Parasitic Flat worms???

[travis32]

This is just a question. One one half of my 55g tank, the front glass is covered in tiny, nearly microscopic criters. The only reason I know their alive is if I look up close to the glas I can see them moving. I can see a little inverted "v" shape at the back and the front is rounded. And they just seem to be moving around on the glass eating algae.

I've ignored them simply because if they're just algae consumers, well, who cares right.. Less scraping for me. I scrape them off the glass and wthin an hour or so they're back on the glass.

Could these be parasitic to fish? If So? could something like Flatworm exit work on these and help the fish if they're attached to fish? I'm also wondering if these are what have attached themselves to my grama? This could be a simple fix if this is the case?

I thought flat worms were bigger though. There's hundreds of them that I can barely see on the glass, and probably many more I can't see because they aren't big enough to see.

[Uncle Salty 05]

Your description sounds like copepods. Beneficial if that is in fact what they are.

[travis32]

They're on glass and extremely flat. I thought copepods had fuzzy legs and lived in the sand bed not on the side walls of glass? These are completely flat with no visible legs of any type.

[noahm]

If they are kind of greyish, it sounds like the common harmless FW.

[travis32]

They appear pinkish in the lighting. I run PC lights so, not sure if the coloration could just be from the lighting. That's what I was hoping that they were harmless. I don't want to kill anything if I don't have to.

[noahm]

There is an orangish type that can get way out of hand and unsightly, but it sounds like yours are the regular smaller benign type. Do a little comparison though, as the reddies can be a pain. There are several fish that will readily eat them though...if you get a good one.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm

[Uncle Salty 05]

Originally Posted by travis32

They're on glass and extremely flat. I thought copepods had fuzzy legs and lived in the sand bed not on the side walls of glass? These are completely flat with no visible legs of any type.

Amphipods are larger with fuzzy legs but copepods are tiny white specs that are barely visible. Mine are not on the glass but free swimming in my refugium.

[travis32]

They look identical to the acoel flatworms other than being pinkish rather than clear. I didn't see any others on that link that looked like them. Their body shape is identical to the acoel with but with pigmentation.

I did see my grama going up to the glass and biting. I assumed it was eating some of the worms. And she's sick now for no explainable reason and no other fish are showing signs of illness or distress. So, that's why I was wondering if the worms could infect a fish or not. Sounds like they're harmless though.

[travis32]

I ran the link past my wife. She said they look identical to the acoel, except she said they're red not clear. I didn't see anything on that link for red acoel flat worms..

[lordofthereef]

Originally Posted by uncle salty 05

your description sounds like copepods. Beneficial if that is in fact what they are.

+1

[ChadTheSpike]

If you look closely, usually the reddish colored flatworms have three "tails" while the clear/brown ones often have two... It may be another method of telling them apart.

I would take it as an excuse to add a wrasse to the tank (seems from your signature that you can support one) like a Melanurus wrasse or leopard wrasse (more sensitive and difficult to keep).

[sedor]

Sounds like copepods to me as well.

[sfboarders]

Originally Posted by travis32

I can see a little inverted "v" shape at the back and the front is rounded. And they just seem to be moving around on the glass eating algae.

Sounds like acoel flatworms.

Scroll down on the link below. More pics to compare for you.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

[travis32]

definately looks most like an acoel flatworm based on chucksaddiction.

coloration and tail looks similarly to the unidentified acoel or the body type of the "on the move" pictures. (I suppose since most of them are constantly moving.)

I've seen some really nice sea slugs or nudibranches. How fast do they go through the worms? Could I sustain one with my flat worm population?

The LFS had some gorgeous nudibranches. bright neon blue, they weren't for sale though. Temporarily used to remove a flat worm population in one of their coral DTs.

[sfboarders]

Originally Posted by travis32

definately looks most like an acoel flatworm based on chucksaddiction.

coloration and tail looks similarly to the unidentified acoel or the body type of the "on the move" pictures. (I suppose since most of them are constantly moving.)

I've seen some really nice sea slugs or nudibranches. How fast do they go through the worms? Could I sustain one with my flat worm population?

The LFS had some gorgeous nudibranches. bright neon blue, they weren't for sale though. Temporarily used to remove a flat worm population in one of their coral DTs.

I would not recommend a blue velvet. They can get blown from the powerheads. Also once they eat up all your flatworms you'll have to pass it along to another reefer who has a flatworm problem so it won't die.

Check this new post.

[travis32]

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know.