digitate hydroids
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Help
Forum Name: General Help
Forum Description: The place to ask about pest, problems, hitchhikers, etc.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=75276
Printed Date: April 28 2025 at 10:52pm
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Topic: digitate hydroids
Posted By: CHAOS
Subject: digitate hydroids
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 12:10pm
The pest that even the internet has not helped me understand . I have gotten a plethora of advice in person and through searching other forums. A search here came up blank so I figured I would start a post. If possible I would like to keep this focused on DIGITATE HYDROID, because there are billions of types of hydroids that all are dealt with differently. One HUGE favor; if you reply, please start your reply by stating what type of information you have: Personal Success, Personal Failure, Opinion, Internet Info, Knew a Guy Who Knew a Guy Who Had a Friend who had DH, or Need Help, etc. Thanks in advance. What I have heard: They are related to jellyfish they are a coral no fish eat them  any fish that will eat them will eat your coral they are impossible to keep alive, leave them alone and they will die  they are impossible to kill, they have been in my tank for 5 years and survived the apocalypse they sting coral and humans they don't bother coral or humans kalsewater paste might kill them take all of your LR out and use a flamethrower  soak LR in RO water for a year, then dry it out for a year, then pressure wash it ignore them they will go away use reef glue to cover them  I bought a X fish to eat them and I'm not sure if it does but I have less of them now.  they reproduce from a single cell use a toothbrush to get them off of your leathers I AM SO CONFUSED! |
Replies:
Posted By: LaRue
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 2:09pm
| How about some pics so everyone chimes in on the right subject. Also so those that don't have them will know what to watch for. |
Posted By: 1stupidpunk
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:44pm
| I think you better just go straight to Nikki on this one.... |
Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 3:52pm
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The flamethrower was my personal favorite technique for taking care of these guys. ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |
Posted By: CHAOS
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 7:26pm
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Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 12 2015 at 8:30pm
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Everything is related if you go back far enough. Corals are in phylum Cnidaria. So are jellyfish and hydroids. Class Hydrozoa contains hydroids and some corals. Class Scyphozoa contains jellyfish. Class Anthozoa contains some corals and anemones. So, all the claims that hydroids are related to corals/jellyfish/anemones are true. They're stinging-celled organisms..."cnidarian" literally means "stinging creature" in Latin (technically it translates to "sea nettle"...but you get the idea). Here's a photo of one in my tank, unexpanded. You can see all the stinging cells. I have a video of it somewhere...it's quite insanely hilarious to watch as it expands and contracts.  So, since they can sting, then they can bother sensitive creatures (namely seahorses). They usually coexist somewhat with corals, although they can irritate them. Theoretically they can sting humans too, but I imagine it would be unnoticeable except in highly sensitive people. They also use their stinging cells to collect food like a fishing reel. As far as what eats them and what doesn't, well...probably what eats coral may eat them (but maybe not since they're so small). They'll also wax and wane with your nutrient level (they filter-feed). I used superglue or epoxy over the ones I had that were hidden in a rock. Hope that helps. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 14 2015 at 11:37pm
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Um...glad to help? ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: Pete Moss
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 10:23am
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He hasn't been online since posting this, or I'm sure he would have posted his appreciation. I for one always appreciate detailed feedback. And that picture is bad-a. ------------- 125g 90g 2x33g 34g What stores do I recommend? Up North: Bill ( Saltwater Paradise 801-317-8115 ) Down South: Jerry ( Reef On 801-563-0600 ) Member of GCFB |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 5:01pm
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Ah...ok...thanks for checking. Just wanted to make sure the OP's questions were answered. Seemed pretty concerned! ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: bstuver
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 5:12pm
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Looks like he's having some more problems. He lives down this way in Orem and needs his water tested(not with the strips he has) so I have offered to test it here in the next few days. Maybe I can swing by his place and get some better pics of what he is dealing with... ------------- Jackie Stuver "wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart |
Posted By: CHAOS
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 6:20pm
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Thanks for the info. Update: I mechanically removed about 20 of them, and a rock they were pretty heavy on. There were a couple I could not get at though. After coming home from a long weekend in the field with uncle Sam I am noticing a "blast pattern" on the glass where the water current hits it, this may be hundreds of these guys or something new. Also as bstuver mentioned my water stats are off so I am trying to figure that one out too. Add that to working 56 hours in a 3 day weekend and I am slightly fried. For now I am watching and waiting, if they irritate a specific coral I will remove the offenders. Hopefully they balance out or die off. Thanks again for all of the feedback. |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 6:22pm
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The ones you're seeing on the glass are probably Stauroclaudia. They're related...so they sting...but they are pretty much benign except in rare cases. They'll usually wax and wane as your tank matures. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: CHAOS
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 6:53pm
Good to know. If Iclean them off of the glass, putting them into the water column, will that be a bad thing? Or will it be ok to clean the glass? |
ReefdUp wrote:Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 16 2015 at 7:55pm
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I wouldn't worry about it. I'm pretty sure every single one of us has had them at some point, and they always disappear on their own. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 18 2015 at 5:02pm
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+1 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: CHAOS
Date Posted: March 18 2015 at 11:16pm
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Glass is clean, water changed. Still more digitate than i am comfy with. But i am patiently waiting. |
Posted By: bstuver
Date Posted: March 18 2015 at 11:40pm
As I said when I came by I am pretty sure I have seen the ones you have in almost every tank I've ever looked at. As Nikki said nothing to worry about:) ------------- Jackie Stuver "wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart |
Posted By: CMcTay
Date Posted: March 19 2015 at 2:50pm
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So, how about colonial hydroids? I was going to make a thread asking about them but maybe since we've already got an active hydroid thread going... I've got three 'colonies' on my LR, I was thinking about just chiseling off the chunk of rock they're connected to. I couldn't find a whole lot of advice when googling around, one person said to put epoxy on them or some such... but I want them GONE, not just dead. Would they disintegrate at some point if i did that?
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Posted By: CHAOS
Date Posted: March 19 2015 at 4:36pm
| Thanks Jackie; that's why I'm not totally freaking out (anymore), but I still have not adopted them, started naming them and hoping that they live. |