flatworm id

[pobrien11]

Hi

I'm pretty sure the purple things in the attached photo are flatworms, but I'm not sure. Can anyone tell me? Additionally I added two six line wrasses to try and get rid of them (or at least significantly reduce their numbers), but after several months they still are present (they particularly like attaching to the mushroom corals). Any ideas on other predators that would be safe for the reef tank. Any help is much appreciated,

Patrick

 

[Anonymous]

The picture isn't the best but they look like Acoel Flatworms. Simply siphon them out after the lights have been on for a few hours or let them run their course.
They normally disappear after a few months.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[pobrien11]

thanks. here's another picture if that helps. how would I siphon them off the mushrooms and other corals (some are on leathers and hammers)? I would think the coral would get sucked up to. They have been in the tank since March, and their population levels seem about the same, but then again watching it everyday makes it hard for me to judge sometimes. I appreciate your help.

Patrick

 

[Anonymous]

how would I siphon them off the mushrooms and other corals (some are on leathers and hammers)? I would think the coral would get sucked up to. They have been in the tank since March, and their population levels seem about the same, but then again watching it everyday makes it hard for me to judge sometimes.

Here a link and scoll down to post 8 of 31.
http://www.seaslugforum.net/flatworm2.htm


If you can, concentrate your light source to one area of the tank. The flatworms will migrate to that spot. Simple gently siphon them out.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[pobrien11]

thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I have these flatworms too.

How bad are they?


A few observations:

1. I lost ALL of my LPS in a matter of two months. No other corals went south. It was not calcium...levels were good and my clams, snails, shrimp, etc. where all fine (they would have showed some bad effects from low calcium levels)

2. These flatworms are seen on my leather and mushroom corals, but not on green star polyps or zoanthids.

3. When I still had LPS (and I had a LOT...over 50 heads of frogspawn which are all gone now ), these flatworms could be seen on them only...they only moved to leathers and mushrooms when all LPS were gone.


Is it possible that these flatworms killed my LPS?

Other than syphoning, is there any animal that eats these things?

 

[SnowManSnow]

I had these guys on one particular coral that I brought in from the LFS once. I did a 5sec FW dip on the corals and completely irradicated the worms. Haven't seen them since.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Had the same a couple months ago. Little orange flatworms. I sucked them off the shrooms with a little siphon every time I saw one. Seemed to be effective, they haven't been back. But I only had a dozen or so, you seem to have quite an infestation there.