Flat worm infestation?
 

I appologise for mot having a pic, I dont have a digital camera. I have notices a huge increase in what possibly are small red/brown flatworms. They are amber/brown (almost translucent) color about 1-2mm in length and have a rectangular to almost and hour glass shape body that is flat. I first noticed these collecting at the base of the LR and have now notices that they are covering the LR. I havent noticed any on the corals yet. Are there any natural predators to these - assuming they are flatworms?

There are some fish that may help "control" a population, but if it is a full blown infestation/invasion, then you will need to do both manual removal (or possibly chemical warfare) and then add a fish to keep the numbers in check.

Some potential flatworm eaters are:

SixLine Wrasse
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Mandarin Dragonette

Was thinking of constructing a vacuum by connecting a short piece of rigid pipe with the sucker end flattened then connect the rigid pipe to a powerfull pump with a flexible hose and use a filter sock on the discharge end of the pump to catch the flat worms. The I could suck them out.

I have never kept a 6 line wrasse, can you have more than one in the same tank?

Don't bother with the 6line. I tried that route, and even tho he was eating them.. it wasn't working.. trust me on this...

Syphon out as much as you can with a hose into a bucket... If you want to keep the sand you inadvertantly syphon out, rinse the sand in fresh dechlorinated water... alot.. it will kill the worms, but they release a toxin so you have to really really rinse it if you want to have any chance of using that sand in your tank again..

Syphon the worms for a few days.. 3-4 days until you are confident that you have gotten out as many of the flatworms out as possible.. then dose with Flatworm exit and be ready to do a serious water change
(right temp, right ph, right salinity, etc)... It really really works.. and anyone that says it killed their tank proabbly didn't syphon out enough flatworms before dosing.. Some say they needed to dose more... you may not need to.. you should see instant results..

Hence forth be sure to dip anything you get from a store or another person.. its' like STDs for your fish tank, love... gotta be careful what's out there..

Do you fresh dip ALL your newly purchased corals?

I have never done that, Is it easy? I have a real good idea which LFS I got the flat worms from:2gunfire:

I don't freshwater dip all of them.. I usually QT, FW dip or "reef dip" depending on the sensitivity of the coral.

Don't be surprised if you have to repeat the dosing after a week.
There always seem to be a few flatworms that hide deep in the rock and don't get poisoned.

One guy on RC mentioned the making a trap with a filter sock and airline tubing. I asked for more info, havent heard back yet - Anyone heard of this?

I just booked a digital camera at work, I should have some pictures posted within an hour or so. Then we can confirm if these are flatworms.

K.i.s.s.

I found when using airline to siphon them if you just let them drain in to a bucket and rest for a while. They will all grab on to something and then you can slowly pour the water back into the tank leaving them high and dry in the bucket.

I wouldn't pour it back.. I'd consider it a small water change and put new water in.. what if some float back or they start releasing their toxins?

Well, the photo sucks as the only camera that was available to me dosent have a maco setting. Below is a link

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...t=1&thecat=998

Its the flecks in the center of the photo below the LR... I think Ill have to borrow another camera:cry:

BTW I tried to upload this photo into my post but because I uploaded 3 other photos in the pictures gallery, I have maxed out my limit. So I linked it to my RC gallery

Yeah, I can't see anything from that.

But from your description it sounds like the exact same red flatworms I have in my refugium, but their quantities are so low I don't worry about them.

Photopost seems to be a bit cranky so I put them on my photobucket account.

here you go :biggrin:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...f_P0010150.jpg

Thanks christyf5, I just wish the photo was better - cant see much

Look like these?
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/tbs/flatworms_tb.jpg

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/tbs/clear_flatworm_tb.jpg


Bookmark this page: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/
You can use it to ID stuff in your tank next time.

If you got some water mixed and ready you might as well use it.
If not granted 1 or 2 flatworms may end up back in the tank, But they just get vacumed up the next time. As for relesing the their toxin's it didnt seem to be a problem I used this method in my 10 Gal nano with no ill effect.