Hitchhicker on glass (pics)

[sickboy]

Well, last night was the first night I noticed copepods everywhere, but I also found several of these on the glass. I have been searching threads but have not found anything yet. They are a translucent color with a split tail, and the mouth gets wide and then smaller as it crawls along the glass. I apologize for the bad pics, my camera refuses to turn on so these are from my cell phone. The pic on the right is hard to see, but its the clear looking thing with a mouth in an "O" shape. Thanks for the help.

 

[coraljunky]

Looks like a flatworm.....

 

[luca brasi]

Originally Posted by coraljunky
http:///forum/post/2678093
Looks like a flatworm.....
+1

 

[netimreefer]

I would agree with coraljunkie, but am not 100% sure

 

[coraljunky]

Originally Posted by NETimreefer
http:///forum/post/2678120
I would agree with coraljunkie, but am not 100% sure
I am, and it's coraljunky(not to be mistaken for the other)

 

[sickboy]

Thanks, so they are not a problem to worry about right? I read somewhere that they eat pods and eventually go away, is that true?

 

[urbanhellfire]

They can be a problem if there numbers start to get to high, they can start to choke out corals and what not.
I just kill some nasty little flatworms with Flatworm exit, i had to do two doses to do the job but it worked like a charm.

 

[luca brasi]

Usually it's only the rust colored ones you have to worry about. HTH

 

[first timer]

flatworms are thin like sewing thread. the treatments they use are usually copper based so watch out. it's hard to see though, i will come up sometime this week with my camera and we can get some up close pics. if it is a flatworm 6 lines and dragonettes like to eat them.

 

[luca brasi]

Originally Posted by first timer
http:///forum/post/2679076
flatworms are thin like sewing thread.
Uh, no.
Originally Posted by first timer
http:///forum/post/2679076
the treatments they use are usually copper based so watch out.
I've only used Flat Worm Exit, which is probably the most popular treatment, it doesn't contain copper.
Originally Posted by first timer
http:///forum/post/2679076
it's hard to see though, i will come up sometime this week with my camera and we can get some up close pics. if it is a flatworm 6 lines and dragonettes like to eat them.
I believe the best luck with dragonettes is the spotted mandarin. Leopard and yellow wrasses are known eaters too. HTH

 

[michaeltx]

I have to disagree that its to big to be a flatworm aswell.
just do a search on here on some people that have the red version of the flatworm that are clearly visible and are not thread like there are many species of flat worms though some tiny some rather large for what they are.
Mike

 

[luca brasi]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2679630
I have to disagree that its to big to be a flatworm aswell.
just do a search on here on some people that have the red version of the flatworm that are clearly visible and are not thread like there are many species of flat worms though some tiny some rather large for what they are.
Mike
How can you tell how big it is?
edit- Sickboy, how big is it? Is that the only one?

 

[michaeltx]

You really cant but that was in responce to this post. that flat worms are thin like sewing thread
O and I missed the dragonette part I also have to disagree with getting a mandarin to eat flatworms, I dont know if they will or not but if the tank isnt big enough or a big enough pod population its main food source it can starve.
Mike
Originally Posted by first timer
http:///forum/post/2679076
flatworms are thin like sewing thread. the treatments they use are usually copper based so watch out. it's hard to see though, i will come up sometime this week with my camera and we can get some up close pics. if it is a flatworm 6 lines and dragonettes like to eat them.

 

[kurtymac]

id be safe and get rid of it, its worse when you let it go and it kills something important to you and spreads throughout the tank and you go "man i should have got rid of it while the problem was small."

 

[sickboy]

Originally Posted by Luca Brasi
http:///forum/post/2679656
How can you tell how big it is?
edit- Sickboy, how big is it? Is that the only one?
That's a hard one, an 1/8 of an inch maybe. And there are several of them, I saw them on the glass and rock. I first saw them right after I noticed I had copepods everywhere, before the other night I hadn't seen either in my tank. The tank is only a couple months old, so I don't have a whole lot in it, just some mushrooms, Xenia, green long tentacle plate coral, black saddleback clown, kenya tree... (Note: the plate coral was a present from my dad, I wouldn't have bought it so soon).
So, would you recommend just sucking them out when i do a water change?
Thanks for the responses.

 

[luca brasi]

Originally Posted by sickboy
http:///forum/post/2679787
That's a hard one, an 1/8 of an inch maybe. ....
So, would you recommend just sucking them out when i do a water change?
Thanks for the responses.
That's the easiest thing. If they are fw's, they don't hold on very well and can be sucked up pretty easily.