myrionema hydroids

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Ruth

Christy did you ever manage to get these things under control. I have one green star polyp rock that is now covered with these things. If I bannish the rock to the sump with that still allow them to spread to my display? I really hate to just toss the rock or epoxy the whole thing as the GSP are really nice ones but OTOH don't want them through my whole display.

No Ruth, I haven't managed to kill any of the little buggers. I have two rocks that I think are covered with them. One rock is exactly like the photo I posted, the other rock sort of looks like maybe anthelia is starting on it, the "stems" aren't as thick and they only have 5 "rough" tentacles that remind me of anthelia. I'm actually thinking about taking both rocks out and boiling them.

BTW, you can get GSP off rock pretty easily, they sort of peel off in sections, just start it with a sharp knife. At least you could recoup some of them. Make sure they don't have any hydroids mixed in though.

[G1GY]

I had a couple groups of them in my 90.

Something in my tank got rid of both groups.(But I don't know what.)

I went out of town for a couple of weeks and just asked my wife to feed them when she remembered to.

Maybe they starved?

They're gone.

[sumpfinfishe]

Christy,

When we were at Mike's place last year I asked Anthony Calfo about them and he said the only way to get rid of them is manual removal. That's why I did the full rip down, they spread just like aptasia and pack the same kinda punch. If there localized just pull out the rock and break off the surrounding area's. If there on a small chunk of rock just remove the frag and remount it to another piece of rubble and nuke the entire rock.

Anthony also suggested that when removing the hydroids to do it outside the tank as if you loose pieces in the water column that will just make things worse. I also contacted Charles Delbeek on the topic and he gave me the same advice as Anthony, except Charles said to remove not just the top area of the rock crust but to take about an inch of the underlying rock as they bore fairly deep into the rock.

I thought that pic looked familiar

[kari]

wonder if blasting them with super glue would help

[sumpfinfishe]

Epoxy or glue is just a temperary solution as there bore about 1/2" into the rock, the hydroids over time will just grow up and around the masking area