Flatworms? Pls help

[NewKidOnTheReef]

I’m pretty new to everything.. can someone please help me out here.. none of them are really the same or shape as the other.. and they just appeared while I was at work it seems.. at least I’m just now noticing. they are only a white almost purple glowing color. No red or rust color. But I do have red rusty algae or bacteria on my rocks and sand.. I keep reading different things, I’ve been cleaning it off and it keeps coming back. I’ve recently read to just leave it ? this is my first time just leaving it.. I’m not sure if that has cause these things on my glass..

 

[blaxsun]

You could try FlatwormRX.

 

[youcallmenny1]

I've had good luck with Salifert Flatworm Exit. It was pretty gentle on the rest of the system, considering.

 

[Pistondog]

I’m pretty new to everything.. can someone please help me out here.. none of them are really the same or shape as the other.. and they just appeared while I was at work it seems.. at least I’m just now noticing. they are only a white almost purple glowing color. No red or rust color. But I do have red rusty algae or bacteria on my rocks and sand.. I keep reading different things, I’ve been cleaning it off and it keeps coming back. I’ve recently read to just leave it ? this is my first time just leaving it.. I’m not sure if that has cause these things on my glass..

Hey newkid, welcome to r2r.
If your tank is at least 50 gallons, consider a wrasse, like a 6 line for eating flatworms.

 

[Isopod80]

Are these things moving? Are they hard textured? I don't believe you have flatworms. Those look to me like benthic formaniferans colonizing the glass. Harmless filter feeders. They can pop up suddenly. Most die off on their own as the tank matures. You can scrape them as well. They are often irregular shaped from one to another.

 

[NewKidOnTheReef]

Are these things moving? Are they hard textured? I don't believe you have flatworms. Those look to me like benthic formaniferans colonizing the glass. Harmless filter feeders. They can pop up suddenly. Most die off on their own as the tank matures. You can scrape them as well. They are often irregular shaped from one to another.

I just googled that I believe you’re right.. I’ve stared and stared and have yet to see them move LOL. I haven’t tried scraping them yet just in case so I’m not sure if they are hard textured but look as if they would be easy to clean off. Thank you so much!!! Do you think I should I just leave them?

 

[mdb_talon]

I agree most dont look like flatworms to me. A couple spots on the bottom right in the second picture look more like traditional flatworms, but they may also be what Isopod suggested. Not really heard of them before so learned something today.

 

[Isopod80]

Personally, I'd leave them unless they start popping up in unsightly places. Consider them a sign of a healthy tank for now. They like good water quality, so you're doing something right. The reason many die off in the long run is because they simply run out of food in most systems (unless you dose phyto) You may want to scrape of 1 or 2 as a test to make sure they're not etching your glass. I don't believe they will but I'd want to be sure. An old credit card makes a great scraper.