Hydroids

[vitosreef]

I'm noticing some hydroids starting to spread on my live rock. Kind of a pest. Can I brush them off without spreading them all over the tank? Anything eat these? My peppermint shrimp and copper-banded butterfly do OK on Aiptasia, but not these.

[graphixx]

use a turkey baster and suck them out of the tank

[dakar]

Nothing I'm aware of that will remove them naturally, however they reprodice quickly and pack a powerful sting. Like aptasia, majano, and other nussiance critters, smothering them with a thick paste of water and pickling lime will take care of them for you in very short order.

[vitosreef]

"smothering them with a thick paste of water and pickling lime will take care of them for you in very short order."

Do you mean inside the tank? Or by taking out the live rock?

[dakar]

It can be done in the tank, no sense killing off any beneficial bacteria. The paste will dissolve in a couple of days or so leaving bare rock. It will nuke any coraline as well...

[vitosreef]

Thanks, I'll look for some pickling line. A grocery store item?

[dakar]

Thanks, I'll look for some pickling line. A grocery store item?

Sure is.... generally found in the canning section.