holy carp Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I know this is a flatworm, but is it a kind to get concerned about? I first noticed one scurrying on the glass as I was cleaning, and then found a few more in the sand. I sucked one up in a pipette to get these photos. I know they're a bit grainy, but these shots were the best I was able to do for the time being with a cameraphone... I'm not sure where they came from, unless they can survive a 10 minute dip in Revive while being squirted with pipette... Link to comment
ndrobey Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Tough little guys. Try Flatworm Exit. Link to comment
amphipod Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 It is a similar animal to Convolutriloba, basically a half photosynthetic detritus eater. Link to comment
holy carp Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 Good guy? Wow. I think that's the first time I heard that about any of my hitchhikers! I thought Convolutriloba was bad and toxic when they are killed. But they have 3 tails, right? Relieved I don't have to undertake an eradication. :-D I have enough work with managing my digitate hydroids these days. And I'm sure the tank can use some more detritus eaters because everything poops. (BTW, kind of amazed how fast those little buggers move. I want sure if be able to catch one.) Link to comment
amphipod Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 That's convolutriloba specifically who has 3 tails, this one is just a similar flatworm species. But be warned, these animals can reproduce quickly, especially with high nutrient environments. So a dirty tank is something that they really over enjoy. Btw how bad are the digit ate hydroids and have they stung any corals yet? Link to comment
holy carp Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 The digitates aren't really that bad. I got 4 out of the sand yesterday (those are easy) and cooked 3 on the live rock with hot rodi in a pipette the day before. I've been trying to nip them in the bud since they jumped from the chaeto into the display. Luckily they haven't settled/sprouted too close to corals for me to say how irritating they are. I've seen fish spook when they touch them, but I'm not convinced that was the cause. I try to remove them when I spot them, which had typically been 3-5 per week. Now if these little flatworms would just eat the digitate hydroids, they'd be my new best friends... Link to comment
amphipod Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I need to add something about what we call "digitate hydroids" it's actually a very broad and not specific term for leptomedusae aka thecate hydroids. To my knowledge the most effective bio killer would be a nudibranch, I never heard of any reefer having these guys go medusa yet, I wonder if there is a reason for that. Link to comment
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