Flatworms.....

[lazyreefer]

Arrrgggghhhh.....


I've recently discovered some flat worms (not AEFW) and wanted to nip the little buggers in the bud. I got some Salifert and dosed as suggested, although it appeared they were wiped out I found a couple weeks later they were back. I dosed a second time stronger and left the product in the tank longer, again it appeared problem taken care of and I was pleased. However a few days later I seen evidence of them again.

A couple of days ago I dosed twice the amount and left in tank for 3 hours, put a sock on drain lines, ran a powerfilter off back, everything I could think of to trap every one of those guys. Never seen a speck until today, once again I see a couple dozen of the little buggars crawling up the back towards the light. Is there anyway to get rid of these guys, any natural predators ??? :neutral:

Thanks

 

[killingseed2000]

would would add a wrasse fish, like a 6 line. there are a couple good choices not sure of all them.

 

[shapermike]

I have used wrasses. I had Flatworms in am old 60 gal tank and I took it down to finely got rid of them. I tried Flatworm Ex but they cam back as well as i lost a few corals. some people have had good luck with Flatwarm Ex. I just make sure that i dip all corals before I put in to a tank.

 

[curt]

I added a melanurus wrasse over a year ago and I haven't seen a flat worm in a year or more.Worked for me.

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

Its all about what type of flatworm you have. If you have the bright orange colored ones they can carpet everything and block light from your corals. If you have the large whitish ones the same can happen. There are many other types many off brown colored that are not bad at all. 2 out of 3 bags of corals I recieve from people and vendors here on R2R contain these flatworms. They do no damage and will not affect anything. The first step is to analyze your situation and then decide if you really have a problem. If you post a picture I can help.

Some flatworms are not bad.

 

[Reef Pets]

I agree 110%! Melanurus Wrasse are not only amazing in color but they will eat flat worms all day and night until they are gone..

I added a melanurus wrasse over a year ago and I haven't seen a flat worm in a year or more.Worked for me.

 

[dakotasreef]

I agree 110%! Melanurus Wrasse are not only amazing in color but they will eat flat worms all day and night until they are gone..

I would get yourself a wrasse as previously stated. But once you get the wrasse I would do one more treatment, to help give him a jump start.

Just my .02 worth

 

[condor]

i had a mass infestation and i have not seen one in over 8 months thanks to a very hungry mandarin goby . a melanarus works but not as fast and they like to snack on your hermits

 

[lazyreefer]

Yeah, I know flatworms aren't gonna kill anything per se, unless they grow to epic proportions. But they are kind of a nuisance and if left unchecked will become a problem. I would catergorize these as the dull brown versions maybe 2-4 mm long.

The problem with the wrasse is alot of open surface area will allow him to jump out, and I'm not wanting to cover the tank up. I was hoping there might be a shrimp or crab that will take care of them.....

 

[lazyreefer]

Hmmmmm, just found this link.....anyone have any luck with Nudibranchs ??


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/short.htm

 

[dakotasreef]

According to answers.yahoo.com here are some suggestions

Chelidonura varians- The Flatworm Eating Sea Slug

Lysmata wurdemanni- Peppermint Shrimp, Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp.

Halichoeres chrysus- Golden Wrasse/Canary Wrasse

Pseudocheilinus evanidus- Pin-Striped or Striated Wrasse

Pseudocheilinus hexataenia- Sixline Wrasse

I know that they say that wrasse will jump, but I have had a six line for over a year and he has never jumped. Not to say they can't, but that would be your best and they should not bother your inverts

 

[nater]

i am in the same boat right now with the flatworms. i can't stand them. i am considering trying a couple velvet nudibranches. may even go with flatworm exit treatment before getting them in. i have been sucking them out whenever i get a chance too. i have the brown looking ones. i havn't tried a wrasse yet as i really don't want any in my tank right now. i may try a target mandarin. going to watch this one. i have heard some success with flat worm exit , i also have read about using pig or sheep wormer is also an alternate for flatworm exit.

 

[Reefhabit]

Use marine melafix solution in your dip solution and turkey baste the acro for about 3 minutes. You will see the worms fly off and wiggle violently to death. Works the best for me.

Arrrgggghhhh.....


I've recently discovered some flat worms (not AEFW) and wanted to nip the little buggers in the bud. I got some Salifert and dosed as suggested, although it appeared they were wiped out I found a couple weeks later they were back. I dosed a second time stronger and left the product in the tank longer, again it appeared problem taken care of and I was pleased. However a few days later I seen evidence of them again.

A couple of days ago I dosed twice the amount and left in tank for 3 hours, put a sock on drain lines, ran a powerfilter off back, everything I could think of to trap every one of those guys. Never seen a speck until today, once again I see a couple dozen of the little buggars crawling up the back towards the light. Is there anyway to get rid of these guys, any natural predators ??? :neutral:

Thanks

 

[icedgxe]

I am getting two velvet nudi's tomorrow. I will try and post some results after a while of them eating the pesky flatworms.

 

[iReefer]

wrasses would be my choice. melanurus wrass is great. a workaholic wrass at eating flatworms..lol

 

[OceanMinded]

try this.

When your lights are off, get a flashlight or a small LED and aim it at the corner front of the tank. It will take a while, but the flatworms should be swarming the lit area. Siphone as many out as you can. Then try FWE again. Ive been living with flatworms for a year. I cant beat them.....they won the war

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

Yeah, I know flatworms aren't gonna kill anything per se, unless they grow to epic proportions. But they are kind of a nuisance and if left unchecked will become a problem. I would catergorize these as the dull brown versions maybe 2-4 mm long.

The problem with the wrasse is alot of open surface area will allow him to jump out, and I'm not wanting to cover the tank up. I was hoping there might be a shrimp or crab that will take care of them.....

Have yours become a real problem. I used to freak at the sight of them but then I realized that they did not become a problem so who cares, its like a copepod. I would like to see a picture. I don't think that all flatworms like you describe will become a problem if unchecked

I understand you want to get rid of them. When I had the real bad orange ones a freshwater dip of everything got rid of them for me on the first try.

+1 on the melafix, they die pretty quick in that stuff

 

[110reef]

I currently have flatworms in epic proportions. They don't seem to bother anything, but it would be nice to get rid of them. That being said -

I used flatworm exit once, the dying flatworms released their toxins, and despite changing 20% of my water and adding a huge bag of carbon, they essentially wiped my tank out. So after that I decided that if I ever had them again, I would not flatworm-exit them. So now I am back infested with them, I mean I have millions...

I have a large yellow Coris Wrasse, who pays them no mind at all.
I have a mandarin, also who pays them no mind.
I put a velvet nudi in Monday, haven't seen it since. Could be hiding, could be in the overflow, could have been ground up in a powerhead. I don't know.
I may try a six-line.

But, I am not willing to potentially risk losing my whole tank to rid myself of these things which are mostly unsightly, but otherwise seem to be harmless.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

 

[nater]

i feel that if i can suck out as many as possible everyday maybe 2 times a day for a week or so, then go with FWE that i may have a chance. i don't think i will risk anything though so i may quarantine my chalice and ora collection while i do treatment. i don't feel that they are an issue as of now, but i want to try and rid them as they are an eye soar to me. i may also go with a freshwater dip on as many rocks as i can without going to crazy. probably the ones with least flow. also i will dip any colonys that i am willing to stress out. while doing treatment i plan on blasting any crevices i can. also wil be making sure that the dose i will have to use on them will be in range as to not kill any livestock. from what i hear , if you can beat them down by manually removing them as much as possible , then do 3 treatments of FWE or sheep wormer method and adding predators that eat them. this battle may be won. i will come back to this thread and post when i get started.

110reef , if you have the time to suck them out daily. you can probably beat them in time. mine where pretty bad. been working on them over the past month. all the time i was also going through red bug treatments an my corals are fine. you can suck them out with air line tubing with a piece of plastic tubing into a filter sock and not loss water.

 

[johnanddawn]

- yes SOME wrasses MAY help
- yes salifert will kill them but you must be very careful when dosing a whole tank, cause the toxins they releases when dying can and will harm both fish and corals. flatworm exit does make a good peventitive dip though
- vacuuming them is a very good solution and yes a lighted corner will attract/concentrate them for syphoning
- increase in tank flow - flatworms do not like flow and tend to accumulate in dead spots or low flow areas
- a PH can be used to blow them off surfaces and so they can go out the overflow and into the sump/skimmer area
- reduce nutrients - flatworms tend to be a sympton of high nutrient tanks as they are like corals in that they are photosynthetic but the algae in them needs nutrients
- in general well maintained tanks with low nutrients and high flow will not ever have epidemic proportions of planarians