digitate hydroids

[hillegom]

Well, here is what Melev thinks of them.

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/digitate_hydroid.html

[tidal_waters]

Yup, that's one in the same. my pic above is prior to it stretching out.

So anywhoooo now that's sorted out, anybody have any imput regarding removal??

[tidal_waters]

Vaporize

you said that you have these as well, do you have any problems with these stinging anything in your tank?

I just removed one under a pokerstar monti that was showing a pretty bad mar from something (i'm assuming from the hydroid) but I just used a turkey baster and pretty much just rub it off and sucked it up, but there are a few more that are currently in the tank that are not any real reason for concern at the moment, and I'm just wondering if i should try to take them out somehow and if you have any ideas?

the picture I took was on a macro setting at the tip of one of these thing, while the lights were on and still contracted

[Palmer]

How old is your tank? I had a ton of these when first starting my tank up in January. I researched here and on RC with mixed reviews on what to do with them. It seemed like the more experienced folk felt they were self limiting and could not be kept alive in the long run even if you wanted to. So except for a couple of instances I mainly let them be. As I started increasing the duration of my lighting and as my tank matured they seem to primarily have disappeared. One person recommended throwing a HOB filter on the tank as they tend to detach and float around the tank and this can suck them up. Based on the one's that are still in my tank I have had no negative effects so far on any corals as far as I can tell.

Palmer