Mush-Babies??? See Pictures

[Mabu]

Ok, for the last week or so, I've noticed these "spots" on one of my striped mushrooms. I thought maybe it was some disease or some reaction to water parms or a creature but didn't think I could do much. I was looking today, and one of these spots MOVED!

I look closer and what I thought were spots on the mushroom are very small, flat creatures crawling over its surface. Are these mushroom babies or some kind of other creatures attacking it? Sorry I can't get a sharper image just yet..

any ideas?

 

[tazdevil]

You aren't going to be happy about this. Looks like a flatworm outbreak. The good thing is some gobies, dottybacks and small wrasses consider them a meal. See if you can get a better close up to verify this though.

 

[Mabu]

Will they eat the mushroom?

I have 2 wrasses in the tank.. I'm not keen on putting a goby in the tank as I don't want the substrate being rearranged...

I looked closer and I don't think they're mushrooms, some kind of worm... what will these creatures do? How can I treat them?

 

[tazdevil]

FWIHR (from what I have read-new abbrev?)
They don't eat them, but they actually smother the 'shrooms by their sheer weight. What types of wrasse do you have? I know sixlines are supposed to keep them in check, not sure on others.

 

[Mabu]

I scraped some of them off the mushroom with my algae scraper - just to see what would happen.

The wrasses I have are of the more exotic variety: Maldives Mystery Wrasse, Bali wrasse (no lines, silver in color - nobody has ID'd it yet) and a painted fairy wrasse.

I also have a retarded clownfish who just dances around the tank - not sure if he's good for anything.. hehe

 

[Mouse]

My vote goes with flat worms, possibly introduced on the shroom. Cant remember what eats them but im sure someone knows of a beastie that likes boshing flat worms, maybee a shrimp or somekinda nudibranc.

 

[Mabu]

They're definitely not baby shrooms - they are wurm-like flat creatures on the mushroom. The problem I've had with nudibranches is they seem to be hors d'oeurves for my two large brittle stars.... what can I do to fight these guys?

 

[jdeets]

Mabu--they are flatworms. I have no experience with this potential plague. I do have a friend in the hobby who has been fighting them for over a year, and he's about to resort to a new chemical product to treat them. If you can find a good predator for them, then go for it. You can also siphon them out as much as possible--my friend used 1/4" tubing to siphon them out--he said it took about 3 hours per week, and he's still plagued by them.

Good luck--and let us know if you find a good way to deal with them.

 

[danmhippo]

Mabu, Take the whole rock with the mushroom on it, dip in a bucket of freshwater for a few seconds, (say, 15 seconds). Shake vigorously while you are giving them FW dip. Most flat worm should drop off by then. Repeat as necessary.

i got rid mine whole tank infestation by accident. My tank were accidentally fried with water temp up to 93F. All the flat worm were gone, so did a number of mushroom, anemone, soft and hard corals. ........you don't want to go this route.....

 

[Mabu]

any more suggestions for this? they're starting to spread now!

 

[SPC]

Mabu, they siphon out very easily and that is what I have been doing with mine. It takes time and persistence but eventually you will drop their numbers significantly. If you can get a hold of a Magnum filter that has the vac attachment, you can siphon them without having to do a water change.
Steve