Pest In Tank!

[tanku]

I have a problem with what looks like patches of the stem and heads of a dandelion after you blow on it. they are brown in color. they either have a stinging ability or chemicals, some are in the middle of my star polyps making that area stay closed. I don't have a pic yet, but does anyone have an idea of to what they are.

 

[usmcsgt]

Sounds like apstasia to me.

 

[Salamander]

Sounds like a species of hydoid to me. Do the bristle heads retract when you touch or squirt water at them? Hyrdroids are bad and can sting corals. Kinda hard to remove too. Its all about early detection and rapid response to keep 'em from spreading.

 

[tanku]

thanks, but its not aptasia. it looks just like a dandelion stem and head. very small, maybe a 1/4" long. I can easily scrub it off with a toothbrush.

 

[Salamander]

Oops --- Hydroid, not hydoid.

 

[tanku]

salamander that is exactly what they do. is there anyway to get rid of them. I have been scrubbing the rocks that they are on with a toothbrush and letting them drift in the water column. there is really practical way for me to remove the rocks and scrub them outside of the tank.

 

[Salamander]

Doesn't seem to be a great way to get rid of these. Kalk, putty, boiling water etc doesn't seem to be very effective. I've used bone cutters or wire snips to cut a chunk of the rock where they are rooted. I believe they can spread pretty easily and IMO I don't think you want to scrub it off and let the pieces drift. If you don't get all of a colony it'll come back.

Good luck

 

[tanku]

if that's the case I am in big trouble. there are many little clusters all over the tank.

 

[dc_909]

Good luck.