ID on these little guys?

#1
No clue what they are but they're only in my sump, only hang out on the glass or on my chaeto, and multiply FAST. They look like single celled slugs that are only a millimeter big.


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JuanGutz

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
Bunch of flatworms. They don’t attack coral but they can explode in numbers so bad they will smother your coral. Suck out as many as you can, dose faltwormexit, suck out the dead and do a big water change. May have to do this a few times. Flatwormexit will kill inverts.
 
#5
Bunch of flatworms. They don’t attack coral but they can explode in numbers so bad they will smother your coral. Suck out as many as you can, dose faltwormexit, suck out the dead and do a big water change. May have to do this a few times. Flatwormexit will kill inverts.
They seem to be cleaning the glass and chaeto. Are they beneficial to a tank at all minus being an annoyance once they're population gets out of hand?

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jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
Yup. Regular red planaria... flatworms.

I have found the flatworm exit to be very safe, but the planaria release toxins as they die. These toxins can really harm coral and fish. If you have a large tank, you can make your own mixture out of Levamisole, which is a livestock de-womer under the brand name of Prohibit. Like Juan said, suck out as many as you can - siphon the water through a fine net and then you can pour it back in and keep going. I would siphon every one that you see for a week or more, swish out your chaeto (or dip it) a few times and otherwise do all that you can to physically remove them. Have water on hand for a large water change. When you treat, the worms start to melt and get slimy - this could take 5-10 minutes, but sometimes faster. Turn off all of the pumps (keep return pump on) and the worms will get slimy and bind together in areas where you can continue to siphon them out after you treat. Do not put this water back in. Once you change a bunch of water after the siphoning, then run as much carbon as you can.

This first treatment is the worst. Do it a few more times a week apart. The next few times is no big deal since you will have gotten nearly all the worms the first time. I have found that some can slip through with just one treatment, so do it a few weeks in a row to totally eradicate them. In the future, a simple dip in CoralRx or Bayer does a good job when introducing new specimens.

I cannot see the video, sorry.
 

JuanGutz

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
Maybe do some research on the flatworms and see what you think but I 100% would say get rid of them. Dealt with them and it’s really not fun, when the die they release toxins and they explode in population a lot quicker then you think.

Your video is of pods or something and they are fine.
 
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