What the heck are these???

I

iamquockie

Found 'em on my shrooms today but not on anything else, even other mushrooms. I am talking about the brown flatworm looking things. Also in pic #2 and #4 there are white "dots" moving around.

P1030436.jpg
alt="">
P1030435.jpg
alt="">
P1030434.jpg
alt="">
P1030433.jpg
alt="">
 
You have a couple different varieties of flatworm.....

Only thing you can do is run Flatworm Exit... which has its own set of risks with it like killing inverts. Also, depending on the numbers in your tank, the FW's will release a toxin into the tank that can harm your inhabitants.

You will want to read and research everything you can on the use, risks and expectations of using Flatworm Exit.

All that aside, its a very effective product and has been used safely by many people.
 
yeppers...i had them come in on a mushroom and i just used a turkey baster to suck them out for a few days and they were no more
 
I highly recommend doing the flatworm exit now before they get out of hand. It's relatively safe as long as you don't have enough flatworms to poison the tank when they start dying. They have the potential to multiply like crazy and coat your whole tank. Hate those darn things!

Angela
 
OMG where could they come from? Latest addition to the tank was a fish.
My inverts consist of a couple of peppermints, hermits and snails, not too many though for some reason.
 
do they prey on anything else? Can I just take the rock with the infested mushroom(s) out of the tank and dip it in lugols or something??
 
They can come in on anything, except for fish. At least I have never seen them on fish.

The problem with Flatworms is that they are in everything, rock, sand etc.. and if you dip your mushrooms, they are probably elsewhere. Wema was lucky he got them early (or he still has em just not seeing them :lol: ). Better to treat for them now before they replicate in large numbers. I would be concerned already based on the number on just those shrooms that you have a pretty decent infestation going already.
 
six line wrasses i think will eat them...might want to check on it
 
I don't have room for a sixline wrasse. FE is on my list to purchase within the next day or so, anyone have an idea of where I should go? Thanks for the input so far guys.
 
It has been my experience that fish will only eat flatworms if they have nothing else to eat.

I can't remember the speakers name at this years Nextwave but when he introduces fish that he hopes to eat worms/pests etc. he isolates the fish in a small tank and places infested rock/corals in the tank to "train" the fish to eat the worms/pests.
 
I believe a few variety of wrasses will. My xmas wrasse was a strong "hunter" type fish (as all wrasses i imagine). In fact, i didnt know i had a red flatworm issue untill after he passed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top