Parasite or ameoba on Mushroom?

[EdReefer]

Hey guys,
As I was feeding my fish and coral today, I noticed what I always thought to be freckles on my mushrooms suddenly move. The look like coraline algae spots, I've even seen them on my glass thinking they were that (coraline algae) and they would suddenly dissapear. I got the turkey baster and squirted a jet of water on them and they scattered. Is this a concern? Will they eat other coral? I have zoas, kenya trees, palys, GSP... Take a look below. Anybody know what the heck these are?

 

[AGYDAL]

They're flatworms...I don't know what type they are, but a search on flatworms should get you going in the right direction.

Ive read that some people use wrasses to control them.

Ive also read about people using chemicals to get rid of them...if you do decide to go a the chemical way to get rid of them, try and suck them up with a turkey baster, you want to get as many out as possible before you treat, because when they die they release toxins.

Good luck.

 

[REEForBANG]

Yeah those are definatly soft coral flat worms +2 on wrasse

 

[Davy854]

If you can't get a wrasse a valentini puffer will soon rid your flatworms up

 

[EdReefer]

Alright. Thx for the replies. I pulled that whole rock out because it seemed to have the most worms on it and I put it in a container. I then used the turkey baster and blasted it with water. Worms were flying everywhere! Or swimming... I also got a wrasse today. The only one I found was a yellow one with dots on it, LFS said it was an african wrasse. Within an hour, I saw him picking on the live rock, so hopefully his appetite will turn towards the worms soon...

 

[Cptn Spaulding]

You can also get rid of them by using Flatworm Exit, which is a treatment you can buy off a LFS shelf. Follow the directions and it should work if you want to get rid of them sooner.

 

[Kilkenny]

You can also get rid of them by using Flatworm Exit, which is a treatment you can buy off a LFS shelf. Follow the directions and it should work if you want to get rid of them sooner.

Small note is that the worms might release toxins into the water when they die. When you have many of them they could take out part of your tank. So if you see many of them maybe first try to suck them off with a hose and/or dip your rock on which you see many in tabwater for 10 seconds (no longer or corals could get damaged).

 

[BANDIT ANGEL]

I bought a six-line wrasse and most worms vanished in a few weeks.

 

[syrinx]

Better to control yourself rather than relying on a fish that may or may not do the job- or may or may not become a problem later. Use airline tubing to suck them out- and do what you did with removing rock and swishing around. After you remove all you can- then use the flatworm exit- add carbon, do water change, and siphon out the dead ones as they appear. Repeat the process in a week or two- whether you see worms or not. The point to be remembered is that the flatworms are unsightly, but not harmful to the corals- unless numbers amass to the point of blocking light.

 

[Cptn Spaulding]

+1 on the six line wrasse. Awesome little fish, very hardy, and does not bother much. Mine ate my flatworms in my tank as well (along with bristleworms by the hundreds, and certain pest nudibranchs). Remember, all it takes is one to bring the population back to many. If you can, find some natural means of eradication as well as a flatworm exit such as a six line. (I have also seen mandarins eat them, but not very common)