I’d help please

[rmorris_14]

Had a few off these guys start popping up on the glass of my fishless tank. No corals added except some frags from my DT of GSP

 

[blaxsun]

Flat worm.

 

[rmorris_14]

Flat worm.

Good……bad? I’ve seen some threads say certain kinds aren’t harmful? Not sure how I would have gotten a harmful kind considering this tank is only a few months old with only inverts added and GSP from my DT

 

[blaxsun]

I'd probably toss him if you can find him again. Not worth the risk once he gets bigger.

 

[Woodyman]

Good……bad? I’ve seen some threads say certain kinds aren’t harmful? Not sure how I would have gotten a harmful kind considering this tank is only a few months old with only inverts added and GSP from my DT

Appears to be a ghost flat worm. So not really directly bad.

 

[Woodyman]

I'd probably toss him if you can find him again. Not worth the risk once he gets bigger.

This would be my vote as well!

 

[rmorris_14]

This would be my vote as well!

So, try to get the few I see and destroy?

 

[Woodyman]

So, try to get the few I see and destroy?

I would, but that's just me.

 

[rmorris_14]

I would, but that's just me.

 

[rmorris_14]

Are any flatworms not harmful?

 

[Wolf89]

Are any flatworms not harmful?

Aceol flatworms. That's what yours is. Not harmful, eats pods

 

[rmorris_14]

Aceol flatworms. That's what yours is. Not harmful, eats pods

There really isn’t a ton of info I am finding on these when doing Google searches. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place? I’ve seen various threads where some people say they need to be dealt with before the multiply to extreme quantities. Other suggest, just maintaining good water quality and they will just kind of fizzle out. I don’t care having them, if they are harmless and just a part of the marine diversity. But Finding quality info about them is scarce. Instead I came across various opinions on their harmfulness.

Is there any risk to doing nothing?
There is an insane amount of pods in that tank because it is fishless. This morning I am now seeing more than “just a few” of the flatworms. There probably at least eight big ones on the front and side glass and plus tons of tiny ones.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Acoel flatworm also called ghost is not as harmful as red planaria but in numbers, they will smother coral thereby blocking the light needed for production of their energy blocks known as zooxanthellae.
Simply siphon with a 3/8" tubing and discard. If in small numbers, wrasses such as yellow coris, 6 lined, lunare and melanurus and also springieri damel will eat them

 

[Labridaedicted]

As stated above, Acoel flatworms. They're fairly benign, honestly. They will eat some Pods, but by I'm large stay fairly limited in number and alot of things will eat them given the chance since they're less toxic than many flatworms.

 

[rmorris_14]

As stated above, Acoel flatworms. They're fairly benign, honestly. They will eat some Pods, but by I'm large stay fairly limited in number and alot of things will eat them given the chance since they're less toxic than many flatworms.

Are there any inverts that eat them? I don’t plan on having an fish in this tank. Thanks!!

 

[Labridaedicted]

Arrow crabs go to town on them. They're good for bristleworm control too and typically the biggest issues with them Is that they go for small fish. They have been known to on occasion pick at zoas (always a crap shoot with them)

 

[rmorris_14]

Arrow crabs go to town on them. They're good for bristleworm control too and typically the biggest issues with them Is that they go for small fish. They have been known to on occasion pick at zoas (always a crap shoot with them)

Cool thanks! I’m a sucker for crabs so I may end up going that way if the numbers get out of control.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Had a few off these guys start popping up on the glass of my fishless tank. No corals added except some frags from my DT of GSP

ghost worm. Eats pods, neutral. great food for wrasses

 

[SlugSnorter]

Are there any inverts that eat them? I don’t plan on having an fish in this tank. Thanks!!

careful with arrows in an invert only. They are hunters and can go after smaller shrimp, crabs, etc. Ghost flatworms are mostly harmless, and appear where pods are present. They eat pods, but not to the extent that the pods will die off.

 

[rmorris_14]

careful with arrows in an invert only. They are hunters and can go after smaller shrimp, crabs, etc. Ghost flatworms are mostly harmless, and appear where pods are present. They eat pods, but not to the extent that the pods will die off.

Thanks for letting me know. I will probably just see what happens before I go and add anything. It appears I might have two kinds of flatworms. the one in the picture and then a more brown/orange variety. They aren't bright red/orange, so I am hoping they aren't the bad kind. no clue how I even got them either .....