Colt coral and flatworms?

[Im SpSing]

Over the past 2 weeks I have been watching my Colt coral decline in health, not open its polyps, and expel cloudy stuff. Well i tested all my parameters and they were fine and everything else in the reef is perfect. Well i decided to get up and move the coral. Under it were 2 HUGE flatworms. At first i thought they could be little pieces of the colt spreading to the rock next to it b/c they look similar, just white. ( the worms have little polyps on their backs that look just like the colts for camoflauge i guess) But soon they started to move. Well i picked them up and killed them in a water bottle. The colt rapidly increased its health but then 2 days ago it started to decline, i moved the coral, and sure enough, there are about 15 baby flatworms!

Any advice, identifaction, or info about what other corals these things might eat? Please and thanks.

Ryan

 

[Im SpSing]

anyone please?

 

[Thhitman]

I had a pretty good infestation of flatworms about 6 weeks ago.

In talking with a local shop owner, he said they don't so much eat the corals as they do just irritate and bother them.

I used Sailfert Flatworm Exit and got rid of them, no problem.

 

[graveyardworm]

Sounds like you have actual flatworm predators which enjoy snacking on colt coral. If possible I would move the coral to QT for treatment and removal of the flatworms. I have no idea what the lifecycle of these guys might be, but I would think if they are specialized feeders they will eventually starve without food.

Can you get some pics?

Are you sure they're flatworms and not possibly a nudibranch?

 

[Im SpSing]

Let me better describe these things for you. Now that you mention it, i think they are actually nudibranchs. They are white sluggish little things that slide on the glass. Their body is an oval shap with a little triangle that forms at the mouth/top of the body. It has little polyps on the back...umm about 10 poylps on the one im staring at right now.

 

[graveyardworm]

Scroll down this page and see if any of the nudi's look familiar.
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/Hitchsnails.html

Posting pics would definately be helpful.