Flatworms gaining numbers

Ratsinmyhead · Apr 17, 2019

I forgot the name of these but if I remember from my research they eat pods. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Tank is only 4 months old. Had lots of pods but not as many now. These worms seem to congregate on the glass in an area of low flow. Question is do I let it run it’s course and see if it subsided, or should I nuke them now. Nothing much in tank but a firefish, pods, and a couple brittle stars.

Justin Cook · Apr 17, 2019

My advice would be to nuke them now while their numbers are low. I had a similar situation and used a flatworm exit chemical and added a 6 line wrasse. No more flatworms! Getting at the early is helpful because a lot of the negative side effects of treating them comes from a massive number of dead flatworms and now the actual chemical. I was VERY hesitant to treat but it worked well and any stragglers got taken care of by the 6 line.

Oshengems · Apr 17, 2019

Before you Nuke them try to syphon out as many as you can and have that carbon ready

Oshengems · Apr 17, 2019

They leave a nasty toxin behind after they are dead

sfin52 · Apr 17, 2019

have lots and lots of carbon and water ready for a large or multiple large water changes .

Look at a pink stripped wrasse. They do the same thing as a six line but dont get mean.

Ratsinmyhead · Apr 17, 2019

Dang you guys are quick. Thank you all. I will start making more water now. Tank is 180g so it takes a little bit but I do have 3 brute trash cans ready to fill. Any idea if a dusky wrasse would go after them? That is one of the fish I have on my stocking list.

Justin Cook · Apr 18, 2019

I did a quick search and it looks like a dusky wrasse should do the trick too. I don't know much about them but it looks like some people have had luck using them for pest removal.