Is this a polyclad flatworm?

[Saratwopointoh]

 

[Tahoe61]

Yup

 

[WV Reefer]

Yes.

I’ve seen a lot of reefers make traps for them.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

So I dipped this rock 4 times and can’t get it come out. I have no idea what it’s been eating either to stay alive. This rock is from my 125 gallon and I recently put it in my 13.5 gallon evo. Are the traps the same as when you want to catch bristle worms? I’ve had this rock for like 8 months and never saw this thing before. I don’t want to leave it in there. I was doing research last night and I don’t think I have the type of coral they like to eat. Been in this hobby for 2 years now, and there’s always something to learn.

 

[Hitman]

Yep. Don’t stress it or rip it in the tank as it will release a toxin that can whip out your tank. To catch it put a clam on a half shell in your tank in the evening and keep a eye on it with a red light, once you see it smother the shell you a long pair of tongs and yank the shell and all out.

 

[Hitman]

So I dipped this rock 4 times and can’t get it come out. I have no idea what it’s been eating either to stay alive. This rock is from my 125 gallon and I recently put it in my 13.5 gallon evo. Are the traps the same as when you want to catch bristle worms? I’ve had this rock for like 8 months and never saw this thing before. I don’t want to leave it in there. I was doing research last night and I don’t think I have the type of coral they like to eat. Been in this hobby for 2 years now, and there’s always something to learn.

Only dip I found to kill it is Bayer insecticide, they eat clams, snails, crabs, etc.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

Yep. Don’t stress it or rip it in the tank as it will release a toxin that can whip out your tank. To catch it put a clam on a half shell in your tank in the evening and keep a eye on it with a red light, once you see it smother the shell you a long pair of tongs and yank the shell and all out.

Could it release toxin if it’s starving and dying? My tank almost got wiped out by something and I had to remove all the water and sand. I’m thinking my caulerpa went sexual and crashed my tank, but maybe it was this worm. I’ve only had my mini tank running for a month and haven’t had very good luck with it.

 

[Hitman]

Could it release toxin if it’s starving and dying? My tank almost got wiped out by something and I had to remove all the water and sand. I’m thinking my caulerpa went sexual and crashed my tank, but maybe it was this worm. I’ve only had my mini tank running for a month and haven’t had very good luck with it.

Honestly I’m not 100% sure. If say a Wrasse or something took a bite of it it very well could have released some.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

Only dip I found to kill it is Bayer insecticide, they eat clams, snails, crabs, etc.

Maybe it was eating crabs in my big tank, but nothing was eaten in my small tank. A few things died but nothing was killed and eaten. I took the rock to my lfs store and I don’t know what kind of dip he used.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

Honestly I’m not 100% sure. If say a Wrasse or something took a bite of it it very well could have released some.

The only fish I have in there are two skunk clowns. And I just brought them home yesterday. I noticed this worm like 5 days ago.

 

[Hitman]

Bayer insecticide is the blue bottle from your lawn and garden store. There’s a pretty good write up on how to use it but I can’t find it at the moment. I thought it was either @redfishbluefish or @Battlecorals that wrote it or had great advice on it though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ouch. They appear as sea slugs and and are indeed flatworms. They cam split their heads and form a new flatworm making them a risk in the home system. They will go after clams0 first choice.
These flatworms use inverts as a food source and also seek protection from predators inside the structural skeleton of their prey. Most polyclads hide from direct light. The more colored species are active during the day. the colorful ones utilize their potential toxicity to visual predators such as fish and shrimp.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

Bayer insecticide is the blue bottle from your lawn and garden store. There’s a pretty good write up on how to use it but I can’t find it at the moment. I thought it was either @redfishbluefish or @Battlecorals that wrote it or had great advice on it though.

Is that coral safe? I’m gonna try a trap, but it that doesn’t work, I wanna dip it again and would try this, as long as it won’t kill my coral. I’ve already lost my entire population of pods, my strawberry crab and a pistol shrimp. I’m not sure if it’s because of this or my caulerpa going sexual. I removed the algae and did a 100% water change with cycled water from my lfs. And brand new live sand. Hoping this isn’t causing the problems, because it could happen anytime again if it is from this worm.

 

[Saratwopointoh]

Ouch. They appear as sea slugs and and are indeed flatworms. They cam split their heads and form a new flatworm making them a risk in the home system. They will go after clams0 first choice.
These flatworms use inverts as a food source and also seek protection from predators inside the structural skeleton of their prey. Most polyclads hide from direct light. The more colored species are active during the day. the colorful ones utilize their potential toxicity to visual predators such as fish and shrimp.

That sounds terrible. Thanks for all the help. I was pretty sure it was a flatworm, but wanted to make sure

 

[vetteguy53081]

That sounds terrible. Thanks for all the help. I was pretty sure it was a flatworm, but wanted to make sure

You did the right thing as many think its a cute slug and actually take pics for their enjoyment

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off, you should never dip rock. The dip is absorbed into the rock and then is slowly released when put back in your tank, potentially killing inverts in your tank.

As has been suggested, trap the bugger to get him out.....NO DIPPING THE ROCK.

 

[vetteguy53081]

First off, you should never dip rock. The dip is absorbed into the rock and then is slowly released when put back in your tank, potentially killing inverts in your tank.

As has been suggested, trap the bugger to get him out.....NO DIPPING THE ROCK.

Ouch- I agree.
Trap made with 2 litre bottle:

 

[Kaye]

I have what I think looks like a polyclad flatworm in my nano tank, but I'm unsure if I'm mistaking it for an elephant slug, scutus. I can find images of both that I think it looks like. Please help identify.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not flatworm but rather a sea slug