Mushroom Parasite?

[Royce]

Some of my mushrooms are infested with what looks like a parasite, but I
can't find any information on them. I have several different types of
mushrooms, but the infestation seems to be limited to one or two types. The
ones they're concentrated on are dark grayish-green and have a fuzzy
canvas-like texture. They're also on some of the red and the reddish
multi-colored mushrooms. The parasites are slow moving creatures that seem
a little larger than the head of a pin. They're about the same color as
pink coralline algae, and they're almost translucent. They seem to move in
a slow squirting motion. They look like the same creatures I discovered in
my refugium several months ago, but those were a clear translucent color.
None of the other fish or corals appear to be infected, and everything seems
healthy. My reef has been up for almost two years, and other than a few
bouts with ick, I've never had any significant parasite problems. These
things seem to be on the verge of exhausting some of the dark mushrooms. I
hope they don't spread. I haven't plucked the mushrooms yet, but it's
looking like I'm going to have to do something pretty quick. Any help is
appreciated!!
Royce

[Steve \Srfmon\]

Are they Flatworms?
Steve

"Royce" > wrote in message
...
> Some of my mushrooms are infested with what looks like a parasite, but I
> can't find any information on them. I have several different types of
> mushrooms, but the infestation seems to be limited to one or two types.
The
> ones they're concentrated on are dark grayish-green and have a fuzzy
> canvas-like texture. They're also on some of the red and the reddish
> multi-colored mushrooms. The parasites are slow moving creatures that
seem
> a little larger than the head of a pin. They're about the same color as
> pink coralline algae, and they're almost translucent. They seem to move
in
> a slow squirting motion. They look like the same creatures I discovered
in
> my refugium several months ago, but those were a clear translucent color.
> None of the other fish or corals appear to be infected, and everything
seems
> healthy. My reef has been up for almost two years, and other than a few
> bouts with ick, I've never had any significant parasite problems. These
> things seem to be on the verge of exhausting some of the dark mushrooms.
I
> hope they don't spread. I haven't plucked the mushrooms yet, but it's
> looking like I'm going to have to do something pretty quick. Any help is
> appreciated!!
> Royce
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

Yes, they sound like flatworms to me as well. You can siphon them off with
flexible airline tubing.

Marc


Steve \"Srfmon\" wrote:

> Are they Flatworms?
> Steve
>
> "Royce" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Some of my mushrooms are infested with what looks like a parasite, but I
> > can't find any information on them. I have several different types of
> > mushrooms, but the infestation seems to be limited to one or two types.
> The
> > ones they're concentrated on are dark grayish-green and have a fuzzy
> > canvas-like texture. They're also on some of the red and the reddish
> > multi-colored mushrooms. The parasites are slow moving creatures that
> seem
> > a little larger than the head of a pin. They're about the same color as
> > pink coralline algae, and they're almost translucent. They seem to move
> in
> > a slow squirting motion. They look like the same creatures I discovered
> in
> > my refugium several months ago, but those were a clear translucent color.
> > None of the other fish or corals appear to be infected, and everything
> seems
> > healthy. My reef has been up for almost two years, and other than a few
> > bouts with ick, I've never had any significant parasite problems. These
> > things seem to be on the verge of exhausting some of the dark mushrooms.
> I
> > hope they don't spread. I haven't plucked the mushrooms yet, but it's
> > looking like I'm going to have to do something pretty quick. Any help is
> > appreciated!!
> > Royce
> >
> >

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Royce]

I'm not sure if they're flatworms. I'll have to do a little research to
decide. The creatures I found in the sump (that these are similar to) had a
forked tail. They almost looked kind of like a squid or octopus with a
forked tail, but sure didn't move in the same way. It's really tough to
describe. They stuck to the glass and kind of squirted along. Good idea
Marc. I'll try to suck them out. On the negative side, I'm thinking the
mushroom will just close up, but that still sounds like the best idea so
far.

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Yes, they sound like flatworms to me as well. You can siphon them off
with
> flexible airline tubing.
>
> Marc
>
>
> Steve \"Srfmon\" wrote:
>
> > Are they Flatworms?
> > Steve
> >
> > "Royce" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Some of my mushrooms are infested with what looks like a parasite, but
I
> > > can't find any information on them. I have several different types of
> > > mushrooms, but the infestation seems to be limited to one or two
types.
> > The
> > > ones they're concentrated on are dark grayish-green and have a fuzzy
> > > canvas-like texture. They're also on some of the red and the reddish
> > > multi-colored mushrooms. The parasites are slow moving creatures that
> > seem
> > > a little larger than the head of a pin. They're about the same color
as
> > > pink coralline algae, and they're almost translucent. They seem to
move
> > in
> > > a slow squirting motion. They look like the same creatures I
discovered
> > in
> > > my refugium several months ago, but those were a clear translucent
color.
> > > None of the other fish or corals appear to be infected, and everything
> > seems
> > > healthy. My reef has been up for almost two years, and other than a
few
> > > bouts with ick, I've never had any significant parasite problems.
These
> > > things seem to be on the verge of exhausting some of the dark
mushrooms.
> > I
> > > hope they don't spread. I haven't plucked the mushrooms yet, but it's
> > > looking like I'm going to have to do something pretty quick. Any help
is
> > > appreciated!!
> > > Royce
> > >
> > >
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Royce]

Yep..flatworms they are. Man!!! It's one of those things I've seen written
about, but thought, "nahh, I don't have that problem." From reading about
this problem and others, I'm amazed by the fact that people still consider
trying to medicate something out of their reef. From what I've read,
there's not much you can use to medicate something from a reef that doesn't
kill a lot of other stuff. Seems simple to me.. if it kills the flatworms,
don't you think there's a good chance it'll kill something else!!?? Seems
the best approach is to wait for them to subside, and/or try to siphon them.
I have a lot of reef, and siphoning them away isn't as simple for me as it
might be for some. I think it might help control them, so I'm going to try
using this method. Thanks for the help!!

"Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message
.. .
> Here is a Flatworm link ==> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm
> I was thinking maybe they could be hydroids
> http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/cnidaria/hydrozoa.html
> Steve
>
> "Royce" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm not sure if they're flatworms. I'll have to do a little research to
> > decide. The creatures I found in the sump (that these are similar to)
had
> a
> > forked tail. They almost looked kind of like a squid or octopus with a
> > forked tail, but sure didn't move in the same way. It's really tough to
> > describe. They stuck to the glass and kind of squirted along. Good
idea
> > Marc. I'll try to suck them out. On the negative side, I'm thinking
the
> > mushroom will just close up, but that still sounds like the best idea so
> > far.
> >
> > "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Yes, they sound like flatworms to me as well. You can siphon them off
> > with
> > > flexible airline tubing.
> > >
> > > Marc
> > >
> > >
> > > Steve \"Srfmon\" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Are they Flatworms?
> > > > Steve
> > > >
> > > > "Royce" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > Some of my mushrooms are infested with what looks like a parasite,
> but
> > I
> > > > > can't find any information on them. I have several different
types
> of
> > > > > mushrooms, but the infestation seems to be limited to one or two
> > types.
> > > > The
> > > > > ones they're concentrated on are dark grayish-green and have a
fuzzy
> > > > > canvas-like texture. They're also on some of the red and the
> reddish
> > > > > multi-colored mushrooms. The parasites are slow moving creatures
> that
> > > > seem
> > > > > a little larger than the head of a pin. They're about the same
> color
> > as
> > > > > pink coralline algae, and they're almost translucent. They seem
to
> > move
> > > > in
> > > > > a slow squirting motion. They look like the same creatures I
> > discovered
> > > > in
> > > > > my refugium several months ago, but those were a clear translucent
> > color.
> > > > > None of the other fish or corals appear to be infected, and
> everything
> > > > seems
> > > > > healthy. My reef has been up for almost two years, and other than
a
> > few
> > > > > bouts with ick, I've never had any significant parasite problems.
> > These
> > > > > things seem to be on the verge of exhausting some of the dark
> > mushrooms.
> > > > I
> > > > > hope they don't spread. I haven't plucked the mushrooms yet, but
> it's
> > > > > looking like I'm going to have to do something pretty quick. Any
> help
> > is
> > > > > appreciated!!
> > > > > Royce
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Personal Page:
http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> > > Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> > > Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>