Algae Identification

[Tom Boyle]

Good evening,

I was hoping to get some help identifying this algae. It’s very easy to scrap off, and sinks to the bottom. However it comes back after 3-4 days. It is also growing on my rock. I was hoping to find an invert that may eat it.

Thank you!

 

[Decamicron Labs Verified Sponsor]

Can you scrap them off and take a closer look? I may be very wrong, but these look like flatworms to me.

 

[skip0211]

Plus one for Flatworms

 

[Tom Boyle]

I haven’t noticed them moving, but doing more research it very well could be. They are in a FOWLER tank with just 2 eels and a couple starfish. I read that they do most of their damage on reef tanks, do you think it’s an immediate cause for concern? I’m nervous that a 6 line may annoy the two eels, as I read they are quite mean

Can you scrap them off and take a closer look? I may be very wrong, but these look like flatworms to me.

 

[EnterName]

Convolutriloba flatworms (see also the second post with more images/videos). They explode in population. A chemical treatment releases toxins, so manual removal before treatment is essential as well as running carbon and huge water changes (> 50%) is important even if the instructions of flatworm eXit or similar products recommend smaller water changes.

If you don't have corals they are "just" ugly and probably won't harm anything, but will cover basically everything in time.

 

[Tom Boyle]

Convolutriloba flatworms (see also the second post with more images/videos). They explode in population. A chemical treatment releases toxins, so manual removal before treatment is essential as well as running carbon and huge water changes (> 50%) is important even if the instructions of flatworm eXit or similar products recommend smaller water changes.

If you don't have corals they are "just" ugly and probably won't harm anything, but will cover basically everything in time.

Convolutriloba flatworms (see also the second post with more images/videos). They explode in population. A chemical treatment releases toxins, so manual removal before treatment is essential as well as running carbon and huge water changes (> 50%) is important even if the instructions of flatworm eXit or similar products recommend smaller water changes.

If you don't have corals they are "just" ugly and probably won't harm anything, but will cover basically everything in time.

Would getting a wrasse or damsel to eat them also release said toxins? I don’t have any coral in the tank, just two eels and some starfish

 

[EnterName]

Convolutriloba flatworms (see also the second post with more images/videos). They explode in population. A chemical treatment releases toxins, so manual removal before treatment is essential as well as running carbon and huge water changes (> 50%) is important even if the instructions of flatworm eXit or similar products recommend smaller water changes.

If you don't have corals they are "just" ugly and probably won't harm anything, but will cover basically everything in time.

Convolutriloba flatworms (see also the second post with more images/videos). They explode in population. A chemical treatment releases toxins, so manual removal before treatment is essential as well as running carbon and huge water changes (> 50%) is important even if the instructions of flatworm eXit or similar products recommend smaller water changes.

If you don't have corals they are "just" ugly and probably won't harm anything, but will cover basically everything in time.

Would getting a wrasse or damsel to eat them also release said toxins? I don’t have any coral in the tank, just two eels and some starfish

Not really, the flatworm and its contained toxins would get digested and a release would be much slower as a fish can't kill all flatworms within an hour in contrast to the very potent pharmaceutical/dewormer.

I don't know exactly why or if the toxin is completely harmless to fish that eat those flatworms, but I have not seen reports of wrasses struggling after eating those flatworms. I could imagine breathing them is what's the issue, eating/digesting them isn't.

I have quite a lot of these Convolutriloba at the moment and just got a sixline wrasse. Let's hope it will actually eat them. So far I have not seen it happen.

 

[Decamicron Labs Verified Sponsor]

Would getting a wrasse or damsel to eat them also release said toxins? I don’t have any coral in the tank, just two eels and some starfish

I had a brief stint researching nudibranchs in academia, so I have a bias for sea slugs, but you could consider Chelidonura.

If you want a peaceful wrasse, I would highly suggest the pink streaked wrasse Pseudocheilinops ataenia. They are visually similar, and much more peaceful than the Pseudocheilinus wrasses. However, your eels would probably eat either. A six-line is not going to bother an eel.