# Nemerteans?



## xbrennan (Mar 25, 2018)

Saw these in my powder orange iso culture. They were hanging out where I had placed some fish food. I made sure to microwave the fish food for a full minute before using it, so I don't think they came in off that. I didn't see them anywhere else in the culture either.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

First off, there is a general confusion concerning so-called "nemerteans". There are terrestrial nemerteans but they are extremely rare viv pests. When you hear about "nemertean infestations" in the hobby, 99.9% of the references are actually a terrestrial flatworm - Rhynchodemus sp.

Your pest is not a flatworm nor a nemertean, however. These are fly larvae. Our fly-loving entomologist member may be able to give you a better id...


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## xbrennan (Mar 25, 2018)

kimcmich said:


> Greetings,
> 
> First off, there is a general confusion concerning so-called "nemerteans". There are terrestrial nemerteans but they are extremely rare viv pests. When you hear about "nemertean infestations" in the hobby, 99.9% of the references are actually a terrestrial flatworm - Rhynchodemus sp.
> 
> Your pest is not a flatworm nor a nemertean, however. These are fly larvae. Our fly-loving entomologist member may be able to give you a better id...


Oh ok awesome, not sure how fly larvae got in, but as long as they are not flatworms haha. Thanks for the help, I tossed them from the culture anyway. We will see if more pop up.


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## Ravage (Feb 5, 2016)

Kimcmich is correct about the maggots. A sure way to tell if you have a nemertean is to tap its butt with a toothpick- projectile mouth parts will shoot out of the anterior end. Watch the vid around the 1:00 mark.


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## xbrennan (Mar 25, 2018)

Ravage said:


> Kimcmich is correct about the maggots. A sure way to tell if you have a nemertean is to tap its butt with a toothpick- projectile mouth parts will shoot out of the anterior end. Watch the vid around the 1:00 mark.


Thats really helpful, Ill definitely keep this in mind for the future. Thank you!


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