New Frag has a lot of hitch hikers! Someone please give me a quick ID

[kevin34]

These are all hitch hikers I found on a zoo frag I got today. There are these tiny pod looking things (but I dont think they are copepods) and there also seems to be brittle stars and some kind of red worm. How do I go about doing a fresh water dip? Could that kill the zoos?

red worm

 

[kat 4]

I'm not sure what all the hitchhikers are but you should definitely dip your zoos in a Lugols (iodine dip) solution made with salt- tank water. That removes all hitchhikers prior to adding them to your display tank. The dip is great for all corals (with some exceptions). Follow directions on solution...it works great.

 

[saltn00b]

RED PLANARIA!!
do not put it in your tank!
planaria are also called flatworms, suck them out and then use flatworm exit.

 

[reefkprz]

the flat things are flat worms (red planaria) = bad
the mini brittle star with three legs is a mini brittle star with three legs = good
the red worm is the front portion of a common bristle worm = good

 

[paintballer768]

The first two pictures look to be flatworms, the second is some type of brittlestarfish, and the red worm is a bristleworm. All of which are pose really any harm to your tank, except you may want to get rid of the flatworms.

 

[kevin34]

do these flatworks eat zoas?

 

[kevin34]

Well I found 2 brittle stars. both look exactly the same. Anyone want them? I'll give them away for free. Just pay shipping.

 

[saltn00b]

flatworms can eat zoas , yes. they also may eat some other corals, and when they get out of hand, smother almost everything, or annoy it to death.

 

[kevin34]

If I did a fresh water dip for 2 minutes would that have been enough to kill all the flat worms? A lot came off in the fw but also a lot came off when I put the zoos back into sw but they seemed to be dead.

 

[brenda5826]

hey Kevin since we seem to be visiting the same lfs
where you get this would like to avoid it

 

[kevin34]

Originally Posted by brenda5826
http:///forum/post/2687183
hey Kevin since we seem to be visiting the same lfs
where you get this would like to avoid it
aqua dreams. i will still go back there. just not until i get some coral dip.

 

[brenda5826]

wow would of never thought i guess its a good idea to dip everything no matter where you get it from

 

[siline]

Originally Posted by Kevin34
http:///forum/post/2686673
These are all hitch hikers I found on a zoo frag I got today. There are these tiny pod looking things (but I dont think they are copepods) and there also seems to be brittle stars and some kind of red worm. How do I go about doing a fresh water dip? Could that kill the zoos?
red worm

That red worm (Red planaria) NOT ONLY would harm/kill your zoo's also any small creature that you may have in your tank, and even your hand... SO... DONT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS or you will feel the consecuence!!!

 

[saltn00b]

Originally Posted by Siline
http:///forum/post/2692863
That red worm (Red planaria) NOT ONLY would harm/kill your zoo's also any small creature that you may have in your tank, and even your hand... SO... DONT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS or you will feel the consecuence!!!

the single large orange red worm pictured here is a bristle worm. red planaria are the little transparent / rust colored slug looking things in the other pics.
the bristleworms are usually beneficial cleaners in the tank and dont really get out of hand unless you have an excess of nutrients in the system. there are a few species that will eat zoas / ricordeas etc, but most dont touch anything. he is right about not touching it with your hands though, they can sting.