Flat worms. Not sure what type.

[GoReefin]

Came in on some mushroom frags just noticed today after several weeks in the tank /sigh.

Any thoughts on what type they are?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Red planaria flatworms. If you have ever fought a battle against Aiptasia anemones, then you know what a pain it is to get rid of an aggressive aquarium pest. One of the most prolific pests to enter into our salty tanks are the red Planaria flatworms. These rust colored worms are relatively harmless, but they reproduce so quickly that they can blanket corals and block out light, causing localized bleaching. Fortunately, there are methods to get rid of flatworms.
This pest feeds primarily through photosynthesis and they can quickly multiply to the point that they fall under a plague category. But don’t expect to kill them in your aquarium without repercussions. One main thing to know about these flatworms is that when they die, they releaser a toxin in the water that has the ability to kill sessile inverts and even fish if a large amount of the worms die. The problem here is not when you kill one flatworm, but when you kill them in mass numbers.
Some ways to rid of them are :
Adding a wrasse that will eat them such as:
Yellow coris
6 lined
lunare
melanurus

Siphoning then with a 3/8" - 1/4" tube into a nylon stocking and discard

Chemically with salifert flatworm Exit and be sure to siphon up dead one as they can release toxins as mentioned above. Also check for eggs which are really tiny

 

[GoReefin]

Thanks man. Looking like I don't have many. Scraped the ones I saw off the frag plug. Will do flatworm exit. Probably best before they get to plague proportions.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks man. Looking like I don't have many. Scraped the ones I saw off the frag plug. Will do flatworm exit. Probably best before they get to plague proportions.

I recommend trying siphoning first

 

[GoReefin]

I recommend trying siphoning first

Pulled the frag plugs and wiped them off with a tissue. They came off easy enough. Will continue to monitor and siphon the ones I find. I have a wrasse hopefully he eats them. Tanaka's pygmy wrasse.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pulled the frag plugs and wiped them off with a tissue. They came off easy enough. Will continue to monitor and siphon the ones I find. I have a wrasse hopefully he eats them. Tanaka's pygmy wrasse.

Pygmy may or may not