What is this bug???

fattyratrat · 02/10/2008, 09:15 PM

I noticed a ton of these brownish slug looking things in my fuge about a week ago, and now they have spread to my display... They are brownish with a forked tail, and are just bigger than a pin head. Are they dangerous?

thanks for your help.

Imzadi · 02/10/2008, 09:17 PM

Look like that?

Percula9 · 02/10/2008, 09:23 PM

They are flat worms also known as planaria. Try to vacuum them out as much as possible. Salifert makes something called flat worm exit. If you use it follow the directions carefully. As they die they release toxins. Vacuum them out as they die, and be ready to make water changes and have activated carbon on hand. They came in on a piece of live rock to begin with. They multiply fast. For the most part they won't bother your corals but it's been known to happen. Take care of this problem before it gets out of hand.

xenon · 02/10/2008, 09:23 PM

Does it look like this? If so its an amphiopod and they are good.

fattyratrat · 02/10/2008, 09:24 PM

It looks like this...

xenon · 02/10/2008, 09:26 PM

If you have a flatworm problem you can buy some chelidonura nudibranchs and they LOVE to feast on flatworms.

They are also gorgeous!

fattyratrat · 02/10/2008, 09:28 PM

So they are flatworms? are they bad? I saw some sitting on my candy cane the other day....

thanks for the help.

jaw969 · 02/10/2008, 09:32 PM

Yes these kind are bad and will multiply quickly. I would suck as many of them out as you can over a few day period then do a flatworm exit according to the directions on the box.

justdiving · 02/10/2008, 09:39 PM

I'm with xenon, those nudis are cool. Just make sure your other tankmates won't bother the nudi.

The flatworms have to eat, so they are part of a cleanup crew that multiply fast, then you need a predator that likes them.

There's a different nudibranch that loves aiptasia, but dies when there is no more to eat. Will this nudi survive once all the worms are gone?

Aquarist007 · 02/10/2008, 09:44 PM

any problems with them feasting on zoos after their food source has dwindled?

tmz · 02/10/2008, 10:01 PM

The Chelidonura varians are obligate flatworm feeders and will likely starve after eating your flatworms. I do not know if this slug will release toxins when it dies but many do. In my opinion the best way to deal with the flatworms isFlatworm Exit. As noted bee sure to remove as many as you can before the treatment and be ready with carbon and siphon to remove as many as you can when they die. The dieing flatworms can easily poison a tank if not exported promptly. Follow the flatworm exit directions carefully.

FBNitro · 02/11/2008, 12:06 AM

If there's a small amount of flatworms in the tank, can you just squish em on the glass?

capncapo · 02/11/2008, 12:10 AM

That type of flatworm is not a problem and will harm nothing.

They typically dwindle down to none over time so watch them and enjoy them while you can.

greenbean36191 · 02/11/2008, 06:57 AM

^Agreed. Most acoel flatworms in the hobby are harmless and won't become a problem. Convolutriloba is the exception and you can identify them by their tail which is split into 3 parts rather than 2.

If you do have them Chelidonura is an absolutely terrible way to deal with them. The slug (it's not a nudibranch) feeds on nothing but the worms and once their population gets low the slug starves. It will not eat all the worms and in most cases they will rebound once it's gone. The slug won't release toxins when it dies, nor will most nudibranchs, contrary to popular belief in the hobby.

If you don't have Convolutriloba there's really no reason to take any action unless you truly cant stand the worms. Then I would suggest siphoning as many as possible and following with a course of FWE.

pagojoe · 02/11/2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by greenbean36191
[B... The slug won't release toxins when it dies, nor will most nudibranchs, contrary to popular belief in the hobby... [/B]

Yup. And the ones that release the nastiest toxins don't have to be dead to do it. You can read up on phyllidiids on the Sea Slug Forum, there are some interesting anecdotes there.

Cheers,

Don

tmz · 02/11/2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greenbean36191
^Agreed. Most acoel flatworms in the hobby are harmless and won't become a problem. Convolutriloba is the exception and you can identify them by their tail which is split into 3 parts rather than 2.

If you do have them Chelidonura is an absolutely terrible way to deal with them. The slug (it's not a nudibranch) feeds on nothing but the worms and once their population gets low the slug starves. It will not eat all the worms and in most cases they will rebound once it's gone. The slug won't release toxins when it dies, nor will most nudibranchs, contrary to popular belief in the hobby.

If you don't have Convolutriloba there's really no reason to take any action unless you truly cant stand the worms. Then I would suggest siphoning as many as possible and following with a course of FWE.

tmz · 02/11/2008, 09:10 PM

Sorry, The post should hve read :thankyou. I did not know about the two vs three tail split.

02/10/2008, 09:15 PM	#1
fattyratrat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 278	What is this bug??? I noticed a ton of these brownish slug looking things in my fuge about a week ago, and now they have spread to my display... They are brownish with a forked tail, and are just bigger than a pin head. Are they dangerous? thanks for your help.

02/10/2008, 09:17 PM	#2
Imzadi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 1,038	Look like that? __________________ If you don't agree with me, that's fine... just go, think about it some more, and come back when you do. Current Tank Info: 120g Freshie, 55g salty with a 2/3 BeanAnimal. BA METHOD - TESTIFY! I am a DIY Disaster, but I am saving money! Damsel FREE since 07/08/09!

02/10/2008, 09:32 PM	#8
jaw969 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Centennial, CO Posts: 1,067	Yes these kind are bad and will multiply quickly. I would suck as many of them out as you can over a few day period then do a flatworm exit according to the directions on the box. __________________ How do you kick this habit anyway.......saltwater addicts anonymous? Current Tank Info: Oceanic 120 RR-Aquamedic Ocean light-Tunze 9015-Will be a mixed reef

02/10/2008, 09:44 PM	#10
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	any problems with them feasting on zoos after their food source has dwindled? __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

02/10/2008, 10:01 PM	#11
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	The Chelidonura varians are obligate flatworm feeders and will likely starve after eating your flatworms. I do not know if this slug will release toxins when it dies but many do. In my opinion the best way to deal with the flatworms isFlatworm Exit. As noted bee sure to remove as many as you can before the treatment and be ready with carbon and siphon to remove as many as you can when they die. The dieing flatworms can easily poison a tank if not exported promptly. Follow the flatworm exit directions carefully. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

02/10/2008, 09:23 PM	#3
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	They are flat worms also known as planaria. Try to vacuum them out as much as possible. Salifert makes something called flat worm exit. If you use it follow the directions carefully. As they die they release toxins. Vacuum them out as they die, and be ready to make water changes and have activated carbon on hand. They came in on a piece of live rock to begin with. They multiply fast. For the most part they won't bother your corals but it's been known to happen. Take care of this problem before it gets out of hand.

02/10/2008, 09:23 PM	#4
xenon Owner of Canada Corals Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 3,148	Does it look like this? If so its an amphiopod and they are good.

02/10/2008, 09:24 PM	#5
fattyratrat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 278	It looks like this...

02/10/2008, 09:26 PM	#6
xenon Owner of Canada Corals Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 3,148	If you have a flatworm problem you can buy some chelidonura nudibranchs and they LOVE to feast on flatworms. They are also gorgeous!

02/10/2008, 09:28 PM	#7
fattyratrat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 278	So they are flatworms? are they bad? I saw some sitting on my candy cane the other day.... thanks for the help.

02/10/2008, 09:39 PM	#9
justdiving Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 40	I'm with xenon, those nudis are cool. Just make sure your other tankmates won't bother the nudi. The flatworms have to eat, so they are part of a cleanup crew that multiply fast, then you need a predator that likes them. There's a different nudibranch that loves aiptasia, but dies when there is no more to eat. Will this nudi survive once all the worms are gone?

02/11/2008, 12:06 AM	#12
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	If there's a small amount of flatworms in the tank, can you just squish em on the glass?

02/11/2008, 12:10 AM	#13
capncapo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Florissant, MO Posts: 4,664	That type of flatworm is not a problem and will harm nothing. They typically dwindle down to none over time so watch them and enjoy them while you can. __________________ S.L.A.S.H. ............ Often imitated, never duplicated! Venture forth and enjoy life .... the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. Current Tank Info: Which one?

02/11/2008, 06:57 AM	#14
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	^Agreed. Most acoel flatworms in the hobby are harmless and won't become a problem. Convolutriloba is the exception and you can identify them by their tail which is split into 3 parts rather than 2. If you do have them Chelidonura is an absolutely terrible way to deal with them. The slug (it's not a nudibranch) feeds on nothing but the worms and once their population gets low the slug starves. It will not eat all the worms and in most cases they will rebound once it's gone. The slug won't release toxins when it dies, nor will most nudibranchs, contrary to popular belief in the hobby. If you don't have Convolutriloba there's really no reason to take any action unless you truly cant stand the worms. Then I would suggest siphoning as many as possible and following with a course of FWE. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

02/11/2008, 09:10 PM	#17
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Sorry, The post should hve read :thankyou. I did not know about the two vs three tail split. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.