Can someone please help me identify this?

[bmcduffy]

I have been searching forever but just can't get what this is or how to get rid of it. Thank you.

I posted on Nano Reef and a few people think it might be Hydroids. They don't seem to bother anything but they are spreading. I need to get them under control.


I have attatched a couple photo's to give scale to the close up.

Thanks in advance for any advise you can offer me.

[Reefmedic79]

[WELCOME]

Colonial Hydroids, nuisance, can and will kill corals they come in contact with, and as you already stated they spread pretty quick.

[bmcduffy]

Thank you for the quick reply. I was afraid of that. Is there anything that will eat them? I would have to take my tank apart to get at the rocks they are on.

[MARINECRITTERS]

Best to remove the rock, easiest way to completely eradicate them, peppermint shrimp and berghia nudibranchs seem to work for some people though.

[Reefmedic79]

Some butterfly fish eat them as well, but butterfly's can be pretty sensitive to acclimation in new tanks, the ones that eat them are typically not reef safe as well.

[bmcduffy]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out. I'm going to try the Peppermint Shrimps before anything too drastic. Removing my rock would be a complete tear down. I'll let everyone know if the shrimp help. They sure did wonders when I went through Aptasia so I'm crossing my fingers.