Euphyllia eating flatworm

[miller75]

Two heads on our hammer haven't been coming out recently, last night I noticed we had Euphyllia eating flatworms! We took it out, dipped it and got about 8 of them off the biggest been about 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch.

From what I have read Flatworm Exit doesn't work and to be honest I don't like the idea of using in my main display after watching videos on the affect the toxins have on fish, I could take my Euphyllia out and put them in a quarantine tank and treat them in there if anyone has had any luck with it?

Do they only eat Euphyllia? If they do I could remove them and let any in the main tank die off.

How long would they take to grow to 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch, I am trying to work out where they have come from

 

[Stephen Glover]

if they are the same flatworms I have had on my hammers I’d just dip the coral in your dip of choice. They should all come off if you shake it around the dip. Mine didn’t cause any damage but was irritating the coral. Since I’ve got my Melanarus no more flatworms.

 

[bigdaddydz]

I will freshwater dip them. (in ro water of course) 2-3 mintures

 

[vetteguy53081]

Youre likely referring to polyclad flatworms.
While they are not harmful as red planaria, they in numbers can smother bases of coral and block the needed light for production of zooxanthellae which is their energy source. Some will consume slime off of skeleton.
Removal can be accomplished by siphoning them with a 3/8" tubing into a nylon stocking and discard
OR
Add a wrasse such as Yellow coris, 6 line, lunare or malanurus OR even a springieri damsel which will eat them

With the number you have, for the next 2 weeks you will have to look for eggs and scrape off as there is likely some and would be future flatworms. Eggs are really tiny

 

[vetteguy53081]

I will freshwater dip them. (in ro water of course) 2-3 mintures

FW dip wont have much effect on them as theyre also found in freshwater

 

[miller75]

Thanks everyone, I already have a yellow coris wrasse and he doesn't touch them. I will keep dipping my Euphyllia until I don't have any coming off, I am having to dip them with a mix of Coral RX and Red Sea DipX because Coral RX on its own didn't do anything.

Will they eat or live on any other corals?

 

[Stephen Glover]

Thanks everyone, I already have a yellow coris wrasse and he doesn't touch them. I will keep dipping my Euphyllia until I don't have any coming off, I am having to dip them with a mix of Coral RX and Red Sea DipX because Coral RX on its own didn't do anything.

Will they eat or live on any other corals?

Bayer complete as a dip knocked them off pretty quickly. Just need to break the lifecycle. I noticed them on all my softies, SPS were not affected.