Red Flakes?

[headdr]

Can anyone ID? Got some small red flakes in a 4 year old 30 gallon tank.

 

[headdr]

I just took a syringe and blew them around. Going to hook up a syphon to a filter sock and try to vacuum out but at this point I don't know what I am fighting.

 

[K.miller]

Kinda looks like flatworms

 

[dunc101]

I agree. This looks like red planaria to me as well (flatworms). I know there are products such as 'flatworm stop' that supposedly gets rid of these, however I have never had the need for it myself. There should be plenty of material on these forums about peoples experiences.

 

[Fortheloveofsalt]

Yup, looks like flatworms to me. Be careful they can take out coral.

 

[lapin]

Red Planaria flatworms | Melev's Reef

When I bought my 55g tank, it was infested with Flatworms - Red Planaria - which propagate via fission. They are known to increase rapidly, smothering the sandbed and corals. If they all die at once, that crash will wipe out a tank due to the toxicity of the flatworm juice. I vacuumed out 1000's...

www.melevsreef.com

The Battle with Red Planaria Flatworms

If you have ever fought a battle against Aiptasia anemones, then you know what a pain it is to get rid of an aggressive aquarium pest. Aiptasia are very hard to get rid of if left unchecked, and like Aiptasia, there are many pests that hitchhike into our aquariums on corals and live rock and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Fortheloveofsalt]

Six-line wrasse eat them. I had to do that because I would have lost coral if I tried to kill all at once. I also started coral dipping, as I’m sure they came on a coral I bought.

 

[Fortheloveofsalt]

Red Planaria flatworms | Melev's Reef

When I bought my 55g tank, it was infested with Flatworms - Red Planaria - which propagate via fission. They are known to increase rapidly, smothering the sandbed and corals. If they all die at once, that crash will wipe out a tank due to the toxicity of the flatworm juice. I vacuumed out 1000's...

www.melevsreef.com

The Battle with Red Planaria Flatworms

If you have ever fought a battle against Aiptasia anemones, then you know what a pain it is to get rid of an aggressive aquarium pest. Aiptasia are very hard to get rid of if left unchecked, and like Aiptasia, there are many pests that hitchhike into our aquariums on corals and live rock and...

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve always added plenty of peppermint shrimp to control aiptasias.

 

[Katrina71]

+1 on flatworms

 

[Katrina71]

@hdsoftail1065 has an excellent thread on flatworm exit.

 

[lapin]

I’ve always added plenty of peppermint shrimp to control aiptasias.

I dont think the OP has an aiptasia problem

 

[headdr]

Red planeria seems to be the consensus ID. My six line must not like them because they are coming back in full force after I vacuumed out a bunch last week. Thanks for the help.

 

[headdr]

I can confirm flatworm exit kills....flatworms....x2 maroon clowns, green chromis, six line wrasse, crabs and snails. I wish I had just lived with vacuuming them out.