Pest identification
- Thread starter vedros74
- Start date
- Tagged users None
nemlover91
Community Member
Looks to me like an Aeolid Flat worm...
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
Is that a bad one or do they all eat corals?
nemlover91
Community Member
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
Thanks a lot for the help. I’ll take a look
nemlover91
Community Member
I had them in a reef tank once. Best thing to do is just siphon them out. They do make meds to get rid of them I believe. But I think best not to dose display tank. Especially if you have a lot of them. If you are looking to add more fish. I believe six line wrasse and yellow wrasse will eat them.
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
After reading up this would explain the spots on my mushrooms and the reason why Zoas won’t last long in my tank. I will definitely look into getting a yellow wrasse and some flatworm stop
nemlover91
Community Member
Yeah they like to jump on mushrooms. How many do you have in tank. I would dose as a last resort if you have a lot in the tank. If you kill them all off at once with meds you will have a water chemistry change. How big is your tank? Live rock?
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
It’s a 150 gallon with a fair amount of live rock in the main tank and a 40 gallon sump with live rock as well. Just a guess I would say around 30 mushrooms roughly
nemlover91
Community Member
I think you would be fine then dosing if you had to do so! Good luck. Always nice to add a new fish to fix a problem though
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
This would actually explain a lot that’s been puzzling me. I have a frag tank as well and for some reason zoas and caps grow well in the frag tank but in my display tank they slowly wither away
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
I think you would be fine then dosing if you had to do so! Good luck. Always nice to add a new fish to fix a problem though
Yes most definitely especially another wrasse. Thanks again for the knowledge
If its bigger than a 1/4" it could be a polyclad flatworm that eats snails.
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
It was probably close to 1/4 but I am noticing them on my mushrooms now. I was wondering what the spots were on them in the last week. I am on the hunt for a yellow wrasse today
rkpetersen
walked the sand with the crustaceans
Melanurus wrasses (same genus as the yellow wrasses) also generally love flatworms.
vetteguy53081
Well known Member and monster tank lover
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
RGB
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
West Palm Beach Reefer
Hospitality Award
Ocala Reef Club Member
305 Reef Club
Wisco Reefers
Midwest Reefer
Fish Medic
MAC of SW Florida
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
R2R Secret Santa 2023
My Tank Thread
My Aquarium Showcase
Flatworm No Doubt. Time for a wrasse or two.
I am guilty of not dipping and after 30+ years, this is the second zoa eating nudibranch I have seen on my glass (this one yesterday). Im not losing any zoas thank goodness but these are egg layers and makes me wonder when I see another. We Must inspect our systems and look out for such pests.
I am guilty of not dipping and after 30+ years, this is the second zoa eating nudibranch I have seen on my glass (this one yesterday). Im not losing any zoas thank goodness but these are egg layers and makes me wonder when I see another. We Must inspect our systems and look out for such pests.
OP
OP
vedros74
Active Member
Flatworm No Doubt. Time for a wrasse or two.
I am guilty of not dipping and after 30+ years, this is the second zoa eating nudibranch I have seen on my glass (this one yesterday). Im not losing any zoas thank goodness but these are egg layers and makes me wonder when I see another. We Must inspect our systems and look out for such pests.
I dip everything before it goes into my tank but I guess nothing is 100% I probably got some eggs or missed something. I do have a few wrasses but I guess they’ve got fancy mouths. Lol
BluewaterLa
Active Member
Flatworm No Doubt. Time for a wrasse or two.
I am guilty of not dipping and after 30+ years, this is the second zoa eating nudibranch I have seen on my glass (this one yesterday). Im not losing any zoas thank goodness but these are egg layers and makes me wonder when I see another. We Must inspect our systems and look out for such pests.
This looks like a berghia nudibranch to me from the picture though its rather blurry.
If it is and wondering around on the glass its because its starving and hunting for aiptaisia to eat, they only eat aiptasia anemones.
Check out some pictures of them on the web and see if you can see any characteristics.
Normally they are only Nocturnal coming out at night to feed, seen during the day means they are starving and will die within a few days of not eating.
