What is this???

[JeepersReefers]

This morning i noticed these small red spots in the lower corner of my 46G zoo and richordia tank. At first i thought that it was just some kind of alge or cayno, but upon closer observation a few of them were moving across the front of the glass. Any one have any idea what this is???


Thanks

 

[reefrunner]

Looks like flatworms, can we get a closer pic?

 

[BigReepher]

I'm with reefrunner.

 

[JeepersReefers]

Originally posted by reefrunner
Looks like flatworms, can we get a closer pic?

That was as close as i can get with my old HP camera.

Flat worms, are they bad???

Thanks for the ID

 

[Maxx]

yeah...they can cause problems...
They populate rapidly, and can cover corals..irritating the polyps to the point that they dont open, and can smother corals, starving them for light. The real fun begins when they die off...they contain toxins which will be released upon their death, which can cause MAJOR problems in the tank. I have killed them off using Saliferts "Flat Worm Exit" but also have heard many poeple use mandarins or six line wrasses to eat them as a form of biological control. There is also a type of nudibranch which will eat them, but these do not fair well in captivity...
HTH,
Nick

 

[JeepersReefers]

Cool ive always wanted a mandrin gobie, there are enough of these flatworms to feed it for quite a while. They almost cover one entire 18lb live rock... i just thought it was alge until it was moving across the glass.

Thanks for the advise Maxx. I'll "adopt" that starving mandrin from the LFS when it opens today

 

[JeepersReefers]

OMG!!! there is probaly a few thousand of them upon closer inspection of the tank.

 

[EdgeKrusher]

Good luck. Let us know if the Mandarin eats them.

 

[ReefLady]

Just keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the Mandarin will eat these. I'd only buy the Mandarin if you feel you have a large enough tank - with enough LR to sustain the fish even if it doesn't eat the flatworms.

Best of luck!

 

[coral keeper]

How do you get these things. Do they come in on live rock?

 

[NaH2O]

EDIT: The 2nd link I provide, you have to copy and paste it. Ive tried to link it, but the address is weird enough that the apostrophe makes it unlinkable.

coral keeper, they can come in on live rock or corals.

From the picture I agree they look like flatworms, and from the color, appear to be Red Planaria. Here is some information:

Here is an interesting article on Red Flatworms in Marine Aquariums by Anthony Calfo

More information on http://www.rshimek.com/rogue's_gallery.htm#Red%20Planaria

Another - Scroll down 10 Acoel Flatworms in Aquaria

Hope this information helps!

 

[JeepersReefers]

Originally posted by ReefLady
Just keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the Mandarin will eat these. I'd only buy the Mandarin if you feel you have a large enough tank - with enough LR to sustain the fish even if it doesn't eat the flatworms.

Best of luck!

The mandrin wasnt meant to be. The LFS had sold or killed the mandrin that i was looking for.

Maxx, the guy there said to use flatworm exit also. He said it would kill the worms, but with this many wouldn't the worm's toxins wipe everything eles out too?

 

[PSU4ME]

I have these little worms inmy tank as well....they are tan/brown, really small and look like the star trex symbol....rounded head and the back "legs" make a V. Are these fllat worms also?


Sorry for the thread jack!!

 

[JeepersReefers]

if they look like that... then it is very likely that they are flat worms.

 

[mojoreef]

thier flat worms for sure. red planeria. they are pretty harmless actually and just graze on algae. You have to beware of population explosions as Maxx mentioned, thy can get a little think at times. They usually just bloom and then fade away. its really hard to get rid of them completely as it only takes one cell to survive to start them up again. Becareful when using medication to get rid of them, the dieing as mentioned above can cause serious problems. also medications dnt usually distinguise between good worms and bad worms.
Heres a little trick on how to syphon them off. these worm have zoox in them so they like light. Wait until the lights go out and place a peice of white plastic cutting board in the center of the tank (as gig as you can get in easy) then get a light and shine it on the cutting board and leave it for the night. By morning the board will be covered with them, just syphon them out easy.

Mike

 

[NaH2O]

Awesome tip, Mike!

 

[JeepersReefers]

Originally posted by mojoreef

Heres a little trick on how to syphon them off. these worm have zoox in them so they like light. Wait until the lights go out and place a peice of white plastic cutting board in the center of the tank (as gig as you can get in easy) then get a light and shine it on the cutting board and leave it for the night. By morning the board will be covered with them, just syphon them out easy.

Mike

Thanks mike, What would we do here with out you. I will cut up my cutting board and give that a try in the next day or so. I'll let you know haw it turn out
Thanks again