I just started my 30 gallon tall tank a little over a week ago. I bought it used with dry rock and "live sand (coral)" that had actually been dry for about a week but was still sort of damp in the container. I bought a scoup of live sand and a couple small pieces of live rock to get things going. I had the LFS test my water and purchased some 7 snails, 6 hermits and an emerald crab yesterday. Today I looked in the tank and it looked like a snail was curled up without a shell and sunctioned onto the glass. I went an got an extra shell and when I came back there was a snail shell in the same spot with a dead snail inside. However, there was also slithering across the rock this slug looking thing that was brown with white spots. Now I don't know if the slug looking thing is really a snail without a shell or if it is something else and killed the snail. So confused. I put the shell in, anyway. Plus ... the I put the dead snail back in. I figured the crabs will eat it.
Snail without a shell or other ID?
1 - 20 of 29 Posts
Joined
·
359 Posts
Looks like a aefw to me? Although it looks kinda big hard to tell size from pic.
Joined
·
359 Posts
Well if there is one there are prob eggs! I feel for ya! At least it's not a super established full grown out reef! And yes it's hiding you can use a turkey blaster to blow them off the rocks and corals. But you are going to have to be vigilant with a dip I use the Bayer dip personally!
I have heard that it takes up to 8 dips to get rid of aefw's at one a week! So 8 weeks!
Keep us posted on progress and method of extermination!
I have heard that it takes up to 8 dips to get rid of aefw's at one a week! So 8 weeks!
Keep us posted on progress and method of extermination!
Joined
·
247 Posts
That looks like a polyclad flatworm. Google it...and get it out as quick as possible.:butcher:
Yes, it wasn't just in the vicinity of the snail ... It was covering the whole snail. At the time (in the morning rush with the kids) I didn't realize that is what was going on. It was in the back corner of the tank and I just thought is was a snail that lost its shell (I put some hermits and snails in together knowing that the hermits might eat the snails, however, the hermits are much smaller than the snails and so far have left them alone). In retrospect I think what I was really seeing was this flatworm thing completely covering the snail. I wish I would have took pics of that! It was big ... like 2-3 inch size which seems bigger than the AEFW I see online. I need to go on a flatworm hunt, I guess. LFS said to try to grab it out with some tweezers but that sucker is actually pretty fast! I may just take the rock out and dip in fresh water and put back in?
Well ... for the clean up crew I was following the advice of Preuss Pets. It is a new tank to me but the substrate and some rock was live. I used pre-mixed saltwater and had them test the water prior to purchasing 9 days later. So I guess if it was too soon it was only on their advice. I was willing to wait. 
Is there a guideline somewhere on waiting times, etc. They told me I could come back next week to test the water to see if it was ready for fish but I was planning on waiting a bit longer to see how the CUC is doing before investing in fish.
Is there a guideline somewhere on waiting times, etc. They told me I could come back next week to test the water to see if it was ready for fish but I was planning on waiting a bit longer to see how the CUC is doing before investing in fish.
Joined
·
2,067 Posts
Just pull the rock out and dip it in fresh water. Or you could use the turkey baster. Also say to early for fish and or cuc. 9 days it probably hasent even started to cycle yet.
Joined
·
1,386 Posts
It's not an aefw...it's 100% a polyclad Flatworm. I have had them in my last reef and I couldn't keep snails or clams at all!! You will not be able to get him out with tweezers because he'll split very easily. Honestly, considering such a new tank, I would just start over with new rock!
I have heard that you can use a small tupperware. Cut slits into it and place a couple snails inside. The devil....I mean flatworm will crawl inside for dinner and then stay in for a nap. You can pull the whole tupperware out in the morning. It might take a few days because they don't eat every night. I never had luck with this method and I just learned to live with them in my established reef tank. As I said before, I'd throw the rock away and just start over. You'd be better off with a rock covered in aptiasia then have one of these guys eating all your snails. They are the cockroaches of the reef aquarium!!
I have heard that you can use a small tupperware. Cut slits into it and place a couple snails inside. The devil....I mean flatworm will crawl inside for dinner and then stay in for a nap. You can pull the whole tupperware out in the morning. It might take a few days because they don't eat every night. I never had luck with this method and I just learned to live with them in my established reef tank. As I said before, I'd throw the rock away and just start over. You'd be better off with a rock covered in aptiasia then have one of these guys eating all your snails. They are the cockroaches of the reef aquarium!!
Joined
·
1,386 Posts
See, now you have multiple polyclad flatworms. DANGER! Stop now and cut your losses. Start with fresh rock. Let the tank sit without rock for a few days and watch for any stray flatworms to show up.......then start fresh. Heck, just to be safe I might drain the tank of everything and clean it with 10:1 bleach water.How long should I dip it for? I tried to flush him out which just broke off some pieces. I read that larger pieces can form into new flatworms.
OK. So I think I'm just going to keep this specific rock out. It was actually dry rock before (for about a week ... between when the other guy drained his tank and when I bought it). I'm betting the flatworm didn't come in on that rock but now he's in there and in pieces. : ( Lots of pieces. So ... can I treat that rock with something and put it back in later?? It's actually a really big nice piece with lots of holes so I would like to keep it. Also, should I add the other rocks back in slowly? Should I keep them dry or treat them before putting them back in? I can get another piece of live rock from the fish store tomorrow ... even though that's where he came from. I also got an aptasia in a small piece of live rock from the LFS. Maybe I am just unlucky in rock selection ... all this in only 2 small pieces of live rock and a bunch of dry rock. I also got a bristle worm in my small piece of live rock.
I also got an aptasia in a small piece of live rock from the LFS. Maybe I am just unlucky in rock selection ... all this in only 2 small pieces of live rock and a bunch of dry rock. I also got a bristle worm in my small piece of live rock.
Joined
·
1,386 Posts
If he came from the LFS, then it's a crap shoot on getting more from them. I would treat the rock, bake it, soak in fresh water and then do it again two more times. It's better to deal with this issue now before you have a great reef tank with lots of nice corals. Although, if I remember correctly, there is not much you can use to treat for polyclads, they really are like cockroaches. Do some internet searches to confirm this.
I agree that it will be easier to treat it now. Hopefully the little guys I have in there now can survive all this change. I'm going to put the other pieces of rock back in and watch closely, now that I know what it is I can get it out if I see another one. Shoot, I caught him eating a snail but just didn't understand what was going on! I could of got the whole nasty thing while he was busy chowing down!
1 - 20 of 29 Posts
