Planaria or Rhabdocoela

Cutty · Jul 10, 2021

Can anyone please help with identifying whether these are planaria or Rhabdocoela

Thanks

Sunnyspots · Jul 11, 2021

They don't look quite right for planaria because they don't have the 'crossed eyes'. Is the pointy end the bottom or front? If it's the trailing end I'd fairly confidently say they are not planaria.

Cutty · Jul 12, 2021

I can’t see the eyes either.

They definitely have a pointed head, but not really the characteristic arrow head.

I don’t know what to do..

Sunnyspots · Jul 12, 2021

If you're really worried then start with a large water change and really thorough gravel vac. It can't do any harm as long as your tap water doesn't differ much from your tank water (for pH etc. for your fish). After that there are chemicals I believe, but I'm still not convinced they're planaria. Can you look at one down a microscope / with a magnifier? That would clinch it.

Cutty · Jul 12, 2021

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I think I will need a magnifying glass - as I am sure all the pics online are magnified. Especially when you see the very arrow like head and eyes.

Sunnyspots · Jul 12, 2021

At least they should stay still enough to examine!

Cutty · Jul 13, 2021

More pics

Sunnyspots · Jul 13, 2021

I think one or two of those photos, like that last one, may resemble this enough to assume they are planarian worms. @Colin_T said to me they are only a threat to fish eggs. I thought they were a bigger risk than that, but only based on things I'd read on the net. If you're really worried I know there are chemicals to rid them but have no experience in them I'm afraid. Also the Siamese Flying Fox is meant to eat them, if you were looking for another fish.

Cutty · Jul 13, 2021

Thanks for that. It does look very similar.
It’s funny how some pics show a very arrow like head and prominent eyes, and others, like above do not.
I have shrimp in the tank that is why I am worried, as they eat small shrimp.

Sunnyspots · Jul 13, 2021

I'd only seen the very arrow like pics too which is why I thought I'd scout around for comparisons with your new photos. That last one looks like it has 2 darkened areas where the 'eyes' go so, if the lighter spots just weren't clear enough due to resolution issues, I thought it might be a planarian. It's still not definite. Slippery little sods, aren't they!

Cutty · Jul 13, 2021

No, the eyes aren’t clear at all to the plain eye - maybe under a microscope it’s different.

Thanks for all the effort.

It’s so hard to tell the difference between planaria and Rhabdocoela.

I think so far it’s 60% planaria and 40% not.

Cutty · Jul 13, 2021

Final post with some better pics. Hopefully it clarifies what they are

Sunnyspots · Jul 13, 2021

Cutty said:
Final post with some better pics. Hopefully it clarifies what they are

They have the eyes! Brilliant pics, by the way. So, definitely planaria. I'd give the tank and substrate a good wipe and vacuum if I were you and then consider treating it once you've removed any snails you want to keep, and probably the shrimp too.

I reckon you got there in the end identifying them!

Slaphppy7 · Jul 13, 2021

Planaria in Aquariums: How to Identify and Eliminate Them

Find out how to identify and eliminate planaria from your aquarium. Learn effective methods to keep your tank clean and pest-free!

fishlab.com

Cutty · Jul 13, 2021

Thanks so much.

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