Very small red seethrough flatworm. Planaria?

[badluckman]

I've found one or two of these guys on my glass and while searching for an ID all I come across is the red planaria flatworm, but this one doesn't 100% fit the pictures of others so it makes me unsure.

I'm sorry about the quality of the pictures, this was the best my phone could manage. It looks like it has 2 antennae and is kind of seethrough.

Does anyone know what it is? I've siphoned it out, but there's bound to be more.

 

[RedFrog211]

Yeah they’re flatworms- to get rid of them, use a pipette or baster to suck out any you see. They’re not an immediate threat, but if gone unchecked, the population can annoy and cover corals.

 

[badluckman]

So it's not one of the really bad sorts then? That's good.

I've got a few fish that might eat them, but if they explode in numbers I read a melanurus wrasse was the best bet so I might try that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its acoel flatworm, not deadly,persay but can grow in numbers and smother a coral robbing them of light to create zooanthele food source
Siphon as many as you can. Daily- look for presence of eggs
A 6-lined. lunare or melanurus wrasse should eat them. You can also kill them chemically with salifert flatworm exit. If you use this, siphon dead ones daily which can release toxins

 

[badluckman]

Its acoel flatworm, not deadly,persay but can grow in numbers and smother a coral robbing them of light to create zooanthele food source
Siphon as many as you can. Daily- look for presence of eggs
A 6-lined. lunare or melanurus wrasse should eat them. You can also kill them chemically with salifert flatworm exit. If you use this, siphon dead ones daily which can release toxins

Thanks vetteguy, feels good to know what flatworm it is.

I'll take the natural road and get a melanurus wrasse, scared of chemicals. 6-lined and lunare are sadly no-go, however much I'd want one. I have a leucoxanthus in there at the moment, but he just ignored the one on the glass so I guess he doesn't like them.

 

[rkpetersen]

I agree with you, avoid chemicals when possible, but Flatworm eXit is safe for all corals and fish, in my experience. Combining it with blowing/siphoning can eliminate red flatworms permanently. Really important that you follow the directions about removing dead or dying flatworms, or they will release toxins into your water.

 

[badluckman]

I agree with you, avoid chemicals when possible, but Flatworm eXit is safe for all corals and fish, in my experience. Combining it with blowing/siphoning can eliminate red flatworms permanently. Really important that you follow the directions about removing dead or dying flatworms, or they will release toxins into your water.

I might try it as a last resort if they become too many, but it will be hard siphoning them all out I think. Rockscape is deep with many cracks.

Getting a melanurus wrasse is a good excuse for ordering some more cleaning crew too since shipping is so expensive here. Plus, I might try to get the macropharyngodon I've been eyeing and then say I'm not allowed to order more fish. We'll see how that goes though...