Pest identification

[Koresample]

I have a ton of these little orange things in the tank now. I think they may have been a hitch hiker of some kind but they seem to be eating my bubble coral. Any ideas as to what they are and how to get rid of them? The tank is a 6 gallon JBJ.

thanks!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa3/mikeymotorcycle/fishtankpests2.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa3/mikeymotorcycle/Fishtankpests.jpg

[Flash]

welcome to the world of flatworms! not good.

[The Grizz]

Really sucks but I would have to sat that you have flat worms. I have never had them luckily so far so I don't know what to tell you what to do. There are a few fish that I think will eat them, thinking that a Checker Board Wrasse will but will get to big for you tank quickly.

[BlueTang<3]

I would usually say wrasse but the size of tank i would recommend asking more experienced users on flatworm exit. I have never used it but hear it works well. I would highly recommend dipping everything you add new to your tank and if possible to remove any corals now give them a good dip.

[The Grizz]

I would usually say wrasse but the size of tank i would recommend asking more experienced users on flatworm exit. I have never used it but hear it works well. I would highly recommend dipping everything you add new to your tank and if possible to remove any corals now give them a good dip.

I think you are on the right track with the Flatworm Exit BT, with this small a tank it might be really easy to do & definitely a dip for your coral is a must.

[Koresample]

dip as in fresh water dip?

[whatcaneyedo]

Not a freshwater dip. Use a product like Coral RX on new coral purchases to rid them of unwanted hitchhikers like these.

[Koresample]

ok, thanks. My corals are all epoxied down so unless i can get soething that eats flat worms...I'm hooped :sad:

[lorenz0]

Run over to J&L and grab some flat worm exit

I have tried everything in the past and this is the only thing that works. I even bought 3 blue velet nudibranchs only to enjoy them for 1 hour before they disappeared.

Now the trick to using flat worm exit is to do a dose every couple of days for a week. After your first dose you won't see them for a couple of days and think they are gone only to have the little buggers pop up again.

On your first dose make sure you try to get as many out as by first syphoning the tank. After that, put a filter sock on your drain and use 1 & 1/2 of the reccomended dosage (found that using a wee bit of a stronger dose worked better). This is when you will see the little guys let go of the rocks and start floating around in the tank. Let the tank run for a few hours and take the filter sock off the drain and rinse it off. Wait 2 days, dose again, than 2 more days, and finally 2 more days. after this you should be clear of all flat worms.

[arash53]

I had same issue , and the Red Scooter Blenny eat them all in lest than a week!
Go get one from J&L , they eat frozen shrimp as well.

[H22_TURBO]

+1 on flatworm exit.

I have dippped all my new corals in my 190g and still ended up with them somehow.

Just dose it like the intrsuctions say and in a few mins you can watch them start moving all fast and then DIE!!!! make sure you run lotts of carbon after as the flatworm exit is non-toxic but when the flatworms die they release their toxins into the water and is no good for the tank. also have a good amount of fresh saltwater and do a big water change after the carbon has run for awhile.
also try to siphon/net out as many as you can before/during the flatworm dose.

And as lornzo said, wait a few days/1 week and dose again to get any that are deep into the liverock.

[apexifd]

I thought flat worm usually eats sps?? And lps is safe from it??

[lorenz0]

this species just dominates a tank. your thinking of acro eating flat worms. these ones will just cause so much stress to the coral that it eventually dies off

[apexifd]

this species just dominates a tank. your thinking of acro eating flat worms. these ones will just cause so much stress to the coral that it eventually dies off

lovely, I haven't been dipping any of my LPS. Although I haven't not seen any in my tank, but, I have also lost a few LPS.

[Koresample]

thanks for all the tips, i will go to J&L tomorrow and arm myself!

[Koresample]

I don't have a drain only the overflow on the back. If i put filter floss in the first stage and carbon in the second, and changed both every couple of days, would this accomplish the same thing?

Run over to J&L and grab some flat worm exit

I have tried everything in the past and this is the only thing that works. I even bought 3 blue velet nudibranchs only to enjoy them for 1 hour before they disappeared.

Now the trick to using flat worm exit is to do a dose every couple of days for a week. After your first dose you won't see them for a couple of days and think they are gone only to have the little buggers pop up again.

On your first dose make sure you try to get as many out as by first syphoning the tank. After that, put a filter sock on your drain and use 1 & 1/2 of the reccomended dosage (found that using a wee bit of a stronger dose worked better). This is when you will see the little guys let go of the rocks and start floating around in the tank. Let the tank run for a few hours and take the filter sock off the drain and rinse it off. Wait 2 days, dose again, than 2 more days, and finally 2 more days. after this you should be clear of all flat worms.

[JohnnyReeftank]

Sixline Wrasse did the job for me