How do you inflict the ailments on hydrospheres?
Will it be shocked by skitterbots?
Will it be hit by Orb of Storms or Arc?
Will it consume and attract chains from skills?
Will it consume/trigger pierces and forks?
Can you hit it with a skill like cyclone?
I'm sure there's other scenarios but I can't think straight right now. I currently assume the answers to this are no yes no no yes.
You can apply ailments to it as if the hydrosphere was damaged, though it never actually takes any damage.