Hydroids Jellyfish AKA obelia hydroid! Plz Help

Hello all! I was wondering if anyone could give me advice or help with my issue. Although, I am by far from new in this hobby there is always something to learn. Let me explain. I used to have a seahorse tank with some live rock, sand, fake decorations, along with a refugium. After the seahorses all died after a year or so, I purchased a porcupine puffer fish and made the old seahorse tank his home. Of course the little Mr. Puffer out grew his home. So, I had purchased a 125gallon tank even had a custom stand and canopy made. I wanted to go all out. Since, I wanted a fish only tank, I purchased beautiful reef inserts and have the following; Eshopps WD 300CS, Eshopps Protein skimmer, heater and a Lifegard UV light. I even put the live rock that was in the old seahorse/ puffer tank in the wet dry underneath the bio balls. This tank has been up now for over a year. About two months ago, I noticed I had hydroid jellyfish in my wet dry; they were by the bio balls area. I asked my LFS how did I get these jellyfish. He told me that they have never known anyone who had these types of jellyfish and it probably came from the rock and would eventually die off. Well……. one of my fish got ick and so did Mr. Puffer. I did ask my trusted LFS and he told me to use Cupramine for ick and is safe to use with MR. Puffer even though it has some copper in it. So, I treated my tank and of course it worked and all the fishes and MR. Puffer are doing well. I also checked where the hyroid jellyfish were and notice the medication must have killed them. This was fine by me ;). Well well well, guess who are back? Hyroid jellyfish :mad: !!!!! I just noticed today that their colonies are back and that means more jellyfish. How is this possible? I’ve been told and read this is rare. Although, I have read that Nudibranch due eat them, but this is not an option in my tank nor do I want them because they are very toxic & deadly when they die? Does anyone want them, lol :p? I for sure thought the copper in the medication would have killed them, and they did for awhile. Now they are back. So, I ask you can anyone explain this? Note: the picture with the protein skimmer cone is the recent comeback of the colonies. They other pictures were taken previously when I first got them months ago.
 

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flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I think they are only a threat to dwarf seahorses. In my tanks, the population always died off on it's own. I don't think you need to worry about it, and I doubt their die off will pollute the tank. I have kept Kuda, Erectus and Potbelly horses, bristle worms were a problem, but never the hydroids.
 

Kristin1234

Active Member
I have something similar to your picture 1 in my sump with my skimmer & thought they were pineapple sponges or something like that.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
There are pineapple sponges too but if you look close you can see the jellies. I can only see them on my phone. The pic must be clearer.
 
Hi,

I think they are only a threat to dwarf seahorses. In my tanks, the population always died off on it's own. I don't think you need to worry about it, and I doubt their die off will pollute the tank. I have kept Kuda, Erectus and Potbelly horses, bristle worms were a problem, but never the hydroids.
Yes, you are correct.I had them before and killed them with Cupramine (Copper) when I was treating my tank. So I treated it again with Cupramine and they are dying off. I am sure they will come back. I just don't want them in my tank because they are a nuisance. They were everywhere.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Yes, you are correct.I had them before and killed them with Cupramine (Copper) when I was treating my tank. So I treated it again with Cupramine and they are dying off. I am sure they will come back. I just don't want them in my tank because they are a nuisance. They were everywhere.
If you treated your display tank with copper, you have poisoned more than just the little Hydroids. All the critters in the live rock and sand will die as well, which will unbalance all the eco system that helps keep things stable.

The thing with SW tanks is this...If you see something you don't like the looks of, just leave it alone, it will go away. A SW tank is always changing, as long as the something you don't like isn't dangerous, the cure is worse than just waiting it out to go away on it's own.

Since it sounds like you have already done the deed, you need some advice (from somebody more experienced than I am) on how to keep the tank stable without tiny critters to help. I only know how to run a SW tank using the live rock and sand as a natural filter.
 
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