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Unread 03/19/2014, 04:05 PM   #1
Cbaby1177
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Polyclad Flatworm

So the other night before my transfer to my 180 I was target feeding some of my corals when I noticed something slithering on my rock. Being a newbie, I thought oh it's probably a bristle worm. On the day of the upgrade I took half the rock and put into new setup and half I'm giving to a friend since it has Kenya tree that I hate on it. So I was looking today on a "reef hitchhiker FAQ" and noticed that what I witnessed that night was not a bristle worm but a POLYCLAD FLATWORM!!! it's no wonder I don't have many snails any more. Has anyone had experience with catching these in a trap or is there a chemical that will kill them and not harm the reef? Any help or information would be great! I'm hoping that it was on a rock that I gave my friend but I'm sure it wasn't the only one. I have since informed my friend too. So help!!!!


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Unread 03/19/2014, 04:13 PM   #2
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You can try using a snail as bait but you'll have to catch the critter in the act. I do not know if Flatworm Exist works for Polyclads or not, but you might want to look into it.


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Unread 03/19/2014, 04:39 PM   #3
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I siphoned one out that was 5+". It took me 3 months of searching with the flashlight at night before I found him though. Unfortunately they tear easily and just a sliver from one can regenerate a new worm. I haven't seen any more but they do camouflage very well.


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Unread 03/19/2014, 04:45 PM   #4
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Here's the one I caught.



Last edited by Dino; 04/02/2014 at 04:58 AM.
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Unread 03/19/2014, 05:33 PM   #5
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Thanks smtank I will research it


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Unread 03/19/2014, 06:34 PM   #6
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Holy cow good times! You only found one? Did you try the flatworm exit? Did you bait it to get it out?


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Unread 03/19/2014, 08:36 PM   #7
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I got one!!!!!!!



Last edited by Dino; 04/02/2014 at 04:58 AM.
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Unread 03/19/2014, 08:45 PM   #8
dread240
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If you have one you have multiples... I had them before and think I got them all finally... where I thought I had one, when I put out the trap, I caught about 10 big ones and a lot of really small ones.

Take a 2 cup container (like they use at frag events and stuff with lids)

Go to the grocery store and buy one or two fresh clams... force them open and rough them up a little bit, you want that 'OHMIGAWD I'M A DYING CLAM' smell throughout the tank... clams are their main food source

In that 2 cup container, cut some very very very small slits around the bottom of it. These things are tissue paper thin, so only leaving an opening about 1/16" about 2" wide on the bottom is perfect. Do that 3 or 4 times around the base of the cup. Aside from an asterina or maybe a baby brittle star getting in, nothing else should be able to make it in the cup although they'll be trying.

Place it in the tank right before lights out. The big guys will be brave enough to come right out for it, but the smaller ones will make their way through the night. Within 10 minutes of placing this on the sand I had 3 in the container already feeding on the clam. I took it out and flushed those 3, and put it back in time to see 2 more coming out of the rocks, rinse and repeat, and then let it sit overnight where I checked again and had 5 more in there and quite a few smaller ones.

I repeated this every few nights for about 2-3 weeks, just leaving it in there. After about a week and a half I never saw another polyclad on it.


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Unread 03/19/2014, 08:49 PM   #9
dread240
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oh and flatworm exit does not work on these guys


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Unread 03/19/2014, 08:53 PM   #10
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Great idea! I'll be trying this to see how many more there are.


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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:03 PM   #11
Cbaby1177
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dread240 View Post
If you have one you have multiples... I had them before and think I got them all finally... where I thought I had one, when I put out the trap, I caught about 10 big ones and a lot of really small ones.

Take a 2 cup container (like they use at frag events and stuff with lids)

Go to the grocery store and buy one or two fresh clams... force them open and rough them up a little bit, you want that 'OHMIGAWD I'M A DYING CLAM' smell throughout the tank... clams are their main food source

In that 2 cup container, cut some very very very small slits around the bottom of it. These things are tissue paper thin, so only leaving an opening about 1/16" about 2" wide on the bottom is perfect. Do that 3 or 4 times around the base of the cup. Aside from an asterina or maybe a baby brittle star getting in, nothing else should be able to make it in the cup although they'll be trying.

Place it in the tank right before lights out. The big guys will be brave enough to come right out for it, but the smaller ones will make their way through the night. Within 10 minutes of placing this on the sand I had 3 in the container already feeding on the clam. I took it out and flushed those 3, and put it back in time to see 2 more coming out of the rocks, rinse and repeat, and then let it sit overnight where I checked again and had 5 more in there and quite a few smaller ones.

I repeated this every few nights for about 2-3 weeks, just leaving it in there. After about a week and a half I never saw another polyclad on it.


Invaluable advice! Thanks!!! I knew there has to be more. I couldn't be so lucky lol



Last edited by Dino; 04/02/2014 at 04:58 AM.
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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:06 PM   #12
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Then obviously the next morning you took out? And how often did you put "fresh clams" in? Or did you just reuse the previous nights catch from the fridge? Lol


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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:07 PM   #13
dread240
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just some helpful advice from the better team in the AFC North :-P


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How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist?

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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:08 PM   #14
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it was a new clam every night, I didn't want to foul the water up too much, but you get them live from the grocery store around here for like 25-50 cents a piece for a clam

It's also helpful to get it out before the lights come back on for the day, these worms are nocturnal


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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:23 PM   #15
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Thanks again!!


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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:25 PM   #16
dread240
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no problem....

good luck and happy worming! Not entirely sure if you should be required to drink beer during it and tell us it was twice the size it actually was after you caught it though :-\


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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:39 PM   #17
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Quote:
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no problem....

good luck and happy worming! Not entirely sure if you should be required to drink beer during it and tell us it was twice the size it actually was after you caught it though :-\

Oh trust me I will keep you updated! And you know it will be twice the size cause what's cooler than being a chick and catching something bigger than anyone else's lol. Especially something that gross lol



Last edited by Dino; 04/02/2014 at 04:58 AM.
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Unread 03/19/2014, 09:57 PM   #18
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Quote:
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no problem....

good luck and happy worming! Not entirely sure if you should be required to drink beer during it and tell us it was twice the size it actually was after you caught it though :-\
How big were the big ones you trapped?


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Unread 03/20/2014, 07:56 AM   #19
Cbaby1177
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The one I caught was 5 feet long!!!! Lol. No really he was about 2-2.5"


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Unread 03/20/2014, 09:56 AM   #20
dread240
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Biggest I grabbed was probably 4" or so, most were in the 2" range and then tons in the 1/4" to 1/2" range


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How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist?

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Unread 03/20/2014, 12:49 PM   #21
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I'm so anxious to try the bait trap tonight to see how many buggers are in there. I had a maxima clam die on me within a week and I'm wondering if that is why. I would assume so now.


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Unread 03/20/2014, 08:00 PM   #22
dread240
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so come on chickie, are the traps set or what?

10 points for a cutie duck face pose with a peace sign up on one hand and a trap with a polyclad in the other


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Unread 03/20/2014, 09:12 PM   #23
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Lol trap is baited and set since 9:11 pm. And nothing still. Lol on the duck face, have never and will never do that lol. Hoping there are no more polyclads. A girl can wish right? Lol


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Unread 03/27/2014, 03:05 PM   #24
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Results?


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Unread 03/27/2014, 05:33 PM   #25
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Only caught the one. Baited a trap for two days and nothing. Maybe all the "others" were in the rock I gave away? I hope lol


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