What is a hydroid?

rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
What is a hydroid and what do they do?
I think that I have seen that they are bad, but why?
Also I saw that should remove if found, and I think I see some on the glass in 1 of my 55 gallon reefs. What should I do? I think I saw about 4 or 5.
Thanks.
Also, they look very small and they look like they are in the begining stages.. I don't know the name...
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
I dont know what they are specifically (and there are several types) but the ones I have stay small. the problem is they can proliferate to plague numbers and sting corals. I have had little luck irradicating them but the usual aiptasia treatments (boiling vinegar, kalk paste ect) put them down for a while (they usually return). I dont have plague numbers but I have a few spots.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
So they stink corals? That is the problem... Interesting... I just saw what I think it them on my glass today...
There were like 4 or 5 and they were hanging out together on the front of my tank and they kind of looks like little starbursts. They are white, and have a few little legs, like a little star. They are so small that I almost mistook them for copepods.
Thanks for the info Stanlalee!
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
what your talking about are harmless. those are hydroid jellyfish. they come and go from time to time especially early on (the first year)

these are the hydroids that can sting I was referring to
 
dingus890

dingus890

Member
From what I have read the tiny Hydroids do not pose a problem unless you have a Dwarf seahorse setup aquarium. They can kill the 1.5 inch seahorse.
Any other fish and corals I wouldn't worry about it
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Great to know, those are exactly what I have and I only have 4 or so... I was more or less curious to know why everyone says to remove them immediately. I have them in 1 set up, but not in the other so...
Thanks again for the help and pictures!
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Tube hydroids are bad in any tank as they spread rapidly, are difficult to kill and pack a very bad sting.
But "hydroids" is a very large group of cnidaria (so related to corals, jellyfish, anemones). Not all are problematic. So do yoiu need to remove "hydroids" no...but you should absolutely remove the tube hydroids shown.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
I have the ones that are in the first pictures. are those the bad ones or are they okay?
 
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