Tiny clear... something?

[ErinCahir]

So I was looking in my tank last night and I saw this teeny (1/4 of an inch long... maybe 1/3 of an inch wide) CLEAR (seriously see-through) worm/snail/SOMEthing on the glass. It had two white dots. One on what I assume was the head and one on the middle of it's back. I have a picture, but it is not very good...

Any ideas? Good or bad? It's the only one I've seen...

 

[BL1]

I found one of those in my refug a few weeks ago, I couldn't figure out what it was

 

[Bifferwine]

It's a flatworm.
Read this thread, same info applies to you.

https://www.livingreefs.com/orange-bug-id-t29015.html

 

[ErinCahir]

Oh thank goodness. I've gone back quite a few pages on the ID forum and couldn't find anything... If not for the picture I would've thought I was crazy.

 

[ErinCahir]

Dammit. I totally just read that, too. I guess a different color doesn't mean anything...

 

[Bifferwine]

Nope, a flatworm is a flatworm. Some are believed to be coral predators, others are believed to be relatively benign. Either way, they will end up reproducing to pest proportions, and the ones that don't eat corals can still overgrow them and smother them. I had them hitch hike in on a mushroom rock a while ago. Before I knew it, they were all over the mushrooms, which were irritated by them and started staying closed and shriveled up. After I got rid of the flatworms, the mushrooms expanded and looked healthy.

 

[BL1]

Since I have them in my refugium, is it safe to say they're in my DT as well? Also, if that's the case then is it safe to assume the LR I used to seed my 75g brought them over there too and I need to treat both tanks?

 

[reeffreak]

BL,yes and yes.

 

[BL1]

:frustrat::frustrat::frustrat:

Thanks! To think, ignorance really is bliss lol. I was happy when I thought it was just another interesting sign of life in my tank.

 

[ErinCahir]

*sigh*
Me too.

 

[Bifferwine]

Don't worry. They are probably one of the most common pests. I'd wager that almost all of us that have had tanks set up for a couple years or longer have come across them.

 

[BL1]

One last questionfor you guys, that exit stuff will it kill anything else like my pods or anything else living in the rock. I'd hate to kill my mandarins food

 

[Bifferwine]

No. It should only kill the flatworms. I have heard the rare story of it killing stuff it wasn't supposed to, but Flatworm Exit is one of the few chemical treatments I am confident recommending in this hobby.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Usually if it does kill other things besides flatworms, it is actually from the toxins that the flatworms release when they die. That is why you need to have carbon and a waterchange handy.

 

[reeffreak]

Don't worry. They are probably one of the most common pests. I'd wager that almost all of us that have had tanks set up for a couple years or longer have come across them.

Not yet.

/knock on wood/

 

[Cottonwood]

It's a flatworm.......oh am I late on this one? Hope you can get rid of them quickly before they become a problem. I just read an article about them and I dont look forward to getting them, but from what I understand they are pretty common.

 

[old 5k0ol]

I've been up and running for only four months and I have them. My refugium is probably cranking out production on these. Could this be why my lone mushroom is starting to retreat on and off while the lights are on?

 

[little_fish]

It could be, they can smother corals to death. I would treat ASAP. Make sure you have plenty of water to do a water change when you treat because the flatworms release a toxin when they die. I would also try and suck up as many as you can before treating, you can also suck them out as you treat. They will just up into the water column and fly around.

 

[ErinCahir]

Just FYI... I never saw any after this night. Never did flatworm exit or anything. I can only assume there was something in my tank eating them.

 

[Salty B]

I just read something that says clear flatworms (Amphiscolops) were harmless and eat detritus,algae and may eat smaller copepods. If I can find it again I'll post a link.