Billions of flatworms

[Paul B]

I was feeding the tank tonight and I said, Wow, the coraline algae is really taking off and growing like crazy. But it didn't look right. Wrong color and it seemed to be moving.
I took out my magnifying glasses and took a closer look.
I could not figure what they were until I poked one with a probe. The thing "ran" or slithered away pretty fast.
They are Acoel flatworms and they are completely covering portions of the rock. I never noticed them before and at first thought they were nudibranches but nudibranchs would never grow to these numbers in a tank.
There are thousands of these things.
Very cool. I love to find new things. I can't believe the amount of life in this old tank. There are these flatworms, amphipods, brittle stars, stomella, those little starfish (I forget their name) and almost as many tiny snails as these flatworms.
I don't know what all of these things are eating. It totally blows me away that all of this stuff is living in there.
I can look for hours with a set of magnifying glasses.
http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5836

 

[fcmatt]

to me they are a huge pest due to the overall look of them in the tank and i nuke them
from orbit with flatworm exit from salifert. if i can look in a tank and see a dozen of them
within a minute that probably means there are hundreds more around. From what you are
describing i would imagine there are 1000s of them in the tank. When they die via flatworm
exit they can release a toxin that will kill.

in my mind they are not really something to be proud of...
sure i like the diversity of life in my tank but not something that over powers others at
their expense. A rock covered in flatworms is not why i got into this hobby. I pretty much
do not buy from places that cannot control flatworms, ich, and other pests.

 

[Agu]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ..............

 

[Paul B]

in my mind they are not really something to be proud of...

I am not really proud or not proud of them.
I don't really add much to this tank as it is almost 40 years old and quite full. I don't know where they came from but they are welcome to stay. If they kill other things, so be it. I just enjoy the diversity. I am sure they will disappear as all things do.
I am not in this to have the most beautiful tank. For me it is just discovery and learning.
I love it when I find something I have not had the opportunity to learn much about. I don't remember if I had these things before but I will be checking them out under a scope and disecting a few.
Have a great day.
Paul

 

[rifishguy]

Paul sure I'm am not the only one who wants to see a pic of a 40 year old tank please put one up if you would.Thanks

 

[Paul B]

There has been a lot of pictures of this tank on here but If you are not tired of seeing it.

 

[fcmatt]

i think i have gone through your thread like 2-3 times.. good thread. fun read.

i also knew that when i posted i was taking a stance that was different then yours and
fully expected your reply. different folks, different strokes. ;-)

 

[Paul B]

I don't think even I read that entire thread. It is a few years old.
Have a great day.
Paul

 

[barjam]

I have those in my tank too and I think they are harmless if you have decent control of your tank. If I am feeding too much I see more of these, if I am not feeding very much they go away.

 

[TampaReefer79]

Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder ..............

Fixed it for you...

:thumbsup:

 

[iamwrasseman]

the flat worms could start to hurt your sps corals and i would suggest that you get a wrasse in there that will erradicate them . the other little critters are okay to have but the flatworms are not good .
it is however amazing what there is in your tank that you usually dont notice .

 

[TampaReefer79]

the flat worms could start to hurt your sps corals and i would suggest that you get a wrasse in there that will erradicate them . the other little critters are okay to have but the flatworms are not good .
it is however amazing what there is in your tank that you usually dont notice .

Which wrasses would you recommend?

 

[iamwrasseman]

i would suggest a halichoeres melanurus ,and if you can get a male they have very stunning looks too.there are many wrasses that will do the job ,any coris wrasse will do a great job IMO but they may also reek havoc due to them flipping anything they can but they are workhorses on flatworms .most leopards which are awesome lookers will pick on them but not as fast as the melanurus will .
i wish you the best Dave

 

[scalowagreef]

Which wrasses would you recommend?

6 line wrasse = flat worm killer

 

[snorvich]

6 line wrasse = flat worm killer

Good for flatworms, not always so good with other fish. In any case Paul B likes them and is not trying to remove them.

:love2:

 

[iamwrasseman]

he may keep them ,lol .

 

[waldomas]

The best thing about this hobby is the constant changing and evolving of our systems to suprise us with new and interesting things.

I have had large numbers of these flatworms come and go over the years and never seam to cause any harm.
They were somewhat controlled by my sixline.

Finally...Paul, your tank is always an inspiration, and I only hope mine will mature as beautifully as yours!

 

[iamwrasseman]

yep i dont see and sps corals so they are just another life form within his tank .

 

[Paul B]

There are only 2 SPS corals in my tank, they have been growing now for quite a few years and look great. I think they have an agreement with the worms.

 

[jorgeldelapaz]

Air line tubing a bucket fine mesh sucked them up they come off real easy.Then dump water back into Aquarium that is the way i do it, usually i put air tubing into refusion with a real fine fish net.