parasites on my mushrooms - Page 2

Reef Lover · 03-11-2006, 04:46 PM

How much iodine do I use and what should the water temp be?

RAVEN · 03-11-2006, 06:12 PM

check out www.wetwebmedia.com and type in red planaria flat worms in search or (pest flat worm control).

Reef Lover · 03-12-2006, 04:47 AM

If the dip doesn't work I could always get a 6 line wrasse.

Birdlady · 03-12-2006, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickzter

See if an iodine dip will help them. I think freshwater dip will also drop the suckers. Do it before they hurt the mushroom. You know, their not just sitting there and relaxing on the mushroom, they are eating it alive and they reproduce like crazy. If I were you, I'd take that thing out and treat it ASAP.

Like amcarrig mentioned, looks like brown flatworms, red planaria is deeper red.

They are not eating the mushroom alive...!

The eat foodstuffs like the rest of the critters in our systems. They can, however, block enough light from the photosynthetic critters they sit on to kill them, if their numbers are large enough.

I had a small outbreak at one point, and it resolved itself. I did nothing really. Try not to overfeed on things like phytoplankton.

Here is one method of removal...

http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

And the Wetwebmedia version (of live and let die unless very pestulent)

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm

Not a big deal really, unless it gets out of control. I believe Matt used a method of siphoning them out at night. Use a flashlight in one corner of the tank and they will begin to congregate there. Then siphon the suckers out.

Dips won't work on these, as far as I know.

Reef Lover · 03-12-2006, 05:50 AM

That's what I read, That they are basically cleaning off the coral but blocks the light that the coral should be receiving. Don't they also need light to survive? Should I cut back on the lights?

Birdlady · 03-12-2006, 06:05 AM

I don't believe they are photosynthetic, so no, I would not worry about the lights...

Reef Lover · 03-12-2006, 06:12 AM

Thanks. It doesn't seem to bother the mushrooms. They go from their usual nickle size to bigger than half-dollar size. Once the day lights go on the worms go under the mushrooms.

Birdlady · 03-12-2006, 06:15 AM

If they are not really nuisance size yet, I would cut back on feedings a little, and see how the next two weeks go and see if it doesn't resolve on it's own first.

If you use the Flatworm Exit, you will need to siphon them off and do a water change due to the die off toxins. So, wait and see what happens...

Reef Lover · 03-12-2006, 06:25 AM

I had them since Jan. It was only 2 and now there's a lot.

amcarrig · 03-12-2006, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdlady

I don't believe they are photosynthetic, so no, I would not worry about the lights...

Actually yes, they are photosynthetic. If you had them, you'd notice that they like to hang out on the tank glass, close to the lights. One way that folks suction them out of their tanks is by turning the tank lights off and pointing a flashlight at the glass. The worms will gather in the light beam and the aquarist can then suck them out.