Bugs in aquarium

[marlzz]

i found these little bugs on my glass of my 20g reef… they’re kinda orange brown and they don’t really look like bugs but i can see them move. Does anyone know what they could be???

 

[marlzz]

I also found them on my foxface too. it seemed to make her uncomfortable

 

[gtguy256]

Its some type of flatworn

 

[Fish Styx]

Looks like am Acoel flatworm.... but, you saw them on your foxface?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, that’s an acoel/ghost flatworm. Not really harmful, but not generally wanted. I’ve heard wrasse like eating them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

i found these little bugs on my glass of my 20g reef… they’re kinda orange brown and they don’t really look like bugs but i can see them move. Does anyone know what they could be???

These are acoel ghost flatworms and least harmful ,,,, but in numbers they can smother a coral and block the light corals need for zooxanthellae which is their energy and building blocks
Simple removal if few is siphoning with a 3/8" tubing into a net or nylon stocking and discard
If many, wrasses such as yellow coris, lunare. 6 line and melanurus will eat them
Also a springieri damsel will eat them.
Make chemical the last option unless huge infestation as if used, you will need to siphon the tank daily to remove dead ones which can release toxins.
Lastly- Check tank daily for next 2 weeks for signs of any eggs which are really tiny. Generally eggs are laid underneath coral

 

[marlzz]

Looks like am Acoel flatworm.... but, you saw them on your foxface?

Yes i saw like two at first i thought they were just dots but i know how unlikely that is and then i saw one move near her gills

 

[marlzz]

These are acoel ghost flatworms and least harmful ,,,, but in numbers they can smother a coral and block the light corals need for zooxanthellae which is their energy and building blocks
Simple removal if few is siphoning with a 3/8" tubing into a net or nylon stocking and discard
If many, wrasses such as yellow coris, lunare. 6 line and melanurus will eat them
Also a springieri damsel will eat them.
Make chemical the last option unless huge infestation as if used, you will need to siphon the tank daily to remove dead ones which can release toxins.
Lastly- Check tank daily for next 2 weeks for signs of any eggs which are really tiny. Generally eggs are laid underneath coral

Are you sure this is what they are? i’ve never seen anything like this before!!! Could this be lethal to my fish? This is a 20 gal and i’m moving so i only have a foxface, a baby henacious, and a snowflake eel… it’s extremely crowded i know…. but they will be going into a much bigger tank within the next month.. the only reason they’re here is because my 75 gal crashed and it wouldn’t be worth setting it up 2 months before i’d have to move. I also have an small angler in a nursery with a lid which i think is where the bugs came from.

 

[marlzz]

Are you sure this is what they are? i’ve never seen anything like this before!!! Could this be lethal to my fish? This is a 20 gal and i’m moving so i only have a foxface, a baby henacious, and a snowflake eel… it’s extremely crowded i know…. but they will be going into a much bigger tank within the next month.. the only reason they’re here is because my 75 gal crashed and it wouldn’t be worth setting it up 2 months before i’d have to move. I also have an small angler in a nursery with a lid which i think is where the bugs came from.

I wouldn’t want to add anything more if it would make my fish even more uncomfortable. these are the survivors from my big tank that had crashed with the exception of the angler that is getting a new tank soon.

 

[Fish Styx]

Are you sure you're not misidentifying the critter on your fish? It is possible that you are observing two separate organisms. Can you get a picture of the fish?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you sure this is what they are? i’ve never seen anything like this before!!! Could this be lethal to my fish? This is a 20 gal and i’m moving so i only have a foxface, a baby henacious, and a snowflake eel… it’s extremely crowded i know…. but they will be going into a much bigger tank within the next month.. the only reason they’re here is because my 75 gal crashed and it wouldn’t be worth setting it up 2 months before i’d have to move. I also have an small angler in a nursery with a lid which i think is where the bugs came from.

they are not uncommon and Im positive thats what they are. Youve only provided a pic of the flatworm and none of the fish displaying your concerns.

 

[marlzz]

they are not uncommon and Im positive thats what they are. Youve only provided a pic of the flatworm and none of the fish displaying your concerns.

Thank you. i appreciate it more than you know. Do you still suggest a wrasse?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thank you. i appreciate it more than you know. Do you still suggest a wrasse?

Please post a photo of the fish.
The things on the glass are flatworms that won't immediately hurt anything (they can bother coral if you get too many but that's nothing to worry about at the moment.)

What you're describing on the foxface does not sound like flatworms as fw don't parasitize fish... Your foxface may have flukes or some other problem, and figuring this out should take priority.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thank you. i appreciate it more than you know. Do you still suggest a wrasse?

And, no. Don't try to add another fish to your 20 gallon tank.

 

[marlzz]

There’s nothing on the foxface at the moment. she didn’t seem to be rubbing up against anything or breathing rapidly but i know i saw something moving on her and it was brown just like the bugs i found on the glass of the aquarium. I have sanitized everything that i had put into the aquarium when i took all of my fish out of quarantine. the only thing that could’ve brought this into the aquarium is my angler

 

[marlzz]

Please post a photo of the fish.
The things on the glass are flatworms that won't immediately hurt anything (they can bother coral if you get too many but that's nothing to worry about at the moment.)

What you're describing on the foxface does not sound like flatworms as fw don't parasitize fish... Your foxface may have flukes or some other problem, and figuring this out should take priority.

I don’t see anything on her at the moment. she’s not acting differently. Earlier i saw at most 2 on her and it didn’t seem like it bothered her that much

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

There’s nothing on the foxface at the moment. she didn’t seem to be rubbing up against anything or breathing rapidly but i know i saw something moving on her and it was brown just like the bugs i found on the glass of the aquarium. I have sanitized everything that i had put into the aquarium when i took all of my fish out of quarantine. the only thing that could’ve brought this into the aquarium is my angler

I honestly wouldn't worry about the flatworms. They eat copepods and some eat algae, and if you don't have coral in the tank there's really nothing to worry about. Your other fish might even snack on them.

Foxface, like all rabbitfish, have a thick slime coat and it's possible that a fw became stuck on the fish temporarily... but I'd watch the fish closely in case there's something else going on. As you said, your tank is pretty crowded and stress can lead to reduced immunity.

 

[marlzz]

I’ve had this fish for a very long time as well.. it surprised me when i saw something moving on her and it didn’t bother her. She has been treated for a bacterial infection and ich and survived both and this is the happiest she’s been in a very long time. But when i saw them on her it still concerned me although she wasn’t acting differently… the more i looked the more i saw them on the glass. i wouldn’t say it’s an Infestation but there’s definitely a good amount that is more than i want in there even though it’s a temporary tank

 

[marlzz]

I honestly wouldn't worry about the flatworms. They eat copepods and some eat algae, and if you don't have coral in the tank there's really nothing to worry about. Your other fish might even snack on them.

Foxface, like all rabbitfish, have a thick slime coat and it's possible that a fw became stuck on the fish temporarily... but I'd watch the fish closely in case there's something else going on. As you said, your tank is pretty crowded and stress can lead to reduced immunity.

That’s why i don’t want to add anything else. Why i’m thinking no more fish until i move and get my big tank set up. Which is what she’s used to anyway.

 

[marlzz]

And, no. Don't try to add another fish to your 20 gallon tank.

I agree. Thank you