red bugs or flatworms?

salty55 · 02/28/2010, 04:36 PM

I cannot tell which these are. I cannot see any of them on corals, which they may become invisible once on a coral. the sand bed is teaming with them. and I notice a few of them wandering around on the glass.

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/...uarium/214.jpg

salty55 · 02/28/2010, 06:25 PM

bump. Anyone?

Johnny C · 02/28/2010, 06:28 PM

Do you have any other pictures? Red Bugs only live on Acropora so my guess is some type of flatworm.

por2stylz · 02/28/2010, 06:32 PM

like red speghetti worms u can see them in substrate against glass no idea either they usualy attack fish poop and waste so must be good part of clean up crew

tahoe61 · 02/28/2010, 06:51 PM

Probably bristleworms. Good guys.

salty55 · 02/28/2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tahoe61

Probably bristleworms. Good guys.

definitely not bristleworms. These are around 1-2 millimeters long. half of their bodies are clear, the other half red. and they definitely move wormlike.

fishysteve · 03/01/2010, 05:29 AM

They're flatworms.

salty55 · 03/01/2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishysteve

They're flatworms.

This is my first run in with this pest. Are all flatworms something to worry about? a lot of my sps don't have the color they used to. could these be the culprite?

fishysteve · 03/01/2010, 09:22 PM

The ones in your picture are unpleasant to look at, but harmless. I doubt they are the reason your SPS aren't as colorful as they used to be. Are they not as colorful as when you bought them? Maybe they are just adjusting to your specific lights.

NanoReefWanabe · 03/01/2010, 09:28 PM

looks like planaria(sp) typical red flat worm, not harmful just ugly..a plague of these could suggest there is something else amiss in your tank...

what are your water parameters?

NJ_Reefkeeper · 03/01/2010, 09:51 PM

Those are not harmful. Flat worm exit will kill them off.

salty55 · 03/02/2010, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishysteve

The ones in your picture are unpleasant to look at, but harmless. I doubt they are the reason your SPS aren't as colorful as they used to be. Are they not as colorful as when you bought them? Maybe they are just adjusting to your specific lights.

same old lights, same old sps. a couple have just bleached in the last few months for no apparent reason.

salty55 · 03/02/2010, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanoreefwanabe

looks like planaria(sp) typical red flat worm, not harmful just ugly..a plague of these could suggest there is something else amiss in your tank...

What are your water parameters?

perfect!

Metal Man 1221 · 03/02/2010, 01:57 AM

many types of flatworms are harmless like said before, you can eradicate them, however for those with DSBs they provide sand bed turn over, which is important with a DSB

salty55 · 03/02/2010, 01:59 AM

seriously though, I would say good water parameters. but, what would parameters such as nitrate phoshpate have to do with a worm? wouldn't they need something different to survive and thrive. fish poop? algae? coral flesh? what do they normally live off of? hmm, Maybe these little critters are the reason my sixline wrasse has stayed so fat here lately.

fishysteve · 03/02/2010, 06:01 AM

I think those kind are photosynthetic. What's your water change schedule? Sometimes they will starve themselves out, but usually you need to intervene. Some fish eat them like sixline wrasses or yellow coris wrasses.

salty55 · 03/02/2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishysteve

I think those kind are photosynthetic. What's your water change schedule?

10 gallon weekly to bi-weekly water change. 55 gallon tank, 20 gallon sump/refugium.

graveyardworm · 03/02/2010, 09:50 PM

Could definately use a better photo, or try searching using some of the terms people here posted to see if they match.

02/28/2010, 04:36 PM	#1
salty55 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: where the wind comes sweeping down the plains Posts: 509	red bugs or flatworms? I cannot tell which these are. I cannot see any of them on corals, which they may become invisible once on a coral. the sand bed is teaming with them. and I notice a few of them wandering around on the glass. http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/...uarium/214.jpg

02/28/2010, 06:28 PM	#3
Johnny C Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 4,140	Do you have any other pictures? Red Bugs only live on Acropora so my guess is some type of flatworm. __________________ "...the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever" -Jacques Cousteau

02/28/2010, 06:32 PM	#4
por2stylz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: toronto ontario canada Posts: 47	i got them too like red speghetti worms u can see them in substrate against glass no idea either they usualy attack fish poop and waste so must be good part of clean up crew

02/28/2010, 06:51 PM	#5
tahoe61 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: On the state line Posts: 730	Need better pic Probably bristleworms. Good guys. __________________ JBJ 28 gal HQI, CPK fuge, Tunze 9002 and West Coast 1/15 chiller. Neil Y. is the man. Current Tank Info: Nano

03/01/2010, 05:29 AM	#7
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	They're flatworms. __________________ On a break

02/28/2010, 06:25 PM	#2
salty55 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: where the wind comes sweeping down the plains Posts: 509	bump. Anyone?

03/01/2010, 09:22 PM	#9
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	The ones in your picture are unpleasant to look at, but harmless. I doubt they are the reason your SPS aren't as colorful as they used to be. Are they not as colorful as when you bought them? Maybe they are just adjusting to your specific lights. __________________ On a break

03/01/2010, 09:28 PM	#10
NanoReefWanabe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,639	looks like planaria(sp) typical red flat worm, not harmful just ugly..a plague of these could suggest there is something else amiss in your tank... what are your water parameters?

03/01/2010, 09:51 PM	#11
NJ_Reefkeeper Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: South East Posts: 59	Those are not harmful. Flat worm exit will kill them off.

03/02/2010, 01:57 AM	#14
Metal Man 1221 FMMAS Executive Director Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Fargo ND Posts: 1,504	many types of flatworms are harmless like said before, you can eradicate them, however for those with DSBs they provide sand bed turn over, which is important with a DSB __________________ "My advise is, always look at their aquarium before you take their advise. Because alot of people give advise and they havnt got a clue" ~David Saxby~ "Only after the last tree's cut and the last river poisoned only after the last fish is caught will you find that money cannot be eaten" ~Lamb of God~ Current Tank Info: 125g DT, 45g sump ---- 57g Illuminata, custom sump

03/02/2010, 01:59 AM	#15
salty55 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: where the wind comes sweeping down the plains Posts: 509	seriously though, I would say good water parameters. but, what would parameters such as nitrate phoshpate have to do with a worm? wouldn't they need something different to survive and thrive. fish poop? algae? coral flesh? what do they normally live off of? hmm, Maybe these little critters are the reason my sixline wrasse has stayed so fat here lately.

03/02/2010, 06:01 AM	#16
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	I think those kind are photosynthetic. What's your water change schedule? Sometimes they will starve themselves out, but usually you need to intervene. Some fish eat them like sixline wrasses or yellow coris wrasses. __________________ On a break

03/02/2010, 09:50 PM	#18
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Could definately use a better photo, or try searching using some of the terms people here posted to see if they match. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress