
Premium Member
kpebbles said:
Do you have a species name for the shrimp? Common names get applied to so many different species it hard to tell for sure which one you are talking about.
I wouldn't call them harmful, at least in my brood stock system, they are just one more thing that keeps my pairs focused on something other than spawning and eating enough (critical to spawning)... I am hesitant to add shrimp to the brood stock tanks as they are notorious egg eaters, but if they would wipe out the hydroids once and for all, I would live with some wiped out nests. In the grow out tanks, yes I think they are a deadly problem, but I can filter the water so it is really not a problem unless I get stupid again.
pperez
New member
I recently killed what i think were hydroids. I simply used kalk paste over them. They were spreading so fast that i needed to try something. Well kalk definately kills them. Overnight the shrimps cleaned out the dead ones so the rocks are nice and clean. The ones i got look similar to the picture in the The reef aquarium vol 2, pg 431.
I did notice that they came in direct contact with my staghorn and i saw no noticeable damage. So i don't know about that powerful sting theory. Still i wasn't about to take a chance, so death to them.
I did notice that they came in direct contact with my staghorn and i saw no noticeable damage. So i don't know about that powerful sting theory. Still i wasn't about to take a chance, so death to them.
Psychedelic Mandarin
New member
Lymsata Wurdemanni is correct. That is the one that I used for my digitate hydroids. I don't know if they are effective against other types of hydroids.
A bit of warning: although most call the Peppermint Shrimp reef safe, they are not that safe in my experience. They will kill feather dusters, will sometime pick at clams, will even kill a snail of two that has flipped over. So add these guys with caution. You might want to do a search on them before adding.
From what I hear (not from experience), the Camel-backs (Lymsata Ambionesis) are much worse and are totally not reef safe.
In terms of kalk paste. It works as long as you can get to it. I had a few that were either inaccessible or rooted deep in the rock that I could not get. I kalked the h** out of some of the deep rooted ones, only to have it pop out the next day. Obviously I couldn't get the paste deep enough in the rock. If you are lucky and they are attached superficially, I would think that manual removal and/or kalk paste would be the best course.
HTH
A bit of warning: although most call the Peppermint Shrimp reef safe, they are not that safe in my experience. They will kill feather dusters, will sometime pick at clams, will even kill a snail of two that has flipped over. So add these guys with caution. You might want to do a search on them before adding.
From what I hear (not from experience), the Camel-backs (Lymsata Ambionesis) are much worse and are totally not reef safe.
In terms of kalk paste. It works as long as you can get to it. I had a few that were either inaccessible or rooted deep in the rock that I could not get. I kalked the h** out of some of the deep rooted ones, only to have it pop out the next day. Obviously I couldn't get the paste deep enough in the rock. If you are lucky and they are attached superficially, I would think that manual removal and/or kalk paste would be the best course.
HTH
jlserr
New member
Ok, i have these digitate hydroids, I have a couple of lysmata wurdemani and one lysmata amboinensis.
I had thousands of these hydroids 5 months ago (as my two lysmata wurdemani) and 4 months ago the amboinensis.
i've noticed now i have about just 50 or less d hydroids. I don't know if my wurdemanni did the job or maybe it's just a coincidence, but the hydroids, as the shrimps are in my tank 5 months ago, it's a lot of time.
so far, lysmata amboinensis is not the camel shrimp, it's the cleaner shrimp and it's more safe than the wurdemani, i saw one of my wurdemani cuting the polyps of my torch coral (euphyllia glabrescens) lasta night.
I'll take a look tonight if my wurdemani are eating the d. hydroids, they might be doing the job.
See you
I had thousands of these hydroids 5 months ago (as my two lysmata wurdemani) and 4 months ago the amboinensis.
i've noticed now i have about just 50 or less d hydroids. I don't know if my wurdemanni did the job or maybe it's just a coincidence, but the hydroids, as the shrimps are in my tank 5 months ago, it's a lot of time.
so far, lysmata amboinensis is not the camel shrimp, it's the cleaner shrimp and it's more safe than the wurdemani, i saw one of my wurdemani cuting the polyps of my torch coral (euphyllia glabrescens) lasta night.
I'll take a look tonight if my wurdemani are eating the d. hydroids, they might be doing the job.
See you
KevinM
New member
Leviathan said:
Since someone revived this thread today, I'll post my recent experience with them.
I mounted several SPS frags a few days ago, and last night I noticed one of the pieces of rubble had a Hydroid on it about an inch long. It's able to reach 1/2" up onto the frag. Direct contact between the hydroid and the polyps on the Acro produces no visible reaction from either. I'll snap some pics, and keep an eye on it for a couple weeks. But so far it's not been an issue.
FWIW
Kev
hwyman
New member
well guys its been a while how are the hydriods doing around your coral? We got a small outbreak and have yet to see adverse effects on the coral. Some are right next to the coral so I dont want to kalk balst them. As for peppermint shrimp clearing them up, our peppermint shrimp wont touch them. Heard of coral beuties doing it, but no proof.
Found this picture in ask dr ron the hydroid is right in the coral with no adverse effect.
Found this picture in ask dr ron the hydroid is right in the coral with no adverse effect.
Peter Eichler
New member
I've had all types of hydroids throughout the years and have yet to see them harm anything with a sting. The photosynthetic varieties can certainly be a pest in some cases though as they can spread like wildfire in the right circumstances, and the right circumstances are usually a well setup reef.
I wouldn't worry yourselves much about hydroids stinging other inhabitants, as I'm sure many of you have witnessed by now the deadly nature of their sting seems to be highly exagerated. And I believe when authors refer to hydroids as having powerful stings, it's most often in reference to Millepora aka Fire Coral, which is a hydrozoan and does have a powerful sting. However some authors seem to have confused this <cough Sprung cough> and lump all hydrozoans together in the "powerful sting" category, when it is clear than many are pretty harmless.
I wouldn't worry yourselves much about hydroids stinging other inhabitants, as I'm sure many of you have witnessed by now the deadly nature of their sting seems to be highly exagerated. And I believe when authors refer to hydroids as having powerful stings, it's most often in reference to Millepora aka Fire Coral, which is a hydrozoan and does have a powerful sting. However some authors seem to have confused this <cough Sprung cough> and lump all hydrozoans together in the "powerful sting" category, when it is clear than many are pretty harmless.
bastion666
Premium Member
I have a new tank and started to see what I am sure were colonies of hydroids. All were clustered together and spread throughout the tank.
I bought a couple peppermint shrimp to deal with a few apitasia that wouldn't die via hot water, and they also cleaned out every hydriod in sight.
The good news is (so far) that they have left the fether deusters and other corals alone.
Just another data point.
I bought a couple peppermint shrimp to deal with a few apitasia that wouldn't die via hot water, and they also cleaned out every hydriod in sight.
The good news is (so far) that they have left the fether deusters and other corals alone.
Just another data point.
hwyman
New member
Got our coral Beauty. YES IT DOES EAT DIGATATE HYDROIDS!!
have seen a drastic decrease in the number of them in the tank.
I think it may have nipped at some of our xenia coral but has left the rest alone for now. Going to monitor it around the coral, if it starts to eat it we will get rid of it.But it picks at the rock and gravel all day. None of the other fish will do that. I think he was a good addition to the tank....if he leaves the coral be.
have seen a drastic decrease in the number of them in the tank.
I think it may have nipped at some of our xenia coral but has left the rest alone for now. Going to monitor it around the coral, if it starts to eat it we will get rid of it.But it picks at the rock and gravel all day. None of the other fish will do that. I think he was a good addition to the tank....if he leaves the coral be.
BillnJennh
New member
I have a few of these type of hydroids very near an open brain with absolutely no adverse affects. The hydroids brush against the flesh of the open brain when it's fully inflated, and I haven't noticed any recession of the brain at all. They don't seem to be harming anything, so I think I'll put my vote in for the "not as harmful as thought".
This is an interesting thread. I hope people respond.
I recently noticed 2 or 3 of these in my tank. They're all on a specific rock, and it's my Gramma Basslett's fave rock, and it's pretty, so I'm not getting rid of it. I'm thinking of just sticking a small piece of epoxy over their hole to see if it kills them. Has anyone thought to try this? It would be hard to grab them with tweezers- my tank is deep, and I have a feeling if I pull the rock up, these things will withdraw.
I also wonder if a freshwater dip might get them out. It might be worth a try.
Anyone else have anything to add?
Anything you've tried, whether successfully or unsuccessfully?
I recently noticed 2 or 3 of these in my tank. They're all on a specific rock, and it's my Gramma Basslett's fave rock, and it's pretty, so I'm not getting rid of it. I'm thinking of just sticking a small piece of epoxy over their hole to see if it kills them. Has anyone thought to try this? It would be hard to grab them with tweezers- my tank is deep, and I have a feeling if I pull the rock up, these things will withdraw.
I also wonder if a freshwater dip might get them out. It might be worth a try.
Anyone else have anything to add?
Anything you've tried, whether successfully or unsuccessfully?
I am experimenting with getting rid of myrionemia (sp) hydroids, my plague. They are the ones that look like dandelions, they are tan and photosynthetic. I have in the past tried to get a seaslug which would eat them (bad idea). Recently I have been reading Scott Michael's new butterfly fish book and he states that several 'flys' eat hydroids. I picked up a yellow longnose butterfly, and I'm watching him closely....
Similar threads
