Zoa Pests ID Please

[MMA]

Well, we seems to have two possible pests. The first seems like a tiny brownish worm. I'm noticing these mostly on the zoas while a few are on some SPS. The second one is small about the size of a copepod. They are red and light orange. A shot under a microscope of both. They seem to be bothering the zoa. Any ideas? Thanks.

The worm
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60735048@N08/5729128686/" title="055 by leslie_calvert, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/5729128686_430c06ac7a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="055"></a>

Worm under the microscope
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60735048@N08/5729133900/" title="060 by leslie_calvert, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/5729133900_94b76db66d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="060"></a>

Worm under the microscope- closer

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60735048@N08/5728569877/" title="042 by leslie_calvert, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3473/5728569877_8da42b008e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="042"></a>

Worm to the top right of penny and strange red bug below worm.
Worm is not usually this flat but when place on a towel they seem to flatten out.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60735048@N08/5728574539/" title="053 by leslie_calvert, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/5728574539_16bc9e9064.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="053"></a>

red bug under microscope

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60735048@N08/5729123140/" title="045 by leslie_calvert, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5162/5729123140_96bc388138.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="045"></a>

 

[MikeandNicole]

First off great shots under the microscope that is really cool.

The first one just might be a flatworm. Nudibranches are not completely flat like that and generally have more characteristics to them. If they are on several different surfaces I would say they are probably flatworms, which might annoy your corals but not kill them. However, there are probably thousands of species of flatworms so this is an educated guess. If you have the tank size and ability, a melanarus wrasse will destroy them.

The second one is probably an arthropod (Sp?) basically a larger copepod. These little buggers can eat zoas and kill them. Again the best natural cure is a wrasse (again if you have the correct tank size and ability to keep them). You can also try dipping them in revive which will knock the little buggers off.

 

[MMA]

Thanks for the info mikeandnicole. Would like to go natural but I already have a mandarin so not sure if I should. Have a 240 with 60 gallon fuge. I'll try the revive.

 

[TampaSnooker]

spotted mandarins are great for both pests. I agree on the ID's. If the fish don't take care of the flatworms, a dose of Salifert's Flatworm Exit ought to kill them.

 

[sjmantis]

Aren't the red flatworms the ones you really need to worry about? You should teach those zoas mixed martial arts lol

 

[MikeandNicole]

The red flatworms are generally planaria which don't harm corals. However, they can get to epic proportions inside the aquarium and cover everything. They can be a problem if there is a mass die off as they are toxic when they die. That is why they recommend running carbon and water changes right after dosing flat worm exit.