HELP! ID flatworms? - pic

LegoZ81 · 06/06/2006, 06:19 PM

I had a friend come over and he pointed these out in my sump and is pretty sure they are flatworms. I was wanting to see if this can be verified and what would be the best and safest way to treat this problem.

Equalizer · 06/06/2006, 06:54 PM

They dont look like flat worms to me. Looks more like some sort of algea.

BetiumInside · 06/06/2006, 07:14 PM

nope.. not a flatworm.. more like a algea, coraline algea shape tho

nemo g · 06/06/2006, 07:33 PM

observe and see if it moves. use something to give them a reason to budge.

if they are worms, the should move.

Benny Z · 06/06/2006, 07:36 PM

thank god if you guys are correct!

i was the one who thought they were flatworms. i do hope i am wrong.

smatter · 06/06/2006, 07:56 PM

I assure you those are not planarians. They would be in your tank under the lights if they were, and they don't look like them at all.

Benny Z · 06/06/2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smatter
I assure you those are not planarians. They would be in your tank under the lights if they were, and they don't look like them at all.

fwiw, he has a 175w halide over this fuge.

Paintbug · 06/06/2006, 08:01 PM

do they move?

Benny Z · 06/06/2006, 08:14 PM

not sure yet. i relayed the message to him, as i don't think he's been online to see the replies yet. this sump is also in the basement. there is a ball of macro of a multitude of varieties that came from a lfs in the fuge. the system is pretty new (1 monthish). it would make sense if it was a macro. man, i hope so.

smatter · 06/06/2006, 08:39 PM

The color is similar, even the red dot, but I have never seen round ones. They move fairly quickly and one end is forked, the shape is all wrong, and I have siphoned many. Looks more like some kind of calcareous algae.

Sk8r · 06/06/2006, 08:41 PM

Planaria are small and fork-tailed.

LegoZ81 · 06/06/2006, 09:07 PM

good news it did not move and scraped off the glass like an microalgea (in think strips not and a whole organism) of some sort. There is all kinds of wierd algea in there the ball has amazing diversity (Cheato, feather calurpa, red gracilla (sp?) and many others)

LegoZ81 · 06/11/2006, 11:48 AM

spoke to soon
found these today

:

are they good bad? suggestions?

smatter · 06/11/2006, 01:08 PM

That looks more like a flatworm.

LegoZ81 · 06/11/2006, 01:23 PM

btw they move

LegoZ81 · 06/11/2006, 03:09 PM

Do these need to be removed or treated?

Equalizer · 06/11/2006, 07:48 PM

I would remove if I were you.

nemo g · 06/11/2006, 08:30 PM

jtemple42000 · 06/11/2006, 08:42 PM

Good luck getting them all out. I have been fighting a battle with these stupid things for over a month. Just about ready to cave and treat with flatworm eXit. I siphon these thing out everyday....They multiply like mad.......

LegoZ81 · 06/12/2006, 01:53 PM

Just ordered some Flatworm eXit. Any downsides to using this?

jtemple42000 · 06/12/2006, 02:17 PM

Just read the instructions. The flatworm exit is not dangerous, its the toxins the flatworms release that causes problems. When I get home I will send you a link about how to use it. I found it very helpful.

jtemple42000 · 06/12/2006, 03:33 PM

Here you go. Hope this helps....

http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

LegoZ81 · 06/13/2006, 02:27 PM

Thanks, it should be there when I get home!
I have not seen any at all in the display yet so I hope there are not that any in the there.

I have not seen very many in the refugium either. I am thinking about stopping the flow to the refugium, dosing it (have a power head in there for flow) and then after several hours do a 100% water change in the refugium and start it back up then dose the whole tank at the normal rate.

LegoZ81 · 06/14/2006, 08:30 AM

treated! no noted fish/invert losses.
Shut down the refuge (~20gallons) threw on a HOT magnium with no media in it and dosed on the high side 25 drops and they were still moving so I added ~10 more, that stopped them
Got 2 rubbermaid got the salt level set (with refracto) left them aerate and heat while I got ready to go, I left the refuge with the HOT MAgnium for water movement for 2-3hours when I went to go help a friend with some stuff.
When I came home I treated the main tank on the high side (1 drop a gal not 4 drops per 5 gallon) let every thing circulate for ~ 20 minutes then shut off the return pump for the tank. (2 Seio 2600's were still on in the display for water movement)
I drained the refugeium down to less than an inch off the top of the sand and the return chamber to less than 1" off the glass (~30 gal in a 75 gal sump)
I then refilled with the correct temp/sg saltwater, when refuge was full I put some nice rinsed carbon in the HOT Magnum and fired it up. I then filled the return chamber and fired it back up.
As it was still dark in there this morning I can't say everything is still ok but will post and update tonight if I get the chance.

Thank you for all of the help and suggestions!

LegoZ81 · 06/30/2006, 02:14 PM

Btw everything looks good and still NO more flatworms anywhere that I can see!

06/06/2006, 06:19 PM	#1
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	HELP! ID flatworms? - pic I had a friend come over and he pointed these out in my sump and is pretty sure they are flatworms. I was wanting to see if this can be verified and what would be the best and safest way to treat this problem.

06/06/2006, 07:14 PM	#3
BetiumInside Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 93	nope.. not a flatworm.. more like a algea, coraline algea shape tho __________________ Does that makes me crazy! Current Tank Info: 100 g Reef, 30 g sump, Orbit Lighting PC (2) 96w Dual Daylight and (2) 96w Dual Actinic, AquaC EV-200 Skimmer, Turbo-Twist 3x 9 watt U.V. Sterilizer

06/06/2006, 07:33 PM	#4
nemo g Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: west side iz da best Posts: 1,039	observe and see if it moves. use something to give them a reason to budge. if they are worms, the should move. __________________ nG Current Tank Info: tis da bestest tank eva

06/06/2006, 08:01 PM	#8
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	do they move? __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

06/06/2006, 08:41 PM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Planaria are small and fork-tailed. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/06/2006, 06:54 PM	#2
Equalizer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsboro, IN Posts: 423	They dont look like flat worms to me. Looks more like some sort of algea.

06/06/2006, 07:36 PM	#5
Benny Z Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: bloomington, il Posts: 2,246	thank god if you guys are correct! i was the one who thought they were flatworms. i do hope i am wrong.

06/06/2006, 07:56 PM	#6
smatter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,055	I assure you those are not planarians. They would be in your tank under the lights if they were, and they don't look like them at all.

06/06/2006, 08:14 PM	#9
Benny Z Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: bloomington, il Posts: 2,246	not sure yet. i relayed the message to him, as i don't think he's been online to see the replies yet. this sump is also in the basement. there is a ball of macro of a multitude of varieties that came from a lfs in the fuge. the system is pretty new (1 monthish). it would make sense if it was a macro. man, i hope so.

06/06/2006, 08:39 PM	#10
smatter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,055	The color is similar, even the red dot, but I have never seen round ones. They move fairly quickly and one end is forked, the shape is all wrong, and I have siphoned many. Looks more like some kind of calcareous algae.

06/06/2006, 09:07 PM	#12
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	good news it did not move and scraped off the glass like an microalgea (in think strips not and a whole organism) of some sort. There is all kinds of wierd algea in there the ball has amazing diversity (Cheato, feather calurpa, red gracilla (sp?) and many others)

06/11/2006, 11:48 AM	#13
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	spoke to soon found these today : are they good bad? suggestions?

06/11/2006, 01:08 PM	#14
smatter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,055	That looks more like a flatworm.

06/11/2006, 01:23 PM	#15
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	btw they move

06/11/2006, 03:09 PM	#16
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	Do these need to be removed or treated?

06/11/2006, 07:48 PM	#17
Equalizer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsboro, IN Posts: 423	I would remove if I were you.

06/11/2006, 08:30 PM	#18
nemo g Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: west side iz da best Posts: 1,039	__________________ nG Current Tank Info: tis da bestest tank eva

06/11/2006, 08:42 PM	#19
jtemple42000 Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Granger, IN Posts: 416	Good luck getting them all out. I have been fighting a battle with these stupid things for over a month. Just about ready to cave and treat with flatworm eXit. I siphon these thing out everyday....They multiply like mad....... __________________ Jim If anything absolutely can NOT go wrong, it will anyway. Current Tank Info: 210 in wall mixed reef

06/12/2006, 01:53 PM	#20
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	Just ordered some Flatworm eXit. Any downsides to using this?

06/12/2006, 02:17 PM	#21
jtemple42000 Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Granger, IN Posts: 416	Just read the instructions. The flatworm exit is not dangerous, its the toxins the flatworms release that causes problems. When I get home I will send you a link about how to use it. I found it very helpful. __________________ Jim If anything absolutely can NOT go wrong, it will anyway. Current Tank Info: 210 in wall mixed reef

06/12/2006, 03:33 PM	#22
jtemple42000 Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Granger, IN Posts: 416	Here you go. Hope this helps.... http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html __________________ Jim If anything absolutely can NOT go wrong, it will anyway. Current Tank Info: 210 in wall mixed reef

06/13/2006, 02:27 PM	#23
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	Thanks, it should be there when I get home! I have not seen any at all in the display yet so I hope there are not that any in the there. I have not seen very many in the refugium either. I am thinking about stopping the flow to the refugium, dosing it (have a power head in there for flow) and then after several hours do a 100% water change in the refugium and start it back up then dose the whole tank at the normal rate.

06/14/2006, 08:30 AM	#24
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	treated! no noted fish/invert losses. Shut down the refuge (~20gallons) threw on a HOT magnium with no media in it and dosed on the high side 25 drops and they were still moving so I added ~10 more, that stopped them Got 2 rubbermaid got the salt level set (with refracto) left them aerate and heat while I got ready to go, I left the refuge with the HOT MAgnium for water movement for 2-3hours when I went to go help a friend with some stuff. When I came home I treated the main tank on the high side (1 drop a gal not 4 drops per 5 gallon) let every thing circulate for ~ 20 minutes then shut off the return pump for the tank. (2 Seio 2600's were still on in the display for water movement) I drained the refugeium down to less than an inch off the top of the sand and the return chamber to less than 1" off the glass (~30 gal in a 75 gal sump) I then refilled with the correct temp/sg saltwater, when refuge was full I put some nice rinsed carbon in the HOT Magnum and fired it up. I then filled the return chamber and fired it back up. As it was still dark in there this morning I can't say everything is still ok but will post and update tonight if I get the chance. Thank you for all of the help and suggestions!

06/30/2006, 02:14 PM	#25
LegoZ81 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 779	Btw everything looks good and still NO more flatworms anywhere that I can see!