flat worm

[bm4pm]

1. Type & how long you have had it: 2 weeks
2. Current lighting & Bulb Age: jewel t8 2 months old
3. Nitrate:5
4. Calcium:not tested
5. Phosphate:not tested
6. Alkalinity:not tested
7. pH:8.3
8. Salinity:1024
9. Temperature:26
10. Liquid or strip test kits:liquid
11. Location in tank:
12. Current amount of flow: 3000lth x2
13. Current tank dosing regimen:none
14. Nearby coral:none
15. Explanation of problem:dark spots on my common clowns my cardinal does not seem to be affected no other fish in the tank

i think it may be a flatworm infestation but as i am a newby im not sure the fish dont seem to be bothered. allthoght the male who is the worst seems very nervous. which is out of the norm.

 

[melosu58]

Melevsreef.com - Flatworms | How to eliminate them!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I don't believe flatworms bother fish... it's a coral issue. Normally... I'd say dark spots on clowns are due to being stung by corals like torches, frogspawn, and the like. But you say you have no corals in the tank? None?

I have heard of "black ich", but don't have any information or experience with it other than knowing the name.

 

[bm4pm]

hi
ive just checked my beginners book and th correct name is tang turbellarian disease,black spot and it is a type off flatworm . it states that it can be contracted by other fish as well but not all species . which may explain why its only affected my clowns or is it where they are paring up and its bruising???? im confused i dont now whats going on ive left it for a week and its getting worse.if it is blackspot i am considering putting my live rock in a separate tank and lowering the salinity in the main tank .i have a 25lt tank for quarantine if needed and a few bits and bobs to set up a 2nd in a container of some sort.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Hmmm... learn something new every day! After looking more into it, yup... flatworms do cause "black ich". The black spots aren't the flatworm itself, but the fish's reaction to having the worm/parasite there.

When I saw "flatworm", I thought about planaria, like Melosu linked to.