Friend or Foe ID

[snowlynx]

What ectoplasm is this tiny speck?

It's flat and moves, seeing few of them on glass walls

 

[James404]

Flatworm - Possibly Convolutriloba - I believe Flatworm Exit will kill these

https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/flatworm-convolutriloba/

 

[homer1475]

+1

Definitely flat worms.

 

[mcgyvr]

flatworm = foe
With just a few get some airline tubing and siphon them out before resorting to flatworm exit..

 

[billdogg]

flatworm = foe
With just a few get some airline tubing and siphon them out before resorting to flatworm exit..

This

My preference for removal:

1. Manual. A long piece of rigid airline tubing with a short piece of silicone tubing on the end (to avoid damaging corals) with a long run of tubing on the other going to a filter sock in the sump works wonders if the numbers are manageable. Plan on it taking multiple attempts.

2. Natural predator. Many wrasses love to hunt them down. I have a pair of Blue Star Leopard wrasses that decimated my flatworm population in short order after 2 tries with FWE at 2x strength failed to put much of a dent in them

3. FWE. See above. Although I won't argue that it can work, I try to avoid putting chemicals in my tank if I don't need to. A downside to FWE is that any that remain will be resistant to FWE in the future, as will their offspring.

hth

 

[snowlynx]

Thanks

Ugh..seems like new creatures every few weeks
This is normal?

Do you know if these flatworms are introduced to tank from
cheato? That is only latest addition which is about
1-2 months ago.

Also had 2 aptasia popping out of zoa frags.
I just used the red sea apt -x last night

 

[snowlynx]

I've seen a few specks so far and picked it up by wiping paper
Towel on the glass wall and up, does this cause it to spread further?

 

[snowlynx]

I've had my white lights off for few days to deal with GHA

I didn't know it had already spread throughout the tank, after just flipping
lights on to see how things are.

The flatworms that don't move are dead?

I don't have a sump either. I do have rigid tubing and small DC water pump.
I will try that.

It has spread all over, towards the back, I cannot even reach

Hate to go chemical, ugh...

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

Wrasse took care of my flat worm problem within a week

 

[mcgyvr]

Thanks

Ugh..seems like new creatures every few weeks
This is normal?

yes.. normal..
looks like you have quite a few..
Siphon all you want.. When you get tired of that flatworm exit works well.. Just follow directions..
Or.. sometimes their population will just come and go..

 

[snowlynx]

Wrasse took care of my flat worm problem within a week

Which wrasse did you get?
I am looking into getting one before using
FWE

I am planning to transfer to larger tank

If I dip all rock in fresh water, I have lost all
my live rock. Same for sand?
It about 5 months old.

I don't see online where these rusty flatworms
come from, just says nutrient rich water but
they have to be introduced from something?

Last thing in my tank was cheato and
2 small pcs. of live rock

 

[mcgyvr]

they have to be introduced from something?

Last thing in my tank was cheato and
2 small pcs. of live rock

They came in on the chaeto or live rock or any corals,etc...
Could have just been an egg or whatever..
It happens.. identify and adapt.. No point in looking backwards..

 

[billdogg]

They came in on the chaeto or live rock or any corals,etc...
Could have just been an egg or whatever..
It happens.. identify and adapt.. No point in looking backwards..

^^^This^^^

I swear by my leopard wrasses. They love to hunt for little pests and will clear up your tank in short order.

When moving things to a new tank, a quick temperature matched dip in ro/di water will kill any flatworms that might be on your rocks. 10-15 seconds and swish the rock (or coral) around a bit to dislodge them. It will not hurt the coral at all. As for the live rock - you might lose some of the beneficial bacteria but they will quickly repopulate the rocks. I would not hesitate to go that route. I have done this with all the removable corals in my 120DT with no ill effect.

 

[snowlynx]

^^^This^^^

I swear by my leopard wrasses. They love to hunt for little pests and will clear up your tank in short order.

When moving things to a new tank, a quick temperature matched dip in ro/di water will kill any flatworms that might be on your rocks. 10-15 seconds and swish the rock (or coral) around a bit to dislodge them. It will not hurt the coral at all. As for the live rock - you might lose some of the beneficial bacteria but they will quickly repopulate the rocks. I would not hesitate to go that route. I have done this with all the removable corals in my 120DT with no ill effect.

LFS didn't have any leopards. I have a melanurus wrasse on order, hopefully
pick up in few days.

I got really discouraged with the flatworms. My health is taking a dive
so what use to be fun and distracting is kinda become a pain.

hoping the wrasse will take up the labors and get full while at it...

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

My melanurus wrasse decimated my flatworms. Good choice!

 

[hogfanreefer]

I must live in the no flat worm zone....I have a melanurus, an earmuff, a redline and a Potter's leopard wrasse.

Good luck, I hate flat worms.