Does anyone know what this is?

IMCochrane · #1 12-09-2013, 12:13 AM

Hi guys, trying to identify what this stuff is, local pet stores can't figure it out, if I take a turkey baster and spray them with water they come rite off, they don't seem to the rock by much, they almost look like baby mushrooms? Any help is much appreciated, thanks!

Werbo · #2 12-09-2013, 12:56 AM

Kinda hard to tell from the pic but they look like common red flatworms.

If other people agree too then you will wanna kill them with Salifert flatworm exit. Or some wrasses (melanarus, yellow) eat flatworms.

They are toxic in large #s

IMCochrane · #3 12-09-2013, 12:58 AM

That's the one thing the pet store guy said it was not, I'll try to post a better pic

IMCochrane · #4 12-09-2013, 01:01 AM

Unfortunately I'm losing the high resolution when I upload it

Werbo · #5 12-09-2013, 01:42 AM

Hopefully others will chime in.

Look more and more like flatworms from that 2nd pic.

The Grizz · #6 12-09-2013, 01:44 AM

I can confirm for you that these little rust colored flake looking thing ARE in fact a flatworm, if this is your tank you need to treat ASAP with flatworm exit. If you don't get on it now you will have thousands of them in a very short time & yes I am speaking from experience as I am dealing with them myself. I'm at the point where I will be moving all my coral and livestock to a new tank, after a through cleaning. New rock, sand and the works.

IMCochrane · #7 12-09-2013, 01:50 AM

Really eh? Bummer, I'm going to get on it rite away then

Coasting · #8 12-09-2013, 02:44 AM

I always see 2-3 at least in store every time i go.

But lotsa other wrasse species will do the job too.

toytech · #9 12-09-2013, 04:03 AM

Red coris get big j&l has yellow coris wrasses and also what they list as a banana wrasse which is a type of coris wrasse that will work , my banana wrasse was my favorite fish .

asylumdown · #10 12-09-2013, 06:15 PM

Or you could do what I did... Wait util their population is measured in the millions, until there's so many it looks like you've got a novel species of red coralline algae covering every square inch of your rock, don't siphon them at all, THEN treat with flatworm exit.

They form a mucous that holds mats of them together as they die, so as they start to lift off the rocks they come off in great sheets that look like underwater fire. For 30 minutes it will look like the sacking of Rome in there. Coolest thing ever.

Ay LPS that ate the dying worms were toast. About a third of my corals were seriously damaged or bit it completely.

On Second thought. Don't do what I did.