Couple critters in my sump

**Reefbaby** · 02-06-2006, 06:08 AM

Hey Scott, just wanted to give you my 2cents worth....

I had bought a porite coral with Xmas tree works before and didn't have a quarantine tank set up at the time, so it went straight into the display tank. Little did I know that there were some flatworms attached to that rock. They quickly multiplied and since I was a newbie at the time, I kind of watched them in amazement, not really sure what to do. After doing some research, I tried taking out the entire rock and scrubbing it with a tootbrush in a separate bucket with saltwater and shaking off all the planaria and rinsing it yet again in another bucket of saltwater. I kept doing this for several days and was able to keep the population from going completely out of control. By the way, they really really stink as well....another good identification marker!

In addition, I got myself a sixline wrasse and he quickly (!) exterminated the entire population and I've never seen them since. I was pretty relieved that I was able to do this all with no chemicals.

Your little white tunicate is harmless. I have a bunch of them on the backsides of rocks and they grow in my sump and even in my skimmer.....never a problem.

The brown layer on your rocks is also something that I've had in my tank. I had a more experienced reefer come over to my house to see what it was, because I couldn't find it ANYwhere in books. He thought it was a calcerous algae and I think I agree with him. It's a little more "rubbery" that the normal calcerous algaes and can be peeled off. I spent quite a lot of time with tweezers trying to pull the stuff off and at some time I just gave up. Over time, it has slowly gone away and has been replaced with pink and purple calcerous algae. I didn't necessarily like the look of it, but it was pretty harmless.....

Bubble algae.....tweezers are great for plucking them out from the base so that you don't pop the bubbles....

Good luck!!:-P

***Rob*** · 02-06-2006, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Reefbaby

....By the way, they really really stink as well....another good identification marker!

OMG.. yes, they really stink....lol

In addition, I got myself a sixline wrasse and he quickly (!) exterminated the entire population and I've never seen them since. I was pretty relieved that I was able to do this all with no chemicals.

i have yet to have lick with my sixline, i am going to be getting a mandarin, to see how it does..

congrats on getting yours under control. i know many people that battle flatworms for a long time...

**Scott** · 02-06-2006, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Reefbaby

Hey Scott, just wanted to give you my 2cents worth....

Hi, glad to hear any advice or experience. :-)

I had bought a porite coral with Xmas tree works before and didn't have a quarantine tank set up at the time, so it went straight into the display tank. Little did I know that there were some flatworms attached to that rock.

Hmm....I don't have a quarantine tank either. I guess I trust my LFS to make sure they keep things long enough to show any problems. Granted, I still think it was the Cheato I got off of ebay. Should teach me to be more careful.

By the way, they really really stink as well....another good identification marker!

In addition, I got myself a sixline wrasse and he quickly (!) exterminated the entire population and I've never seen them since. I was pretty relieved that I was able to do this all with no chemicals.

Oh great....was the smell before or after they died? so far I haven't smelled anything coming from the tank....so I'm guessing the stink is the dead ones. I'll have to remember to move the air purifier over next to the tank when I start killing them LOL I do have a sixline wrasse on order through LFS, guessing it will be a week or two for the fish. I'm hoping I'll get my flatworm exit by the end of this week.

The brown layer on your rocks is also something that I've had in my tank. I had a more experienced reefer come over to my house to see what it was, because I couldn't find it ANYwhere in books. He thought it was a calcerous algae and I think I agree with him. It's a little more "rubbery" that the normal calcerous algaes and can be peeled off. I spent quite a lot of time with tweezers trying to pull the stuff off and at some time I just gave up. Over time, it has slowly gone away and has been replaced with pink and purple calcerous algae. I didn't necessarily like the look of it, but it was pretty harmless.....

I don't mind the look of them, glad to know that they are harmless. Thanks for the info. :-)

Bubble algae.....tweezers are great for plucking them out from the base so that you don't pop the bubbles....

Good luck!!:-P

I had pulled the rock out and was scraping them all off into the sink, I became glad I had my glasses on when I popped one and it sprayed me right in the face. If I see any more on the rocks in the tank, I'll remember that.

Thanks, I'll keep everyone posted on the flatwork issue.

**Reefbaby** · 02-07-2006, 06:21 AM

Hi Scott!

Re: the stench of flatworms - actually they stink while they're alive, but you won't smell them while they're in the tank. If you took a rock or coral or anything that they're attached to, then you'd get a nice whiff of them.....P U! :-)

**Scott** · 02-07-2006, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by Reefbaby

Hi Scott!

Re: the stench of flatworms - actually they stink while they're alive, but you won't smell them while they're in the tank. If you took a rock or coral or anything that they're attached to, then you'd get a nice whiff of them.....P U! :-)

Ah....now I see.

Thanks for the heads up, at least now I can prepare for it.....well at least I will be expecting it and it won't be a total surprise.

***Rob*** · 02-08-2006, 01:02 AM

flatworms will be discussed in the next show.. just a small insider tip..

**JustDavidP** · 02-08-2006, 06:07 PM

The sponges are called Sycon sponges. They are harmless and their populations will wax and wane with the cycles of your system. Too many = too much nutrient load.

The Hydor is showing sponge growth latched onto fuzz that LOVES carbonate precip. Moving parts and heaters will show a lot of this DUST that needs to be cleaned from time to time or alga and sponge will take up residence.

The flatworms... ew... what to say there ...except don't fear the clear/translucent ones. They are common in sumps and fuges and are harmless and typically stay in check as far as numbers to. IF they are red, tan or otherwise opaque, you will have problems with corals etc.

Get rid of the valonia!! (Bubble algae) Read about it. Don't pop it in the system. Emerald (mythrax crabs can help somewhat, but manual removal is probably needed).

You also have bryopsis algae. Not much eats this. Manual removal or use of a sea hare would help.

The worm is a juvi segmented worm. Probably a bristle worm. I'll take him if you don't want em. I love them until they are about 4 inches long. Then I use them for striped bass fishing

Dave

**pham411** · 02-08-2006, 07:30 PM

ewwww p-u

hahha

**Scott** · 02-08-2006, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by Rob

flatworms will be discussed in the next show.. just a small insider tip..

nice...insider tip. :-)

**Scott** · 02-08-2006, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by JustDavidP

The sponges are called Sycon sponges. They are harmless and their populations will wax and wane with the cycles of your system. Too many = too much nutrient load.

I'm glad to be hearing from others these things are harmless. ....well, other than a good indicator of a "too much nutrient load". I used to feed the fish once a day just a pinch of flake food....I'm not feeding the same amount every other day.

The Hydor is showing sponge growth latched onto fuzz that LOVES carbonate precip. Moving parts and heaters will show a lot of this DUST that needs to be cleaned from time to time or alga and sponge will take up residence.

As for the algae on the Hydor....the snail I put on there (how many days ago now...) is still there and has eaten almost all of that algae. Now, since the snail has done such a good job at cleaning up that algae...I can see those things much better...if it was a sponge, they are gone because when I look now...they got legs and antennea (looks like the pods I have running around in my sump).

The flatworms... ew... what to say there ...except don't fear the clear/translucent ones. They are common in sumps and fuges and are harmless and typically stay in check as far as numbers to. IF they are red, tan or otherwise opaque, you will have problems with corals etc.

Well there were some clear/translucent ones....but I also see some that look red (really, really small...maybe those will go clear when they get a little larger). But my shipment should be in this week.....so I may just dose the sump anyhow.

Get rid of the valonia!! (Bubble algae) Read about it. Don't pop it in the system. Emerald (mythrax crabs can help somewhat, but manual removal is probably needed).

So far the tank is looking better, after I removed that one rock and got rid of them. Haven't seen any come back on the rock yet, it's sitting in the sump right now.

You also have bryopsis algae. Not much eats this. Manual removal or use of a sea hare would help.

Guessing that's my grass lawn. LOL I've been pulling it out when I can...bummer is, it's still growing in the display but it's totally gone from the sump. I'm sure after more time I will get rid of the grass....and end up with a nice clean tank once again. :-)

The worm is a juvi segmented worm. Probably a bristle worm. I'll take him if you don't want em. I love them until they are about 4 inches long. Then I use them for striped bass fishing

Dave

Well, there are many of them in the sump on the glass. I'm sure my neon dottyback would have a field day if I placed it in the sump. :-)

using them for bait....LOL....that's great! hahaha

Thanks for the reply Dave.

Scott

**Scott** · 02-20-2006, 08:41 PM

The flatworm extermination has (finally) begun...

I turned off the return pump and have dosed the sump with flatworm exit. Will see how long this takes. I have 5 gal standing by for a water change before turning the return pump back on. I also have some carbon standing by that I'll toss in there too.

***Rob*** · 02-20-2006, 09:14 PM

you should see it start working with in minutes...
i would also drop a few powerheads in there to get it moving around alot...

good luck to you

**Scott** · 02-20-2006, 11:41 PM

well, let it sit in the sump with some extra flow for a few hours. pulled 4 gallons out of the sump and replaced with new water.

turned on the return and saw a bunch show up in the display. Don't know if they were already in there and just showed up in the water column because of the chems in the sump....or if they got pushed up.

sucked as many out as I could with some airline tubing and my aqualifter pump. But even after doing that for some time there's still a few left floating around. Too hard to tell if they are dead or alive.

Will see how things are tomorrow...and if need be I'll get some more water and try it again.

hopefully the wrasse will feel a little better tomorrow, spooked it when I was sucking up the flatworms. Maybe it'll even do me a favor and eat a few (if the dottyback will let it roam around the tank).