red flakes

Question
QUESTION: I saw the post by Eliza on red flakes on glass. These are irregular, mostly square flakes that are all over the rocks and glass. Would a dragonet help eat them, whatever they are? They appeared about the same time as tiny white starfish.

ANSWER: Hello,

I dont recall 'Elizas' message.  Can you please describe the 'red flakes'?

Dragonnettes are very finicky eaters.  Typcialy they like copepods and very small foods...  (have you seen thier little mouths?)

SO, my first thoought would be to say no. but if yo uwould like to send me more info, I will be glad to review this for you.

good luck


Bill



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I was wondering if these were some kind of copepod or scavenger (they appeared around the same time as the white starfish). The best way I can describe what they look like is that they look like small red flake food - except that they are on the aquarium glass and over the rock. They sit on some of the corals but don't seem to have done damage.
The fish seem to ignore them (clownfish, cardinals)

Answer
AHHH,

got it... sorry. I am slow sometimes.

Try searching for 'red bugs'  or Flatworm  and aquarium  and aefw

Try not to read ONE article or fromone source.  not all red bugs are bad, in that they may not do damage.  They may become ugly and unatractive, but some species are omnivore and may eat corals.  These are commonly called Acropora Eating Flatworm, AEFW for short.

If you are not really having problems with corals dieinig off, then these maybe the 'ok' version

They do sell different products for  these guys.. And there is a 'vet prescibed' medication that we use.  We call it 'interceptor'.  I am not sure of the medicine name for that, sorry.

The over the counter stuff is called Flatworm Exit.  Ther eis another product called Revive.

Please let me know if this is what the 'flakes' are...

And please let meknow what you end up doing.



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