Flat worm ID

[Mckibbonator]

Hi masc, so I found this guy on the glass in the back of my aquarium tonight. I wasn't sure what kind of flat worm he is, and if he will be harmful. Any one know what he is?\

55mm filter

 

[Wicked Color]

The kind you dont want, since its a flatworm.

 

[SteveT]

looks like a copepod eating flat worm. They aren't harmful to anything except your pod population, but as wickedD eluded to, they are not beneficial and copepods are so its better to get them out when you see them. At least with this kind they tend to not get to epidemic proportions because their population gets controlled by the limited food supply, and they wont munch on your corals or anything.

 

[Cherub]

I thought I had flat worms once and they turned out to be these flat snails that grew rather large... kinda sick of them...

 

[dvenson]

at least it didnt look like this

 

[chris 67]

LOL!

 

[Mckibbonator]

I have some flat worm exit, but I'm not sure if its worth using since it's the only one I've seen.

 

[Cherub]

its better to kill them now. the more you have the more toxic it is to your tank to kill them since they release a toxin into your tank when they die. One will only be the start.

 

[mikejrice]

Looks like a hooded flatworm to me. I disagree on all flatworms being bad. As long as they are not the kind to smother corals or eat them, I've never seen negative impact from them being in a system. It's just another creature to add diversity to your reef.

 

[jgonzz]

Looks like a hooded flatworm to me. I disagree on all flatworms being bad. As long as they are not the kind to smother corals or eat them, I've never seen negative impact from them being in a system. It's just another creature to add diversity to your reef.

very well put Mike, not all flatworms are bad

 

[Yaten13]

I thought I had flat worms once and they turned out to be these flat snails that grew rather large... kinda sick of them...

Do you mean stomatella snails? I actually like them. They are pretty good detrivores and, as you probably know, they replicate like crazy so you don't have to buy more.

 

[jonthefb]

+1 on what mike said. These worms can't overtake your system like the red aceol flatworms, which are also photosynthetic. Even the red aceol flatworms are not predatory and don't eat things, however if they die off in large groups, then their fluids can become toxic. If you found one of these, you likely have more, but it is not necessary to go all out to wipe them out of your tank.

Cheers~!
Jon