Hydroids or Feather Dusters?

[Dan]

So i have a bunch of these growing in my tank. tried to get decent pictures but to no avail. I have read up online and have gone back and forth. i have convinced myself that they were hydroids and then i was sure they are micro feather dusters. the tubes are hard/crunchy and the tips will retract if bumped by something. Please let me know what you think. i am leaning (hoping) towards feather dusters right now

[Chad]

Those look to me like colonial hydroids.

[Jan]

Droids

[jimlin]

they look like droids.

[newtoreef]

colonial hydroids. I had the same problem. i had to removed the rock out.

[Happyfeet]

Yup Droids, mine went away as the tank got a little older.

[sen5241b]

Yup Droids, mine went away as the tank got a little older.

 

 

Never heard of them just going away. Maybe something ate them. I've killed them with fire and kalk. If the rock had a lot, I took it out, bleached it and then super rinsed it and added LOTS of de-chlorinator.

 

You might just conquer them IF you hit it hard and fast before they spread.

Edited October 25, 2012 by sen5241b

[Happyfeet]

Never heard of them just going away. Maybe something ate them. I've killed them with fire and kalk. If the rock had a lot, I took it out, bleached it and then super rinsed it and added LOTS of de-chlorinator.

 

You might just conquer them IF you hit it hard and fast before they spread.

 

As far as I know nothing ate them. I just let the tank do its own thing for about 4 months and it was gone. I'm sure there is probably a little bit somewhere in there. They might of starved off.

[Dan]

thanks for the info everyone. Looks like its time to wipe them out. I am going to try the blowtorch method first on the individual rocks. I have already defeated bryopsis and aiptasia, now on to the next challenge!

[Jan]

Why not just try cuttingr them from the rock? Cut the rock just underneath them. Chip away at it with bone cutters until you get the entire colony.

[sen5241b]

The torch method worked for me ONLY if I burned the rock until little black spots appeared. Hold blue flame on hydroids until they sizzle, crack, pop and turn black. Less heat did NOT kill them because they can retract into the rock. If you torch too much algae in the process it will start a cycle.

[sen5241b]

You can also cover them with kalk paste that has the consistency of play-dough.