ID w/out a pic

[snulma1]

So I always chuckled when someone wanted an ID on something from their tank, but had no pic.....but now its happened to me.

I tried to take a photo but they are so small and the camera won't even focus on them since they are on the front glass. So I guess i'll do my best to describe them

I found these the other day, they seem like slugs, brown in color, about the size of a mid-sized copepod and their tail is notched like a V. I looked at Melev's ID page and nothing looked like it. Anyone have any ideas?

[SeanT]

The V shaped tail and brown color shot my brain to Flatworms.

[SeanT]

I hope they aren't, but do they look like these at all?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/49158IMG_1999a.jpg

[snulma1]

Nah, they don't look lik those. Thats what I thought first too.

I should also add they don't inch along when they move, they slide kina like snails

[cowboyswife]

Theyre flatworms. My husband had them, and I took some in a cup of water to a reputable LFS and the owner checked them out with a microscope to give me a positive ID.

[snulma1]

do you have a pic? I'd hate to treat my tank for something then find it out it wasn't what it was.

[cowboyswife]

Here is the pic from the scope. HTH.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/beccabowden/flatworm.jpg

[Shooter7]

Theyre flatworms. My husband had them
Yikes :eek2:
Hope his doctor cleared them up for him. :lol: ;)

I vote flatworms as well. Have seen them before and looked exactly as how you described.

This might help:

http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

[cowboyswife]

When used correctly, flatworm exit works great. Some wrasses will eat them too.

[killagoby]

Just watch with FlatwormExit. When they die in mass quantities they will posion your tank. You need to syphon them out as they die with that method. Try to do some larger water changes every week and cut down on feedings. You will slowly see them diminish. I've had them, and the second option got rid of most of them.

[snulma1]

I've looked at your pics, and I don't think thats them, the color is not as spotted on mine, plus the shape is more elongated.

I don't have much in my tank now, as I'm laying fallow after a case of Ich took my clowns. All thats in there is a branching frogspawn, a piece of GSP, a Skunk cleaner shrimp, an emerald crab, some nass snails, astrea snails, and blue legged hermits.

The things I see are on the glass, so I don't know if any are on the rocks, is there a way to treat the tank now that its fallow?

[cowboyswife]

They dont look spotted with the naked eye, and the one in the pic doesnt look elongated because he was moving when she was checking him out with the scope. I wish I had other pics to help you, but I dont :(

[cowboyswife]

Do they look like any on this page?

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fltwmid.htm

[snulma1]

The closest thing on that page @ WWM was the copepod eating flatworm, which would make sense since they are always on the glass with my large population of pods.

[Paintbug]

those are called Acoelomorph flatworms, or Acoel flatworms for short. they are generally harmless, but mass populations can smother corals, and block the light from them. heres a link with some good pics of them (at the bottom)
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/%7Esweetyummy42/hitchworms.html

[snulma1]

So is there anything I should do to prevent them from growing in numbers?

[Paintbug]

they usually starve off in time. Flatworm Exit will work on them sometimes.

[bobparker]

good link paintbug, thanx