Flatworm id

[ScottR]

Was looking at the little stuff in my tank using my phone camera zoomed in all the way. Amazing what you can find, things that you won’t catch with your eyes alone. Found this flatworm on a sponge. Tried looking for a match online and can’t seem to find it. Doesn’t seem like red planaria to me.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Acoel Flatworm I think.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agree on Acoel which can damage corals by shading. There really is no available predator of these worms as manywill be readily eaten by wrasses. Best removal is by use of Flatworm exit. they are short lived but will still survive a few month before dying off

 

[ScottR]

Acoel Flatworm I think.

Should I just let them be, in your opinion? Never had these that I know of. Read about them many times however. But no experience. Flatworm exit will be a last resort.

 

[Rjramos]

Siphon it out rigid air tube attached to airline.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Should I just let them be, in your opinion? Never had these that I know of. Read about them many times however. But no experience. Flatworm exit will be a last resort.

They don't really harm anything, but as vetteguy said above, if their numbers become too great they can smother coral. They won't consume it, they'll just cover it to the point where it cannot receive any light and die out. Best bet, would be a natural predator such as a wrasse, or as also mentioned above, siphon them out as you see them during water changes.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I just let them be, in your opinion? Never had these that I know of. Read about them many times however. But no experience. Flatworm exit will be a last resort.

I would get under them with a net and scoop it up and deliver to the toilet. You can also siphon if there are a few in sight.

 

[ScottR]

Siphon it out rigid air tube attached to airline.

After I took the pic, that dude bailed. And to be honest, I couldn’t even see it with my own eyes. It took my iPhone camera zoomed in at max to even see it. I recommend using your phone camera to look around at your tank. You’d be surprised.

 

[ScottR]

Thanks everyone. I’ve only seen one so far. Been staking the tank out and haven’t found another one. I love 6 line wrasses and my LFS has lots of them for cheap. Should I adopt one?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thanks everyone. I’ve only seen one so far. Been staking the tank out and haven’t found another one. I love 6 line wrasses and my LFS has lots of them for cheap. Should I adopt one?

Entirely up to you. If you've only seen one after all this time I wouldn't be concerned

 

[ScottR]

I would get under them with a net and scoop it up and deliver to the toilet. You can also siphon if there are a few in sight.

Honestly man, it was so tiny. I’m surprised my camera picked it up. Siphoning one of them would be a needle in a haystack.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks everyone. I’ve only seen one so far. Been staking the tank out and haven’t found another one. I love 6 line wrasses and my LFS has lots of them for cheap. Should I adopt one?

It may not eat it but worth a shot. 6 lined are cheap enough. That's what I meant by Shading- they hide well

 

[ScottR]

Entirely up to you. If you've only seen one after all this time I wouldn't be concerned

Thanks crabs. I’m not too concerned now. But the nervous in me has me like ;Oldman

 

[ScottB]

Thanks crabs. I’m not too concerned now. But the nervous in me has me like ;Oldman

If you don't have any wrasses, I would definitely recommend some -- if not for this bug the next one. Melanurus and yellow coris are in all three (soon four) tanks. I do all I can (most of the time) to avoid introducing coral predators, but wrasses are like my linebackers (American football analogy).

 

[ScottR]

If you don't have any wrasses, I would definitely recommend some -- if not for this bug the next one. Melanurus and yellow coris are in all three (soon four) tanks. I do all I can (most of the time) to avoid introducing coral predators, but wrasses are like my linebackers (American football analogy).

I guess I could use a Ray Lewis wrasse.

 

[Katrina71]

Flatworms scare me the most. Probably crazy, but...

 

[ScottB]

Ray Lewis was a melanurus for sure.

I do have one melanurus that developed a taste for peppermint shrimp in my frag QT recently. I could not figure out why they kept jumping out of that tank until I saw him hammering away at a replacement. Once I catch him, I'll just keep a six line and coris in there.

 

[ScottR]

Ray Lewis was a melanurus for sure.

I do have one melanurus that developed a taste for peppermint shrimp in my frag QT recently. I could not figure out why they kept jumping out of that tank until I saw him hammering away at a replacement. Once I catch him, I'll just keep a six line and coris in there.

I’ve recently introduced 2 peppermint shrimp into my tank. I’m a bit worried about adding a wrasse.

 

[ScottB]

My yellow coris wrasses (halichoeres chrysus) are model citizens. Of course any fish can turn psychopathic but they are such hard workers/hunters that I consider them "must-have" inhabitants.

But then, like @Katrina71 , I am a little paranoid about coral predators and flatworms in particular. So there is that.

 

[Katrina71]

I think with what you already have, you should be fine. Imo.