Strange brown dots on my Alveopora

[cmj4224]

Hello, I am wondering if anyone can ID what I am looking at. I am a novice so I don't have really any experience with this kind of thing.

You can see 3 of the polyps have those oblong dark yellow/light brown dots on them. I swear I saw one move? They have been there for at least a few months, not getting bigger, not really multiplying.

Thanks for your help.

-Chris


**update - they definitely move. I tried to tweezer one and it moved off the top and under the polyp as it retracted. Some sort of critter

 

[Baldyreef]

Hello, I am wondering if anyone can ID what I am looking at. I am a novice so I don't have really any experience with this kind of thing.

You can see 3 of the polyps have those oblong dark yellow/light brown dots on them. I swear I saw one move? They have been there for at least a few months, not getting bigger, not really multiplying.

Thanks for your help.

-Chris


**update - they definitely move. I tried to tweezer one and it moved off the top and under the polyp as it retracted. Some sort of critter

has there been any polyp retraction/die off?
maybe rust brown flatworms?

 

[cmj4224]

I struggled with some salinity issues this summer only to find out I have had a prolonged temp issue (digi thermometer was reading way low for months and I didn't know it). What I am getting at is that I have had periods where they have been retracted but they've been open and seemingly healthy for the past couple months. No die off but no growth and I attribute the latter to the amateur mistakes with salinity and temp.

I was able to use a dropper to suck one up off of a polyp and it was swimming around in the dropper.

If this is a rust brown flat worm should I be worried and be sucking them up as I see them?

Thanks again.

-Chris

 

[Baldyreef]

I struggled with some salinity issues this summer only to find out I have had a prolonged temp issue (digi thermometer was reading way low for months and I didn't know it). What I am getting at is that I have had periods where they have been retracted but they've been open and seemingly healthy for the past couple months. No die off but no growth and I attribute the latter to the amateur mistakes with salinity and temp.

I was able to use a dropper to suck one up off of a polyp and it was swimming around in the dropper.

If this is a rust brown flat worm should I be worried and be sucking them up as I see them?

Thanks again.

-Chris

its hard to truly say if they are for sure without getting one and looking up close at them, if they are then they aren't in small numbers but can quickly multiply and smother corals as well as feed on xooanthelle.
as far as removal I would recommend sucking up as much as you can, you can also use a coral dip like coral rx
here's some photos from the web for identification:

 

[winxp_man]

Them dudes be flat worms yo!

Sixline wrasse or melenarus for the natural win.

Had a break out recently and did flatworm exit. The numbers in my tank were minimal so there was no big toxic issues. If you have many that might be a problem. It’s why I first brought up natural predators. My tank also had Euphyllia eating punks.

 

[ENDUexe]

You and me both buddy.... I just noticed some on one of my hammers. Dip time

 

[winxp_man]

its hard to truly say if they are for sure without getting one and looking up close at them, if they are then they aren't in small numbers but can quickly multiply and smother corals as well as feed on xooanthelle.
as far as removal I would recommend sucking up as much as you can, you can also use a coral dip like coral rx
here's some photos from the web for identification:

This right here. They can smother corals if numbers get out of control, and you can lose control of keeping numbers down real quick!

By accident I found this to have take care if my flatworm issues. I dosed Ruby Rally Pro in my DT to control ich a few years back. Then did H2O2 dose. Come to find out not a single flatworm was left. I didn’t notice right away, they just slowly disappeared. Can’t say if this was the trick. Corals where all good after this oddly enough. Would I do it again? Nope! Haha!

 

[winxp_man]

You and me both buddy.... I just noticed some on one of my hammers. Dip time

Have been sucking them up, and getting ready to dose a second dose flatworm exit being the eggs will be hatching soon. And I’m not waiting for numbers to get out of control!

 

[cmj4224]

Thanks guys! I have only noticed maybe 3 at one time on the alveopora and nothing else as of yet and have started sucking them up. Again I am a novice, I epoxy'd the bottom of the coral to the rock so I can't really dip it unless I yoink it off with maybe a screwdriver.

 

[Lucky Corals Verified Sponsor]

Flatworm population can really get out of hand so it would be great to eliminate them while there are few of them. If they are only on the Alveopora, and you aren't able to get rid of them with the Alveopora in place, I'd use the screw driver to pry it off. Then remove them by blowing them with a dip that contains tea tea (Melaleuca Oil) at half strength, the dip with irritate them making it easier to gently blow them off. Wrasses usually will control the population, but when they are on the faces of the Alveopora its pretty common for the wrasses to ignore them.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Epoxy not glue gel? Epoxy is super easy to break off IME, just grab and twist. But I don't know that I would bother, dips might not kill them. And they are in your tank anyway, whats the point of dipping one coral if they are in your tank?

Personally I would try to wait it out for a few weeks, keep sucking them out as you see them, they might die out naturally. Otherwise, flatworm exit has always worked perfectly for me, never had any issue's. Good luck.

 

[winxp_man]

Epoxy not glue gel? Epoxy is super easy to break off IME, just grab and twist. But I don't know that I would bother, dips might not kill them. And they are in your tank anyway, whats the point of dipping one coral if they are in your tank?

Personally I would try to wait it out for a few weeks, keep sucking them out as you see them, they might die out naturally. Otherwise, flatworm exit has always worked perfectly for me, never had any issue's. Good luck.

Polyplab Reef Primer is insane how good it works on worms! They litterally shrivel up and fall off in mintues. Now eggs is a different story. Have been using reef primer for a few months now. Can’t say enought about it working on worms.