Help with digitate hydroids

[kartrsu]

I'm struggling with controlling my digitate hydroid population and I'm wondering if members have an updated view on ways to combat them. While they don't cause great damage, I've seen them irritate my acros and torches. It's also unsightly, especially when you see all the strings when the lights fade. Based on my research, here are recommended strategies.

1. Reduce food in water column. I'm guilty of starting up Benepets after reading about the benefits, but I'm sure this has contributed to their resurgence. A bit torn on feeding the reef for the benefit of the corals, but I've since stopped broadcast feeding and will consider straining mysis.
2. Manual removal. I've epoxied or scraped over problematic areas to kill the ones that are directly bothering corals but it's just a matter of time before they pop up elsewhere.
3. Mechanical filtration. Using a filter roller, so mechanical is pretty good. Haven't tried finer micron or diatom filters but I worry it will over strip the water.
4. Run UV. On and off with this one as I also don't want the water too clean and wonder if it's counter productive with carbon dosing by killing off bacteria as well, but I can use it if it's effective.
5. Fenbendazole. Dosed this twice to my reef (once at 10x recommended dosage by accident). While very effective in dramatically reducing the population, it wrecked havoc on my tank's equilibrium that took months to recover.

I think an area I haven't explored is natural predators. Any suggestions? I read that peppermint shrimp (wurdemanni sp) can help control the population, but are there other available predators. Don't think I've found lynx or fringeback nudibranchs.

Please share stories on how you kept these organisms under control in a healthy reef. I know many people say they go away on their own, but for the instances where they don't, how have you managed. Thanks!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I had a colonial hydroids problem once that I managed to get rid of. My way is not for everyone though....... I lowered the water in the tank to below where the hydriods were, which for me only left 2 inches of water. Then I got the power drill and went tool time on them. I drilled half inch into the rock in the area. It made a huge mess in the water, but I filled the water and then did an immediate water change. I had no losses.

It actually started to grow back later on, but I gave it a second tool time treatment and its been good since.

They root right into the rock, so you have to chisel the rock away.

 

[kartrsu]

I had a colonial hydroids problem once that I managed to get rid of. My way is not for everyone though....... I lowered the water in the tank to below where the hydriods were, which for me only left 2 inches of water. Then I got the power drill and went tool time on them. I drilled half inch into the rock in the area. It made a huge mess in the water, but I filled the water and then did an immediate water change. I had no losses.

It actually started to grow back later on, but I gave it a second tool time treatment and its been good since.

They root right into the rock, so you have to chisel the rock away.

Thanks for sharing. Must have hated these things to bring a drill to it!

 

[seahuy]

I take my rocks out and I use a blowtorch on it. I have colonial hydroids and still fighting the battle. Also the Medusa is suppose to be about .6micron size so having a filter of 50 micron may help but hassle because u have to change it often