red bugs or flatworms?

[salty55]

I cannot tell which these are. I cannot see any of them on corals, which they may become invisible once on a coral. the sand bed is teaming with them. and I notice a few of them wandering around on the glass.

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af232/dwdarrow/Reef%20aquarium/214.jpg

[salty55]

bump. Anyone?

[Johnny C]

Do you have any other pictures? Red Bugs only live on Acropora so my guess is some type of flatworm.

[por2stylz]

like red speghetti worms u can see them in substrate against glass no idea either they usualy attack fish poop and waste so must be good part of clean up crew

[tahoe61]

Probably bristleworms. Good guys.

[salty55]

Probably bristleworms. Good guys.

definitely not bristleworms. These are around 1-2 millimeters long. half of their bodies are clear, the other half red. and they definitely move wormlike.

[fishysteve]

They're flatworms.

[salty55]

They're flatworms.

This is my first run in with this pest. Are all flatworms something to worry about? a lot of my sps don't have the color they used to. could these be the culprite?

[fishysteve]

The ones in your picture are unpleasant to look at, but harmless. I doubt they are the reason your SPS aren't as colorful as they used to be. Are they not as colorful as when you bought them? Maybe they are just adjusting to your specific lights.

[NanoReefWanabe]

looks like planaria(sp) typical red flat worm, not harmful just ugly..a plague of these could suggest there is something else amiss in your tank...

what are your water parameters?

[NJ_Reefkeeper]

Those are not harmful. Flat worm exit will kill them off.

[salty55]

The ones in your picture are unpleasant to look at, but harmless. I doubt they are the reason your SPS aren't as colorful as they used to be. Are they not as colorful as when you bought them? Maybe they are just adjusting to your specific lights.

same old lights, same old sps. a couple have just bleached in the last few months for no apparent reason.

[salty55]

looks like planaria(sp) typical red flat worm, not harmful just ugly..a plague of these could suggest there is something else amiss in your tank...

What are your water parameters? perfect! :)

[Metal Man 1221]

many types of flatworms are harmless like said before, you can eradicate them, however for those with DSBs they provide sand bed turn over, which is important with a DSB

[salty55]

seriously though, I would say good water parameters. but, what would parameters such as nitrate phoshpate have to do with a worm? wouldn't they need something different to survive and thrive. fish poop? algae? coral flesh? what do they normally live off of? hmm, Maybe these little critters are the reason my sixline wrasse has stayed so fat here lately.

[fishysteve]

I think those kind are photosynthetic. What's your water change schedule? Sometimes they will starve themselves out, but usually you need to intervene. Some fish eat them like sixline wrasses or yellow coris wrasses.

[salty55]

I think those kind are photosynthetic. What's your water change schedule? 10 gallon weekly to bi-weekly water change. 55 gallon tank, 20 gallon sump/refugium.

[graveyardworm]

Could definately use a better photo, or try searching using some of the terms people here posted to see if they match.