dry rock OK?

[SwimsWithFishes]

Hey all,

So here's the scoop. I've had my 10Gal tank going for months now. Just recently found digitate hydroids on one of my rocks :frustrat:. So being that the thought of them in my tank terrified me, i took the rock out and boiled it (this was friday). It has been sitting out this weekend while I was out of town just drying out.

I came home today, noticed on another small rock with yet another hydroid. Now I am tempted to take this rock out and boil it as well.
What I want to know:
1. Is the first rock I boiled ok to be added back into my tank or do I have to now go through a curing process? I don't want to do anything to harm the fish I have, I'm very attached to them.
2. Since the hydroid problem is still around should i just boil all but a couple established rocks to keep the good bacteria in the tank and coralline?

I don't know how or what causes the hydroids to appear but they are really irritating me.

My stock: 2 clowns, 1 Bangaii cardinal, 1 sandsifter gobi, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 colony of star poylps, 1 frogspawn, 1 colony button polyps

please help! :-(

 

[cvcdrk]

This might be helpful to you:
https://www.livingreefs.com/digitate-hydroid-t40129.html

 

[SwimsWithFishes]

Thanks cvcdrk. Those are exactly them. i have heard mixed things, about 50/50 good or really bad. Any consensus?

 

[cvcdrk]

I have no experience with them. In fact, I found that link while trying to do a little research for you.

It seems to me from a little bit of research that they're difficult to get rid of but you can scrub the rock really good and eliminate them. I'm sure someone who has dealt with them before will have some better insight, though. :-)

 

[bjohanson1234]

You would need to cure the rock. All the live stuff on it is dead. If you put it back in you tank, it will start to decay and cause issue.

From my experience, scrubbing the rocks does nothing. They will come back in few months.

The came in on a pieces of live rock or coral. Then spread.

Also, I would personally remove two fish from your tank and take them back to the store. The general rule is 1 fish per 10 gallons and 4 fish is quite a lot in a 10 gallon. It can cause water quality issues and aggression between tank mates. I have difficulty in a 29 gallon keeping more than the two clowns. They are ornery and end up bullying anything else I add.

 

[Kelz88]

+1 bj

The clowns need a 30g