Need something to eat aptasia and flat worms

[180galreef]

I am looking for a fish that eats aptasia and one that eats flat worms. Both have to be reef safe, I have a population of flat qworms in my 29 bio that I would like to keep under control, they are not causing problems but there are starting to be a lot of them. I also have noticed a few aptasia poping up in the 180, seeing as it is a large tank its not all that easy to use anything other than a fish..

Any ideas? I like wrasse but I dont have tops so carpet surfing is a concern.

 

[IGROZOAS]

Six line wrasse. I have one in my 57 rimless for 2 years. Or u can try peppermint shrimp.

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[reef4beer]

Spotted mandarins are good for flatworms

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[180galreef]

I have some flat worms that I think are to big for a mandarin, 3-4 inches in length. I have noticed the flat worm increase after my mandrine passed away now that you say that. I have been considering a six line so maybe ill go ahead and order one.

 

[boehm742]

Melanarus wrasse cleared the flatworms out in a clients tank of mine in no time! Cool looking fish too!

 

[Corals Haven]

My filefish does great with aptasias. As in for flatworms, I Have heard some wrasses eat them up!

 

[_Alex_]

Yellow corris would be better choice than a six line. Six lines have attitudes lol. If can find a small corris, will take care of them in no time.


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[jt17]

Berghia nudibrancts for Aptasia. Not an immediate or cheap cure but I've noticed reduced Aptasia numbers since I added them to my tank.

 

[Steveowhits]

In my very recent experience Berghia Nudibranch have not been effective in my reef tank. I ordered a batch of 20 nudibranch from Jermey at "new life aquatics" and have had zero reduction in Aiptasia over 3-4 months.

On the New life aquatics page it says that you should be okay with things like Six lines and Pistol shrimp because the nudibranch are not tasty..., but I strongly disagree. I added the 20 nudibranch to my 80 gallon rimless system and then never saw a single one again. I think that they were all eaten by one of my tank inhabitants. The whole reason I bought the silly slugs was because I thought I had finally found the magic bullet. Not so at all.

I keep very pristine water and I have a 3k-4k system to maintain my coral. I made the mistake of adding a huge piece of live rock that aiptasia have been creeping out of every since and thought this would work.

Berghia would be a great solution if you had a system without predators. Do not fall prey to bad advice like me. This time it cost me $150

Thanks,
Steveo

 

[mainereefer]

manual removal is best for both!

some fish eat aptasia but most that eat them eat other corals, clams or inverts. I would try pep shrimp first just make sure to get the right kind there are 2 that look very close to being the same
kalk paste works great but only do a few at a time so you dont cause any alk/ph swings

for the flatworms I would remove as many as I could and us flatworm exit! if you get a wrasse imo- green wrasses work the best for pest removal!!

 

[pickupman66]

what kind of Flat worms are we talking about here? if they are AEFW, you need to get your acros out and dip them to kill off this pest. otherwise they will increase in numbers and kill your acros, even with Wrasses. I got them in my 180 and I have a very large 6 line and melanarus. only by dipping my corals repetitively, and scraping off eggs did I terminate this pest.

as for the Aptasia, again here the best way to rid them is to manually eradicate them with chemical means. I had a Copperband butterfly who did severaly limit my population but they still came back. however, in recent months, I have noticed that some of mine are dissappearing in my tank. No clue as to why....

 

[Mr tap water]

Have you tried lemon juice with the hypodermic needle and syringe I know a lot of people say that works


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[jt17]

I just had a big Aptasia disappear last night. Today when I changed my filter sock I found 2 Bergia in the filter sock. I never see them in my tank but they are there. I'm a fan of physical removal and individual treatments but to get to the itty bitty ones in side the rocks you need something small to go in there after them.
It's been about 2 months since I added them and my Aptasia population is probably half what it used to be.


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[bct15]

What kind of flatworms and what other fish do you have and plan to get? A sixline will eat them, has no special requirements and will do fine in a 29 biocube, but will be aggressive to other wrasses when it gets bigger (by aggressive I mean murder any thee wrasse in the tank). A hoevens (melanarus) wrasse will eat them, looks like a sixline, is less aggressive but will not do well in a 29 gallon for very long and has to have at least a two inch sandbed. A mandarin might eat the small ones but is difficult to support in a 29 gallon cube.

For the aptasia, I've never had to deal with them personally so I can just repeat what I see other people have success with. There is a fish that will eat them called a matted filefish but it might nip (as well as eat) soft coral and zoas. Berghia nudis sole diet is aptasia and they will knock out the population and reproduce fast, but you need about a dozen or so to get them started. Mall paste and aptasia x works for some people and makes the problem worse for other people.

Good luck


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[NaClWater72756]

Melanarus wrasse cleared the flatworms out in a clients tank of mine in no time! Cool looking fish too!

1+
I acquired a Melanarus from a reefer friend a few months back and when I was admiring my tank last week I took note of not a single flatworm on the glass!

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