zoanthid eating flatworms

mallorieGgator · Dec 10, 2011

Hey everyone,
I have recently been noticing a few of my colonies closing, losing color and irritated. I did a water change today and inspected them and found flatworms on them and slightly bored into them. I've noticed little holes on the bases of the polyps as well where the fws are eating. I dip all of my corals so I suspect they came in as eggs. My question is: does flatworm exit work on zoa eating fws? I don't have the means to set up a QT tank bc I don't have an extra light. Thanks!

returnofsid · Dec 10, 2011

I think you're talking about Zoanthid eating Nudibranchs, not flatworms. Flatworm Exit has been rumored to work, but will not kill the eggs. Lugols Iodine will also work, but also will not kill the eggs. You'll need to inspect the colonies, very closely, for eggs. You'll also want to dip, every 3 or 4 days, for awhile, while in a QT environment, to kill the babies, as the eggs hatch.

A normal fluorescent strip, or even a clamp on dome, with a household PC bulb will work, for a QT tank, for Zoanthids.

mallorieGgator · Dec 12, 2011

Not nudis actually but I see flatworms on all of my zoas but only a few colonies are irritated. I may just try fw exit to get rid of the ones I have before they get out of control. I have some vermitid snails around the irritated colonies so it may be those as well.

caudill187 · Dec 12, 2011

Please don't tell me there is such a thing :cry:

filtersock · Dec 13, 2011

can we see a pic. i know flat worms just sit on the zoas an they close up an die cause of lack of light

Joe Knows Reefs · Dec 13, 2011

This is scary...can we get a pic?

mallorieGgator · Dec 15, 2011

Yes, I will try when I get home. There are not nearly enough FWs to cover the zoa and kill it due to lack of light. They are only around the base of the zoas. I have no clue where they came from either. I've never had a problem with my zoanthids and I've always dipped everything. It's only on 3 colonies and no others seem to be affected.

mallorieGgator · Dec 15, 2011

Also wanted to mention they are definitely FWs not nudibranchs. They are a dark brownish black.

returnofsid · Dec 15, 2011

So they're probably Red Planaria. They aren't actually Zoanthid eating critters, but can reproduce to the level where they cover corals, blocking out light.

If you treat with Salifert FWE, make sure to remove as many as possible, before and directly after treating. When Red Planaria die, they become toxic. If enough of them die, all at once, it can have negative effects on your entire tank.