Brown critter with white head

[Jblank44]

On my rocks today I saw a small, lengthy critter on my rocks right below some zoanthids, it has a little white dot in the front of him and was brown. A 1/16" to 1/8" critter that I have no clue what it is. So I took my coral feeder and blew them all away from my zoos what are these things? Should I be nervous or do something about them?

 

[Jblank44]

Are they rust brow flatworms?

 

[SpartaReef]

Picture is best for identification.

 

[Jblank44]

Picture is best for identification.

It's hard to see but you can see that it is brown and ovalish, It may be a flat worm.

<a href="http://imgur.com/5SVLodB"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/5SVLodBl.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/></a>

 

[Jblank44]

Brown critter with white head

Any ideas? I do not want my zoos dying

 

[biocube14g]

Looks like a red planaria(red flatworm). They are harmless, but can be very sore to the eye. It doesn't look like much now, but they do reproduce VERY quickly and can reach plague proportions in a few months. They themselves won't eat or pick at coral, but if there are enough, they can cover up corals and form a mat, blocking out light and suffocate the coral, killing it in a matter of days. Get a melenaris wrasse or corris wrasse. They will eat flatworms. Also, whenever you see one, pull it out yourself. Hope I can help.

 

[SpartaReef]

My leopard wrasse cleaned out my flatworms in less than a day.... Can't be sure from your picture but flatworm would be my guess too, mine were on the glass in the corners of the tank.

 

[Jblank44]

My leopard wrasse cleaned out my flatworms in less than a day.... Can't be sure from your picture but flatworm would be my guess too, mine were on the glass in the corners of the tank.

Looks like a red planaria(red flatworm). They are harmless, but can be very sore to the eye. It doesn't look like much now, but they do reproduce VERY quickly and can reach plague proportions in a few months. They themselves won't eat or pick at coral, but if there are enough, they can cover up corals and form a mat, blocking out light and suffocate the coral, killing it in a matter of days. Get a melenaris wrasse or corris wrasse. They will eat flatworms. Also, whenever you see one, pull it out yourself. Hope I can help.

Could it be this?

 

[biocube14g]

No, it's a red planaria. The one in your pic has a "half moon" cut out of its rear, looking like a point on each side. the one you just posted has two "half moons" cut from its rear, which has a point from each side and one in the middle. Just google red planaria. You will find the exact thing as what you have. I have had them before and mine look exactly the same as the one in your tank.

 

[Jblank44]

No, it's a red planaria. The one in your pic has a "half moon" cut out of its rear, looking like a point on each side. the one you just posted has two "half moons" cut from its rear, which has a point from each side and one in the middle. Just google red planaria. You will find the exact thing as what you have. I have had them before and mine look exactly the same as the one in your tank.

Okay good that's a relief, I knew that I had them, I had them in some green mushrooms. I'm moving my tank this weekend... One the tank is back and running ill get a six line or something

 

[biocube14g]

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck.

 

[hilgert]

I've used Salifert Flatworm Exit before when I came back from a trip to find a whole army of these little guys infesting my nano a few years ago. I'd seen one or two of them before I left.

Works instantly...within minutes of addition they start floating around dead. It really is amazing to see instant results from the addition of a magic potion.

Only thing is that you need to be prepared to do a large water change a few minutes after addition, as well as adding a ton of carbon. This is to remove the toxins they will release (if there are a lot of them) when they die. For just a few it is likely less of an issue, but I'd still run some carbon and try to vacuum out the dead ones, but these guys can be where you can't see them.

 

[Jblank44]

I've used Salifert Flatworm Exit before when I came back from a trip to find a whole army of these little guys infesting my nano a few years ago. I'd seen one or two of them before I left.

Works instantly...within minutes of addition they start floating around dead. It really is amazing to see instant results from the addition of a magic potion.

Only thing is that you need to be prepared to do a large water change a few minutes after addition, as well as adding a ton of carbon. This is to remove the toxins they will release (if there are a lot of them) when they die. For just a few it is likely less of an issue, but I'd still run some carbon and try to vacuum out the dead ones, but these guys can be where you can't see them.

Awesome to know that! After the move if I are more I will do that