worms on mushroom?

[sapphiredonna]

I just got a maroon mushroom with blue spots and I'm really excited about it. However, when I looked at it closely, I noticed tiny dark pink/redish flat oval things on the surface of the mushroom. They move. They're about as long as this dash - They're flat (I managed to siphon one off the mushroom) and they're dark pink with a lighter outline around the margin. I asked the guy I got the mushroom from if he's noticed them before and he said yes. Apparently they've been in his tank for over 6 months and he hasn't had any problems with his mushroom health. Also according to him they'll spread from one mushroom to another.
Does anyone have any idea what they are and if they're bad for mushrooms? I don't want to infect my entire tank.
Thanks!

 

[Cristi]

It sounds like flatworms. You definitely do not want them in your tank. They can become a problem. Try syphoning out as many as you can.

 

[BeesGoneWild]

sounds like somesort of flatworm to me are they just on the mushrooms or are they all over the tank? if they are indeed flatworms then try saliferts "flatworm exit" and follow the directions to a T.

 

[sapphiredonna]

So far I've only seen them on the maroon/purple spot mushroom. I also got a green/silver striped mushroom from the guy and the two sat together in the same bag for several hours before I had a chance to take them home. He said the worms will spread from mushroom to mushroom, I know he has them on the maroom ones but I'm not sure if they're on the green ones in his tank. So far I've been able to siphon 5 of the little buggers off the mushroom, and the mushroom is only <0.5 inches in diameter.
Thanks to you both for your help -- if you have any other ideas/suggestions, please let me know. : )

 

[chillman]

one suggestion - siphon off as many as you can - they tend to reproduce quickly. also - try not to overfeed - this tends to give them more to eat and replicate! if you siphon them all off and are OK, great. but if they seem to get out of control, use the product Salifert Flatworm Exit - and after be sure and run heavy carbon on tank to remove toxin from dead flatworms. Good luck - I've had them and gotten rid of them successfully.

 

[sapphiredonna]

Thanks! I feel so bad trying to syphon them off the tiny mushroom -- I'm using a 10 mL syringe and I usually end up trying to suck part of him up along with the flatworms. He's getting pretty ****y and he's my only spotted mushroom so I'm trying to baby him along with getting rid of the flatworms.
I'll be careful not to overfeed and I already run an AquaClear filter full of nothing but bags of carbon and Cheato.

 

[kingfisher62]

I have noticed those flat worms in my 14g biocube occasionaly but never payed much attention to them, seem to come and go but never in huge numbers. actually have not seen any in a few months .
Are they that bad?

 

[MaryK117]

They are that bad!! I had none and then my tank was infested. I bought a six line wrasse, treated with Flatworm eXit and did a water change. I think I did my water change too soon and still have some worms left, but there are fewer every day thanks to the six line. I have a picture of the worms on glass in my gallery.