ID Help

[reeferdawg]

Just saw 2 of these guys crawling around on my back glass today:

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They seem soft like some kind of snail but it's hard to tell. The flat part seems to be the head, with the 'V' being the tail. Anybody?

 

[flyingarmy]

ReeferDawg wrote: Just saw 2 of these guys crawling around on my back glass today:

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They seem soft like some kind of snail but it's hard to tell. The flat part seems to be the head, with the 'V' being the tail. Anybody?

Can't see the picture but from the sound of your description they are flatworms. Not considered one of the good hitchhikers!

A good article:

 

[reeferdawg]

flyingarmy wrote: Can't see the picture but from the sound of your description they are flatworms. Not considered one of the good hitchhikers!

A good article: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm">http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm</a>[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WormPIX/FlatwormPIX/AmphiscolopsFlatWmMikeG.jpg alt="" />

Thanks for the link! This guy here looks just like it. They say it's harmless, so I guess I'm not worried.

 

[flyingarmy]

They are considered harmless in small numbers but can become an infestation and very destructive to corals. Just keep an eye out for more. I know there are several reef safe options to get rid of them.

 

[stroid]

Could you guys help me identify this as well....the thing to the right of the xenia and to the left of my zoas it is pink with green tips looks kinda like an anemone

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[reeferdawg]

flyingarmy wrote: They are considered harmless in small numbers but can become an infestation and very destructive to corals. Just keep an eye out for more. I know there are several reef safe options to get rid of them.

Everything I am reading says otherwise:

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Your pic looks like the common, innocuous white flatworm to me. Here's what Delbeek & Sprung (The Reef Aquarium, vol. 1) have to say about them:

"There are approximately 14 different non-parasitic forms that have been seen in aquariums...Some of these feed on small copepods, others feed on diatoms and others act as scavengers...The most commonly encountered flatworm in the reef aquarium are the small, semi-transparent, whitish ones belonging to the suborder Maricola. These are usually found in newly setup aquariums with live rock. They have a length of 5-10 mm with a rounded anterior end and fork-shaped rear end. Mainly active at night, they are usually found crawling along the glass or rock but they can swim short distances when disturbed. These small worms should not cause any undue alarm as they are actually quite helpful and will usually disappear within a few months as their food supply diminishes. If they do not, it could be that you are overfeeding the aquarium..."


Doesn't sound too harmful to me. You must be confusing these with other parasitic flatworms.

 

[glxtrix]

Stroid, that might be a majano anemone. Those are considered bad, they can multiply quickly and have a potent sting to other corals

 

[vettesarebest]

Stroid, also could be a Aptasia

 

[stroid]

yeah thats what someone else said in my thread (the one i started) but i couldnt find any aiptasia that resembled the one i had. it seems to be this

 

[glxtrix]

there are a few ways that people have done to rid of these guys. Boiling water in a syringe and inject it in its mouth, joes juice and you could also try some plain old white vinegar, tho I'm not too sure if the vinegar works thats just my thoughts.

 

[tsciarini]

...keep in mind that flatworms can eat pods.

 

[reeferdawg]

tsciarini wrote: ...keep in mind that flatworms can eat pods.

right now they're munching out on my diatoms - you can see their trails across the back glass. If I notice an outbreak of them I might take some action, but I'm not too concerned right now.

 

[vettesarebest]

Oh they eat your Diatoms! Well heck give me some lol.

 

[vettesarebest]

glxtrix wrote: there are a few ways that people have done to rid of these guys. Boiling water in a syringe and inject it in its mouth, joes juice and you could also try some plain old white vinegar, tho I'm not too sure if the vinegar works thats just my thoughts.

Lemon Juice in a syringe with a needle on it. Kills em in about three seconds and they fall off right away and turn black! Works Great!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Reefer: If your worms look like the picture they are Amphiscolops</em> sp., a "harmless" acoel that "shows up" at times in reef tanks. Flyingarmy is right though, I would not let their numbers get too large. They have been known to turn less harmless in the right cases. A peppermint shrimp or two should help thin the population if it gets bad.