What is this?

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

I wake up this morning to find the front of my glass covered in what looks like tiny tongues climbing all over the glass? Theres probably 100 of them!? What could this be?

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

It almost looks like the bottom of a snail, but they are totally flat, no shell or anything like that so im assuming its some kind of worm!?

Reefing Madness · Mar 14, 2015

Stomatella Snails kinda sound like what your describing. Tough call without a pic though.

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

weird for that many in one night. But it is a pretty good description for stomatella. Lol

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

These are very small. The largest ones are maybe only an 1/8th inch long. I tried to take a pic but I cant because they just look like blurred pieces of algae in pictures. They do look like the bottom of a snail but the bottom of them look like a "V" I googled Stomatella Snails and they all look larger than any of these look. They look totally flat

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

the v at the end sounds very much like flatworms. I would go to melevs reef or Chucks addiction and look up flatworms.

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

Thats the best I could do

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

definitely look like flatworm.hopefully not red. look up red planaria that would be worst case I think.

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

I just found a perfect picture of it, this person is calling it a red planaria flatworm
http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/a...ould-i-concerned-flatworm-jpg-3910d1323328762
that thing is identical to what i have. After looking more I said 100, but there are probably more like 300-500... What do I need to do?

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

red planaria is a big pain in the butt. they do not hurt anything directly but they will over populate your tank like you would not believe and very fast they will cover everything and block the light and that is how they hurt stuff. you can try flatworm exit I myself am NOT a fan of chemicals. I would go with a natural predator such as a wrasse or velvet nudibranch I'm sure there are others.

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

whatever you do do it fast. if you use flatworm exit, suction out as many worms as you can first or the die off will pollute your tank

bkweibley · Mar 14, 2015

Ok so if I run to a fish store today, I know they usually carry lettuce nudis, dont think ive ever seen velvet though? What kind of wrasses should I get and how many? Are wrasses going to go after my shrimp?

Wiz · Mar 14, 2015

I have skunk and blood shrimp. I also have a six line wrasse. he does not bother them. however, wrasses are a semi aggressive. that should be considered long term and not as just a solution. I would only start with one if you get one and see how that goes. there are other wrasses that will do well as well as other fish. velvet nudies eat flatworms specifically and only flatworms. you will need to get rid of it after the problem is solved. they are rarer than lettuce nudies. So you may have to look. They are blue and black. I would do a little research on the red planaria before doing anything. Just type it in google and read a couple of articles should do the trick.I know I said do it fast, but you should not jump into any big decisions with your tank.