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#1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Parma, Ohio
Posts: 215
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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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#2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,204
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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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#3 |
Nothin but
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 506
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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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#4 |
Nothin but
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 506
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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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#5 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Parma, Ohio
Posts: 215
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Thanks smtank I will research it
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Parma, Ohio
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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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#7 |
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![]() I got one!!!!!!! Last edited by Dino; 04/02/2014 at 04:58 AM. |
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#8 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 979
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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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#9 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 979
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oh and flatworm exit does not work on these guys
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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#10 |
Nothin but
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 506
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Great idea! I'll be trying this to see how many more there are.
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#11 | |
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Quote:
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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#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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#13 |
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Location: Essex, MD
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just some helpful advice from the better team in the AFC North :-P
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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#14 |
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Location: Essex, MD
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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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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#15 |
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Thanks again!!
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#16 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 979
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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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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#17 | |
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Quote:
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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#18 |
Nothin but
Join Date: Nov 2007
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#19 |
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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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#20 |
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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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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Parma, Ohio
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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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#22 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 979
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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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BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank |
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#23 |
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Location: Parma, Ohio
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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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#24 |
Nothin but
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 506
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Results?
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#25 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Parma, Ohio
Posts: 215
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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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