Giant Flatworm Video

[OceanicCorals-Ian-]

Originally Posted by Samw

Giant flatworm. Has been in my tank for probably a few years. Not your usual flatworm. Click to start video.

VERY bad to have in your tank, those Polyclad Flatworms make quick work of clams and all types of snails. I hope you disposed of it.

[Samw]

It hasn't touched my clams as all of my clams are still with me. I only ever see this worm out once every 3 months and I'm always looking in my tank at night. The only times I've seen it, it had always been on the sandbed. Its done a good job of staying away from the powerheads. I don't think it's been eating snails either. I have all of my cowries intact.

I'd like to put it in my overhead sump but I'm sure it'll make its way back to the main tank via return pipe.

[Jason McK]

Sam you always have the coolest things in your tank

J

[untamed]

Looks to me like some sort of Nudibranch...but maybe those are just a type of flatworm.

Seems to me that if you've had it for 3 years and never noticed it doing anything objectionable...why wouldn't you just put it back in the tank? Cool critter in my books.

[a4twenty]

Originally Posted by Samw

It hasn't touched my clams as all of my clams are still with me.

it sure looks like a polyclad to me, i think you got lucky, not sure how

[Drock169]

it also looks like a polyclad to me, maybe this is why your rics disappeared

[corpusse]

I've had to tear my tank down twice because of these things. I had to let the live rock sit without any flow or heat until they'd die and come to the surface. Some fish may eat them but to rid yourself of them is nearly impossible.

I just lost a 2+ year old clam to several. In the past i've lost clams countless snails and my very cool sand dollar. One day i noticed it hadn't moved in a few days I picked it up and turned it over and there was about 6 of them eating it from the bottom up.

[Samw]

Some pics. It covers almost the entire bottom of the plastic beer cup.

Drock, the way the Rics were torn from the outside to the center makes it look like the predator had jaws. The way that my bristleworms picked off my zoas still makes me think that it was the bristleworms that took out my Rics.

Ok, well, I'm convinced. I'll keep it in a jar for now and put some clams from the grocery store in there and see if it eats it. Just puzzled why it didn't eat my clams. My clams have been growing well and have outgrown my tank to the point where I need to sell the biggest one.

[a4twenty]

Originally Posted by Samw

Just puzzled why it didn't eat my clams.

very good question, just be happy he didn't.