Calling all bug guru's

[monti1]

My tank has been running for about 2-3 months now. I was loking at the tank tonight and I noticed that there were thousands of tiny what look like to be browmn worm like things in the sand bed and on the rock. The rock were dry Marco rock and the only coral in the tank is a small frag of green zoos. When I got the zoos I looked at them with a magnifying glass to inspect for pests. I didn't see any. I dont know what these things are. Is there anyone out there that knows. They are so small you almost need magnifying glass just to notice them. The tank has 2 tank raised clowns, a yellow tang and a dozen snails. I only use rodi water. I have seen red bugs and flat woms and I am sure it is neither. HELP!!!!!!

[demonsp]

Do they have a feather type head?

Look here. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

[monti1]

They are so small even with a magnifying glass I cant really tell. They do not look like anything on Meles site. They look and move just like a worm but there are tons of them. The zoos have only been in the tank for like a week so I would be amazed if they came from that. Maybe I am wrong.

[monti1]

Some one suggested Planaria. Could that be a possibilty?

[demonsp]

Well you tell me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planaria

A pic would be best.

[monti1]

I dont know if they would even show up in a pic. I will try tomorrow when I can get my hands on my camera. They kind of resemble the planaria in the first photo on that link. They are jst so small I cant be sure. I need to find out how they could end up in my tank and what to do to get rid of them if they are in fact planaria. This is fun....

[melev]

On my ID page, did you click on the Pods page and on the Flatworms page yet? Each page has a subpage with a bunch of thumbnails. Turn off your pop-up stopper and click on the thumbnails to find more information about that item in a new smaller window.

We'd need an excellent description or a pretty decent picture.

Remember, you can always pull a few of these critters out of your tank (physically pull out a rock, or siphon out the critters), place them in a white dish full of tank water or set the object on a white paper towel and take your time getting a good picture for us to see.

[monti1]

Marc,

I did look at your page and I am not sure. I guess I will have to pull a few out and see if I can get a pick. Thanks for looking.

[monti1]

No chance on getting a pic. These things are just too small. I guess I will see if they will get any bigger. I am going to add a wrasse to the tank to see if they it will eat them. I was going to add a wrasse next anyway.

[melev]

You can hold a magnifying glass over them, and shoot a picture through that. That's a little challenging, but doable. http://melevsreef.com/g/fotog.gif

[monti1]

I will have to give that a go! It will have to wait until tomorrow nigh though. I want to get a bigger magnifying glass and with the snow storm we are getting here I am staying put. I will try tomorrow.

Thanks

[monti1]

Marc just to give you an idea of how small these are I have aragonite for a sand bed and 2-3 of thee suckers can fit onto 1 grain of sand. I saw your pics on your page. did you take them througha magnifying glass?

[melev]

Somewhere on my site I have a picture of how I did that. Let me see if I can find it.