Micro bugs on the red gordonian, help

[dendro982]

Have some kind of infestation - a lot of microbugs, probably came with the new red finger gorgonian. No fish in the tank (6g) to pick them.

Can you identify, what is it an what to do with them - something like yellow-white microworms or microisopods, ~1/16" or 1.5mm long. Can't get more clear image, sorry.

The bigger bugs are the small isopods, living in this tank since beginning. Cleaner wrasse took care of them, but I moved the wrasse into the bigger tank a week ago, and now have the isopods infestation again. Seems, like I have to buy the small, 1-1.5" fish, able to eat them and fit for the 6g tank.

Thoughts and suggestions?
Thanks.

 

[dendro982]

Anyone?
May be flatworms? Moving fast, mix of gliding and contraction-relaxation movements. Size for comparison:

Wrasse is not interested - too small target. May be try Flatworm Exit?

 

[Ken668]

Looks like nudis. Try a Lugols dip.

 

[Jamokie01]

A dip wont do anything, theyre all over his tank by now. Using more than the reccommended dosage of flatworm exit should kill em(1.5-2 times the reccomended dosage), but it will also kill any snails too, so take them out till youve finished treating and removed remnants of the chemical with carbon.

Personally, Id wait to see if they harm anything in your tank before hastily nuking them. Biodiversity is a good thing. That being said, Id have the flatworm exit ready to go just in case they do.

 

[dendro982]

Tried Flat Worm Exit in 1.5 of recommended concentration, it didn't worked for these worms or nudis - they are alive and multiplying:

Ran carbon, as recommended.
What bothers me - there are more and more of them, they are covering (feeding?) other corals too:

No visible damage, but they are too small. More:

Since their appearing (1.5 weeks) the chilis opened only twice, what is unusual. I should use the quarantine tank, but his is the first time of
introducing of unwelcome creatures, will be more careful in future.

This is 6g tank. What else can I try, for the whole tank? If it not possible, then what: disassemble and dip in Lugol everything, then reassemble?

Sorry, if my questions sounds strange - I (knock on the wood) only the first time have pests in the tank.

 

[LeslieH]

I think this is a polychaete in the family Dorvilleidae, in the Ophryotrocha generic complex. Ophryotrochas are very tiny, with a Planaria-shaped head, forceps-shaped black jaws, and reduced segmentation. A good macro shot is needed to confirm this. You could always send me some specimens preserved in alcohol so I can take a look at them under the microscope.

If they really aren't Ophryotrocha another possibility is acoel flatworm but that seems unlikely since the flatworm exit didn't work. Someone suggested nudi. There are a couple of tiny worm-like opistobranchs but I just don't think this is one.

Ophryotrocha are micro grazers eating diatoms, bacterial aggregates, etc. They won't damage the gorgonian or other corals at all as they're just eating the surface film growing on them.

 

[dendro982]

This is duplicate posts from TRT forums - just in case, if you will be gere sooner, then there.

Tried magnyfying glass - 16x: they are smooth, like nudibranches, and, because I could see them only on the glass, i.e. their bottom only, looks like they have elongated tail, yellow seemingly soft carapace (as stomatella snail) and something white opaque elongated pieces inside, like sclerites for corals. The head is hammer-like, and scraping eating movements as of the snails.

Advanced cameras were not much of help, this is all I could get:
-Tentacles or antennae in the head, top view (at least it seems so):

- same, plus hammer-like head - the photo on the glass, bottom view:

- practically side view:

The largest ot them are 1.5 - 1.75 mm (1/16") long, or 2-2.5 cyclops body length (also clearly visible on the tank glass with 16x magnification. I thought, that cyclops are freshwater species... You know, pear-shaped body, couple of antennae on the head, and 2 longer paddles as a legs).

Also, the one new thing, only couldn't make photo - camera focuses on the bigger background objects: ~3 mm (1/8", or 5 cyclops bodies lengths) long round worm, slim, white, almost transparent, opaque white eggs-like granules inside the abdomen, hammer-like head (but less expressed, comparing to the first, smaller worms or nudis), and at the end of the first 1/3 of the body - tangerine-orange belt around the body, except the belly.

Really like idea of using magnifying glass - so many new things in the tank!

The only thing what is worrying me - there so much of these tiny worms/nudis. If they are harmless, or have a chance to be harmless, I just let them live there - really like the new species in the tank. Will run some carbon for chilis.

 

[LeslieH]

Interesting. Why don't you send some to me here at the museum so I can id & photograph them under the microscope? Throw a bunch into a small leakproof container with seawater and then throw some more into a second small container filled with strong alcohol (rubbing alcohol, 150 proof vodka or white rum, Everclear). I prefer to work with live animals but the second container is in case the live ones don't make it. Try to get them delivered within a few days if it's not too expensive. Send to
Leslie Harris
Research & collections, Worms
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90007

 

[dendro982]

Thank you, but I am across the border, in Canada, and here are very strict rules about anything, crossing the border, of the plant or animal origin, including biological specimens (and flammable liquids)...

Really appreciate an offer, very kind of you.

All I have, are cameras and 10x microscope-shaped magnification loop, alas. May try co combine them, but with lack of self-standing holders of any kind, not likely succeed. Sorry.