Mushroom eating flatworm :(

[jpmunoz]

I had a couple of mushrooms melt recently for unknown reasons. Fortunately nothing too special. I couldn't id the cause until I found a couple of rust spots on a few mushrooms. I sucked them off with a turkey baster and let it settle in a container. Sure enough they are some kind of flatworm. I tried prazi pro a couple days ago and it does not seem to have knocked them back. I just found two more. I have flat worm exit and leviomisole. Any votes to which I should try tomorrow ( going to do water change tonight and get the carbon/gfo back on line so I don't mix new meds with old meds). Or is there a better option for knocking them out?
The attached pic is terrible, camera doesn't have a charge so I had to use iphone. They look exactly like a flatworm and move like one.

 

[jpmunoz]

A little update: I found two flat worms. I tried FWE on one and Leviomisole on the other. Both could care less. They were totally unaffected. I did some digging and a lot of staring at them and I think they are baby polyclad flatworms, which would make sense since they are a booger to treat. If there are two babies, there must be many more. Does any one have any ideas on a whole tank treatment? They are in a 2x4 hydro tray. There are probably around 200 frags in there so freshwater dipping each one might be a chore.

 

[Triggreef]

Look like normal red planaria in the pic

 

[Reefhunter007]

Never knew them to eat mushrooms polyclads usually prey on snails but trust me that is on headache I'm glad I'm over!!!

 

[jpmunoz]

The mushrooms that melted may have been incidental. I assumed since there was a foreign creature I could blame the problem on it. They may or may not be the cause. I do need to find a way to eradicate them. If there are five babies then there are probably more. Tomorrows research will be on their reproductive habits and clutch size. There have been a few dead snails that I couldn't explain.

 

[jpmunoz]

How were you able to completely remove them from your system?

 

[hybridazn]

I think that's a planaria Flatworm, not polyclad.

 

[jpmunoz]

I am losing this battle. I have pulled out 4 more baby flat worms and I found 2 semi adults. They are definately the leopard polyclad flat worm that eat clams and snails.
My struggle is when I find a baby I suck it out with a turkey baster. The next day the mushroom that had the worm on it is melting. I am not sure if the flat worm is killing the mushroom or if there is a pathogen in the water that is attacking the wound opened by the flat worm. For all I know the mushroom may already be on its way out and that is what is attracting the flat worm.

Totals so far are 8 babies, around 1/4 - 1/2" and two semi adults 2-3".
Total losses: 2 lava lamps ( the third that was on the same rock has looked terrible for days, but hasn't gotten melty yet), one turquois discosoma, one mixed color rhodactis, one nuclear sunset that was half pink, one green with raised red polka dots, one rhodactis neon yellow persian carpet, one of my favorites a discosoma type with white green and orange squares over a purple base. I have a few prize items and a couple are starting to look questionable. WWC bounce is not happy, a few interstellers ( my all time favorites) look shriveled, redrum ress looks bad, game overs all detached and are in various dark corners, jawbreaker is not happy - all the red regular discos that infest the tank are very happy.
Tomorrow's plan is a bayer dip for everyone. Should take me most of the day. So much for enjoying the nice weather.
I also found a yellow nudi while doing my nightime scan. Yellow body, black frills, antannae. No idea if he is reef safe or not ( or the root of the problem) so he is in a tupper ware dish for
now. Any ideas?

 

[Reefhunter007]

Pretty much I catch them in the dark using a red light also set traps with clam and sacrificed a snail to lure them out and catch them....happy hunting