Help removing Leopard Polyclad Flatworm

[KrisReef]

Houdini worm, killer of snails and master of escape magic. Thanks for the update. I would have left the rocks in a bucket of saltwater overnight, or until the worm appeared. I wonder if your Houdini died in the dip?

 

[Crustaceon]

Glad for this update. I expect to see a sale thread post soon; "Giant Polyclad For Sale."

"Bounce Ultra Rainbow JF Snailwrecker Giant Polyclad For Sale - Only $799"

 

[Snoopdog]

I have found the easiest ways to catch these is this, killed four so far using this method. Get a magnetic clip and put a hunk of scallop on it right at the time your lights go out. Maybe 30 minutes after you put it in there start monitoring the area with a flashlight. It will be easy to see because they will cover the white color of the scallop with their spots, normally completely encasing the food. Another tell all is your other meat eaters will be around that area but will stay away from the flatworm. I normally will just have a net ready and net the magnet and flatworm together and bring it up. Then just rinse the magnetic clip with fresh water and that should be enough.

I mean yes they do love snails but they also seem to really like the smell of scallop, and scallop is a heck of a lot cheaper than snails. I have also caught two with the traps you can buy on aliexpress but we honestly have better luck with just a magnetic feeding clip. Here is the first one I caught, it is interesting how they can go upside down on the surface of the water.

 

[homer1475]

Caught one cruising my glass one morning. Never knew the bugger was in there, and no idea where it came from either. This sucker is the size of a dinner plate.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Caught one cruising my glass one morning. Never knew the bugger was in there, and no idea where it came from either. This sucker is the size of a dinner plate.

My guess is you been missing a lot of snails

 

[Bucs20fan]

Gone except for the fist size fighting conch

The foot toss of a conch is nothing to slouch at, I have a larger one thats "flicked" me a time or two, and it has some force to it thats for sure.

 

[homer1475]

My guess is you been missing a lot of snails

Actually no I never was.

I'm not sure what type mine was, but from my research when they get that big they are of the euphyllia eating variety. Which would coincide with me loosing all my euphyllia and finding it on the glass after all the euphyllia were gone.

I never got a decent pic other then that. You know when you wake up, and are still a bit groggy, my first thought was to get it out of the tank.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Actually no I never was.

I'm not sure what type mine was, but from my research when they get that big they are of the euphyllia eating variety. Which would coincide with me loosing all my euphyllia and finding it on the glass after all the euphyllia were gone.

I never got a decent pic other then that. You know when you wake up, and are still a bit groggy, my first thought was to get it out of the tank.

You have no idea how many times it’s been two in the morning and I’m literally walking to my bedroom to go to sleep and I look at the tank and there’s a two or 3 inch flat worm on the glass and then I run down to the basement as fast as I can for a bucket and hose to siphon it out before it disappears

 

[jabberwock]

You have no idea how many times it’s been two in the morning and I’m literally walking to my bedroom to go to sleep and I look at the tank and there’s a two or 3 inch flat worm on the glass and then I run down to the basement as fast as I can for a bucket and hose to siphon it out before it disappears

I would grab a blade in my teeth and dive in the tank for a little hand to "foot?" combat!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I would grab a blade in my teeth and dive in the tank for a little hand to "foot?" combat!

I did that the first time and lost. Ended up with 20 pieces of flatworm floating all over the place

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Definitely don’t try using tweezers it don’t work

 

[jabberwock]

Definitely don’t try using tweezers it don’t work

works on the little ones, ,but it bangs them up a bit.

 

[Snoopdog]

Caught another one Friday night. I figured that was all of them. Tonight we caught two more, the last one we caught was the biggest one I have ever seen.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Caught another one Friday night. I figured that was all of them. Tonight we caught two more, the last one we caught was the biggest one I have ever seen.

What method are you using ?

 

[jabberwock]

What method are you using ?

Blade in teeth, dive in tank, Tarzan method? I think that is what Snoop said...

 

[Snoopdog]

What method are you using ?

Scallop on a feeding clip, then use a net to grab it all, kill it with fresh tap water. Look at post #23 on this thread and you will read a more detailed description of my method.

 

[jabberwock]

Scallop on a feeding clip, then use a net to grab it all, kill it with fresh tap water. Look at post #23 on this thread and you will read a more detailed description of my method.

I like that method of dispatch. How long does it take? The killing it part...

 

[Snoopdog]

I like that method of dispatch. How long does it take? The killing it part...

Fresh water on one? Maybe a minute? It goes right down the drain so I never check for a pulse after.

 

[Snoopdog]

We just caught two more, one very large. This method works very well. Two in one night, we thought we had them all. This is creepy how many are in the tank and we had no idea. No wonder we had such a snail wipe out.

 

[jabberwock]

Dude, I might consider moving and leaving the tank for the new owners...