So, you learn something new every day.

[toddmau5]

So we all know most of the common pests that plague our reefs, but tonight I learned of a knew one I'd never heard of before. Now I'm not exactly sure on the species, just what Google tells me. I got home and noticed my normally insanely happy torches were not as full and fluffy as they usually are. The power head got moved so I assumed it was just the flow, but decided to take a closer look. Pulled the gold torch out and noticed these brown things sliding all around it. So of course I freak the heck out like everyone else would do. Pulled it out and got a closer look and sure enough it looked like the biggest flatworms I had ever seen. My best guess is euphyilla eating flatworms. So all my euphyllia got dipped and will be going in quarantine for a few weeks till I can make sure all the eggs are gone.

Last year after losing an entire shipment of sps to flatworms I started dipping and quarantining everything. I guess some where one of these had some eggs buried pretty deep. I always thought some people were insane for cutting off the old frag plug and gluing on a new one in case there were any eggs. Looks like that might be my next step honestly. What a night.

 

[cnreef]

Reefing can be so rough sometimes. Best of luck to you and ridding your tank of these guys.

 

[maroonman]

I feel your pain.
Freshwater dip and they fall off almost instantly. I've lost a few myself recently to these...had to of been eggs in the stalks. No matter how hard we try ...sometimes they slip past .

 

[snake1]

holy crap those things are big

 

[MrHarvard]

Man sorry to hear about this those things are nasty. They are definitely euphyilla eating polyclad worms. You are doing the right things to get rid of them. I hate to say it but if you look right between the two red arrows you drew in your 2nd pic it looks like their eggs! I could me wrong but I don't think so. I would scrape them off best as you can. I don't know what your fish stock situation is but some say certain wrasse will eat them. Good luck keep us posted.

 

[wtrbug]

Scary stuff. I just pulled out my flashlight and checked my tank. Good luck I hope you beat them

 

[hoohoohdillyo]

Wow man, wish you the best of luck in riding of these guys.

 

[sirrealism]

What do you have for fish in this tank? Any wrasses. If not you might think about getting one. Not sure which kind of wrasse but I do know 6 lines will eat them.

 

[oblio]

Sorry for your invasion, but you did learnt me something. Thank you.

 

[toddmau5]

Yes, there were eggs, scrubbed everything the best I could. That's why they will be staying in the QT tank until it's been a few life cycles just to make sure, they will be getting another dip in a week. In the QT tank there is a 4 line wrasse who does a pretty decent job. The display tank has a pink belly wrasse and a marbled wrasse. I don't think the wrasses would have even seen them, they blend in with the tentacles of the torches way too well, and when they are full and open, the cover the worms from sight and access by a fish, but I could be wrong. You always hear about AEFW, and red bugs, but these are a new one to me, so now I know. Oddly enough they were only on the Two torches, non of the frogspawn, octospawn or even the hammer. Everything got dipped just to be sure

 

[65Stang]

Wow, thanks for the great pics and education. Good luck with the eradication!