Digitate Hydroids Info.

[Grimreaperz]

Okay....so there is a lot of misinformation or confusing information out there regarding this critter.

I have been researching for months....and so far this is what I have come across.

They are filter feeders.
They have a nasty sting.
They don't sting at all
They will kill your fish.
They don't harm fish.
They will take over your tank.
If left alone they will disappear on their own.
They are a type of jelly fish.
Use Kalkwasser paste.
Chisel them.
Acid bath is the only way.

I am having a major issue with these guys....and I'm so confused by the data I have found I'm not sure what to think anymore.

It's hard to get pictures of them as they are never still. They are long white fuzzy strands that flow in the current. Some are getting massive and everyday I see more.

I found a thread on Lionfishliar forum where he actually admits he misidentified this has Digitate and are called something entirely different.

Here is that thread

http://www.*********.com/index.php?threads/252658/

EDIT: it's a reef two reef thread so won't let me post here. Sorry

I am just looking for any kind of solid advice regarding what I can do or if I should be concerned if anyone has any?!


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[darmar7812]

Would also like to know as I hit the same wall with misinformation and had since give up

[mcgyvr]

well..
have they harmed your fish?
stung you?
stung corals"

[Grimreaperz]

well..
have they harmed your fish?
stung you?
stung corals"
Never intentionally touched one...(don't really want to if they sting)

I had a firefish die recently and I am still uncertain of the cause and would like to address all pests prior to introducing more live stock.

None are close enough to sting corals....

Anyone know anything about these things?

I would love to just acid bath the rock. But that would leave me with no LR left as they are some on every rock now....

I found a thread from a while back mentioning some type of hydroid killing agent but the site has since been taken down.....

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[Grimreaperz]

Would also like to know as I hit the same wall with misinformation and had since give up
Yeah man its really discouraging with such a contradiction in the information out there. It's either these are a new pest that haven't been documented yet about habits in the home aquarium.

I have tried the following with no success.

Starving tank for 1+week
Taking them off the rock with tweezers.
Chiseling them off the rock.
Boiling water.

They seem pretty resilient.

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[Grimreaperz]

Alright since no body has any information on these. I am going to start doing some experimenting on getting rid of these things for good. Also I'm going to touch when I get home to see if this kind stings. Anyone willing to contribute to this information gathering would be welcome!

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[Grimreaperz]

Okay so I was finally able to get some pics of what I am talking about.
They are still a touch blurry as these things constantly move in the current.

But give you an idea.

http://i.imgur.com/cj2ORJo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fk4i4tG.jpg

Haven't touched one yet as I don't really want to but will tonight.

I have noticed they do come out at night mostly.
And light sensitive as they slowly retract when I shine my light on them

I am waiting till I get my Fuge/Sump up and running to start testing extermination methods.

[Grimreaperz]

So I touched the biggest one I could access...no real sting per say. just retracted.

I am curious if a 6 line wrasse or similar type may eat them as they just hang off the rocks in the pictures above there is an extended and retracted one.

If anyone has these and is planning on a 6 line that input would be great!
I may be adjusting my fish list to allow one but I doubt it would work out in my current setup.

So far. No sting to me.
Picking them off rock with tweezers doesn't work as they grow back
boiling water injection doesn't work
Starving tank for 1+week doesn't work
My snails (Trochus and Bumblebee) aren't affected by them nor is my Cleaner Shrimp

Will update after I start with more extermination methods.
Going to try.

Boiling water with Lime Juice.
Superglue
Kalkwasser Paste
Aptasia X

[Bongo Shrimp]

I had them for years in my old reef and at first I was freaking out cause of what I heard about them killing everything.

BUT they don't. I always watched them closely and never saw a coral injured, absolutely never hurt a fish, and also never hurt me. I think you should just watch them for now as no one has ever shown any proof that they are that horrible. A weak coral might be stung or if they were present in big enough numbers they could be an issue but don't do anything crazy just yet.

[drtrash]

I have been battling them for years, does not kill anything per say but they will prevent other things to share same space. That's the rub, they grow fast and prevent zoas, montipora, sps... from expanding colony. I have tried picking leaving rock out in sun, used deworming medication, no luck

[Bongo Shrimp]

I have been battling them for years, does not kill anything per say but they will prevent other things to share same space. That's the rub, they grow fast and prevent zoas, montipora, sps... from expanding colony. I have tried picking leaving rock out in sun, used deworming medication, no luck

This is interesting. Are you sure it's actually the hydroids keeping the corals from growing and not something else? Do you have pics of sting marks?

Also what dewormer did you use?

[Gilby]

I got 2 peppermint shrimp and no more digitate hydroids in my display. Not sure if that is typical but I had quite a few of the hydroids and still have them in my refugium, but not my DT.


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[Ztous]

Okay so I was finally able to get some pics of what I am talking about.
They are still a touch blurry as these things constantly move in the current.

But give you an idea.

http://i.imgur.com/cj2ORJo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fk4i4tG.jpg

Haven't touched one yet as I don't really want to but will tonight.

I have noticed they do come out at night mostly.
And light sensitive as they slowly retract when I shine my light on them

I am waiting till I get my Fuge/Sump up and running to start testing extermination methods.

I have these and didn't know what they were. From what I've seen they don't do much in way of stinging some of them are in my GSP and the GSP wins. They seem like nocturnal filter feeders. I've seen amphipods crawl over them without getting eating.

[Grimreaperz]

I have these and didn't know what they were. From what I've seen they don't do much in way of stinging some of them are in my GSP and the GSP wins. They seem like nocturnal filter feeders. I've seen amphipods crawl over them without getting eating.
Okay thanks for the information. They have been spreading like wild fire....have been worried as there isn't much solid info out there on these things.

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[Grimreaperz]

I had them for years in my old reef and at first I was freaking out cause of what I heard about them killing everything.

BUT they don't. I always watched them closely and never saw a coral injured, absolutely never hurt a fish, and also never hurt me. I think you should just watch them for now as no one has ever shown any proof that they are that horrible. A weak coral might be stung or if they were present in big enough numbers they could be an issue but don't do anything crazy just yet.
Awesome thank you that's what I have been looking for someone who has had these in their tank and can testify they haven't killed anything....my numbers are growing quite rapidly....but I will be doing rock maintenence soon and will get rid of majority of them.

I'll use a bunch of different methods and let you know which is most effective...besides acid bath.

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[Grimreaperz]

I got 2 peppermint shrimp and no more digitate hydroids in my display. Not sure if that is typical but I had quite a few of the hydroids and still have them in my refugium, but not my DT.


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I will be picking some up as I have some Aptasia as well thanks for the heads up!

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[farfromsea]

Supposedly a particular nudibranch eats them? http://wetwebmedia.com/hyzoancompfaq.htm

I just have the colonial type. Nasty creatures caught them poking out of the skeleton of a neglected monti

[Grimreaperz]

Supposedly a particular nudibranch eats them? http://wetwebmedia.com/hyzoancompfaq.htm

I just have the colonial type. Nasty creatures caught them poking out of the skeleton of a neglected monti
Yeah I have seen those rear their head up again lately too. Thanks for the info will check it out!

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[AlSimmons]

These things have always been like Vermetid snails IME. Keep your nutrients down and the population should decline over time.

[Grimreaperz]

These things have always been like Vermetid snails IME. Keep your nutrients down and the population should decline over time.
But they aren't harmful per say to any live stock? That's my main concern. As I have had my tank fallow sorry almost a month and haven't bother more fish in fear these things will kill them....I have seen my Snails climb over them but maybe thought they may not me effected by the sting....I may be feeding a bit to much but I have about 20-30 baby trochus....like just hatched so need to make sure they grow up big and stronng before I sell them then I will cut nutrients out and just do manual removal till then.

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[AlSimmons]

As opposed to corals getting to close for comfort? If conditions are right it's inevitable, one way or the other. If it's not this it's that. How old is your tank btw? (I may have missed it above)

[Grimreaperz]

As opposed to corals getting to close for comfort? If conditions are right it's inevitable, one way or the other. If it's not this it's that. How old is your tank btw? (I may have missed it above)
Sorry I missed this been busy around the house...it is a 36g bow front and will be adding a 29g sump/Fuge.

Tank is about 6.5 months old. Day 180ish

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[Justin330]

Really glad I stumbled across this thread. Can anyone else confirm that the peppermint shrimp took care of them?

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[scottsdale454ss]

ive had them in my tank for years. Really havent noticed them doing anything but existing. I Occasionally see one here and there when its dark. Thats about it.

[Grimreaperz]

Really glad I stumbled across this thread. Can anyone else confirm that the peppermint shrimp took care of them?

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I have been waiting to get my Sump up to get the peppermint shrimp but due to some unseen circumstances it's been put on the side burner...I will update once I get some hoping to get 4, 2 for Fuge 2 for DT hopefully 1 will eat them..

I haven't really noticed them stinging anything per say...mainly just irritating to they with shrink my zoa polyps if they get touched...frogspawn doesn't seem to care....

In addition I was going some magnesium dosing with Kents tech M for byropsis didn't expect this to work for them and I was right lol...

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[Grimreaperz]

ive had them in my tank for years. Really havent noticed them doing anything but existing. I Occasionally see one here and there when its dark. Thats about it.
Yeah they are everywhere in my tank....I have stopped really caring but I would like to get them under control..they are even on the sand bed....and pretty sure one of my Snails has one on his shell....

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[stormy_petrel]

My tank is approx 1.5 years old and I have been battling these bastards for about a year, but in the past month I have gone from having a tank overgrown with them, to just a few dozen left in my sump. There have been no significant changes to water chemistry or livestock additions with the exception of 4 peppermint shrimp, which explains why they are still in the sump only.

There is no way to tell if it's all or one shrimp taking care of them, but not all peppermint shrimp go after aipstasia either.

Good luck to all, I feel your pain.

[jefra]

The directly contradictory information on digitate hydroids doesn't make much sense.

I have one that came in on a Tyree toadstool frag plug. I accidentally touched it and it did indeed sting. It didn't actually hurt, but took me surprise similar to static shock. I've also seen flow push the hyroid into the toadstool frag and the affected area immediately retracts.

I saw a post on other Reddit where someone magnified the hydroid at various resolutions and the many, many nematocysts are visible.

Body at 80x

http://i.imgur.com/HDQYQpK.jpg

Barbed nematocyst at 800x

http://i.imgur.com/ejN6Tji.jpg

[Grimreaperz]

The directly contradictory information on digitate hydroids doesn't make much sense.

I have one that came in on a Tyree toadstool frag plug. I accidentally touched it and it did indeed sting. It didn't actually hurt, but took me surprise similar to static shock. I've also seen flow push the hyroid into the toadstool frag and the affected area immediately retracts.

I saw a post on other Reddit where someone magnified the hydroid at various resolutions and the many, many nematocysts are visible.

Body at 80x

http://i.imgur.com/HDQYQpK.jpg

Barbed nematocyst at 800x

http://i.imgur.com/ejN6Tji.jpg
That's amazing....after research and bashing my head I found a thread that explain treatment with fenbendazole it is on another forum...R2R he explains exact doses for dipping and treatment and is still responsive to anyone thst needs help!

36g BF DT/29g DIY Sump/Fuge

[Livinlocal619]

I had this type of hydroid and another type of hydroid a few years ago. What I found best were peppermint shrimp and believe it or not, Halloween crabs. The hermit crabs that have the orange and black stripes. I was having a problem with my corals not growing in certain areas so I would stay up at night thinking that I would find some sort of crab eating them, but I found hydroids. After tons and tons of research, I came across people saying peppermint shrimp have worked for them and that the Halloween crabs have worked for that. I was a bit skeptical because I also tried all sorts of different additives to kill them, but the shrimp and crabs worked. Another thing that I did was bought the two-part Epoque see and covered them with epoxy.

[Livinlocal619]

I have no idea how to edit my post, sorry for the typos. I use voice text

[Dombake]

Interesting as my pep doesn't touch them. however, they don't seem to bother my corals either. I actually saw one of my small lobo frags catch one the other night and held onto it for a good 15 mins before letting go.

[bfortune76]

Bringing this back from the dead. Probably the most informative thread I have found on these things. They absolutely where irritating an acro I had to move it. But I get the same results as the OP when researching.

What’s strange is I did not have these before moving to a new house and moving the tank. Now all of a sudden they are everywhere. The only thing different is my corris wrasse and peppermint shrimp did not survive the move. Since the wrasse burrows at night and these things are nocturnal it kind of makes me think maybe the peppermint shrimp was keeping them under control. Has anyone confirmed peppermints eat them?

[DoctaReef]

I've recently identified them too. They are attacking and slowly killing a few zoa colonies, and a pokerstar monti. I've been searching for a cure as well, there's just too many in my tank to remove. Ive cut out frozen foods and coral feeding, and added a second set of filter socks to my RSR 425. I think my next step is to try peppermint shrimp... I'll keep you all posted on how it goes. I do have a Red lined wrasse in my tank, so i might just be buying him dinner, but we will see.
Would like to find a natural solution before chemical treatment...