Red Flatworms!

[sianeds]

Does anyone know how to get rid of these little beasties??

I have a plague of them in my spare "hospital" tank

 

[Pheonix]

wrasses eat these little dudes thats probably your best bet, failing that if its only a hospital take nuke em with something copper based

 

[sianeds]

I guess I'll try a wrasse first as I am hoping to put a Dwarf Lionfish in the tank at some point in the near future..... Plus I have a couple of corals recovering in there after a battle with the dreaded Aiptasia.....(which put up a good fight but eventually I won with the help of some Joes Juice and many hours of muttered curses)

 

[SkiFletch]

If a small fiary wrasse fails you, look into treating with a product called flatworm exit. DO NOT place corals from the contaminated tank back into the main display until any treatments are completed. You dont want flatworms in your main tank

 

[dixaisy930]

I highly recommend the sixline wrasse. About 2 days after I added mine, I saw no flatworms in my 29 gallon tank.

 

[SkiFletch]

I highly recommend the sixline wrasse. About 2 days after I added mine, I saw no flatworms in my 29 gallon tank.

Yeah 6-lines are probably the best commonly available flatworm predator. Other good choices are Cirhillabrus genus wrasses, Parachilleneus genus wrasses, small psuedochromis, and dragonets (mandarins and scooters). I wouldnt advise the last two of course for reasons posted throughout this and other forums.

 

[sianeds]

nothing from the affected tank is ever ever going back into my main tank!!!

I will get a wrasse ASAP.....

Just wondering though...will they harm my urchin at all??

My marine inverts book has them down as a pest but doesn't list why

 

[SkiFletch]

Larger wrasses CAN pester certain urchins to death, but usually 6-lines are never that big. Even then, they can really only go after pencil urchins as most other species have too many spines for a wrasse to get at its' flesh

 

[sianeds]

Thanks Ski

My bad wording there...I meant to ask why are flatworms considered a pest

 

[SkiFletch]

Cause they multiply like bunnies and look ugly

 

[sianeds]

But they don't actually damage corals or fish??

 

[SkiFletch]

MOST corals are not damaged by them, its really only the fragile sensitive ones that are at-risk.

 

[sianeds]

Oh well that's good to know...I will get a Sixline Wrasse as soon as I see a nice one. TBH I have been fancying one for a while but was a bit worried it might disturb my peaceful tank. Now I actually have a valid excuse!! As soon as my new bigger tank is up and running I'll pop it in with the other fish as it should have more than enough room to live without bothering anyone else!

 

[bunjiweb]

I have a few red ones in one of my mantis tanks. They spend their whole time on the glass at the top of the aquarium which leads me to believe they are either photosynthetic or possibly algae eating flat worms...

Ben

 

[joseywhales]

I had a tankful of these damn things and bought a six line wrasse and he gobbled them up. I would also suck them out when I did a water change. but the wrasse works great and they are cool swimmers. Quik as hell.