Flat worm Eating Fish?

[griseum]

I have several refugiums on a very large DT and in one of these fuges, which probably means all of them, there has been an outbreak of Flat worms.
What would be the best fish to purchase for each of the fuges, that will focus on the FWs and hopefully wont wipe out my copepods, amphipods, breeding snails' babies, and other microfauna as well?
Im thinking something like a wrasse, but which one and is it going to just feast on all of my biodiversity or is there something that will focus just on these pesty Flat worms?
Thanks a lot for any input. much appreciated as Im heading to the LFS shortly.

 

[jeffm59]

Melanarus Wrasse keeps all the pests down, flatworms included. I try to keep one in every tank. They are jumpers so covers are necessary

 

[SKurj]

You can have my melanrus wrasse if you can catch him...


They do eat more than just flatworms, such as every feather duster he can reach, and they can disrupt the sand bed and any corals you might place in the sand.

 

[SushiGirl]

Any wrasse will also feast on pods.

 

[nonimmigrant]

Any Halichoeres wrasse will do. Yes, they will eat pods and any live mysisd or cope's in the tank, but they will take down flatworms. Some leopard wrasses do too. I had a torch coral that was infested and my male ornate leopard took care of them in days.

 

[Reef Bass]

+1 for wrasses. My Melanarus is a coral inspecting machine. That said, I don't think wrasses and basting alone will defeat aefw. Keep them in check, possibly. Defeat them, no. I had to remove every acro and dip every week for six weeks straight to defeat aefw.

On a separate note, my Melanarus is one of the most beautiful fishes I've ever had. And I've been keeping aquariums for over 40 years.

 

[Shoryureppa]

I had a flatworm problem and my Choati Wrasse took care of it. Maybe this is your chance to get one as long as your tank permits.

 

[ReeferKimberly]

Springer's Damsel, and they are a more docile damsel.

 

[griseum]

A springers Damsel? Thats a new option. They only come around once in a while tho, at one LFS around here.
So anything that takes down Flat worms, is gonna take out pods too. Makes sense. Damn.
Thanks!

 

[small alien]

+1 for wrasses. My Melanarus is a coral inspecting machine. That said, I don't think wrasses and basting alone will defeat aefw. Keep them in check, possibly. Defeat them, no. I had to remove every acro and dip every week for six weeks straight to defeat aefw.

On a separate note, my Melanarus is one of the most beautiful fishes I've ever had. And I've been keeping aquariums for over 40 years.

I don't think the op means aefw.

 

[scott tang]

are you kiding no one has said 6 line wrass ?
i have 2 in my tank my reef loks gret flat worm and fire worm free

 

[Wolverine]

I've mentioned this on a few other threads. IME, there is no fish that is a sure bet to eat them. Any fish I've ever seen mentioned as a FW eater (including all in this thread), I've seen completely ignore them many times. My recommendation is to look at a fish that you want that may it them. If it eats them, that's a bonus. Otherwise you risk watching a fish you didn't really want go in and not do what you got it to do (or, even worse, cause damage to things you do want, like your other fish).

 

[griseum]

Just FYI these are only in my remote refugiums on a big FO/Shark display. There are no fish or corals in the fuges, except a little Xenia. So theres no risk to other fish, corals or inverts. Each fuge is either a 3 or 4 foot tank, 18" wide.
Wolverine- Thanks for responding, of course every fish is unique with its own personality and behaviors, so its definitely hit or miss with any of them. Perhaps i will go with the Velvet Nudi's, they definitely wont starve if i buy only a few and do one fuge at a time.

Any other ideas?

 

[evolved]

So this would be the only fish in the 'fuge?

This is one of those situations were I'd actually recommend a Sixline wrasse.

 

[griseum]

yup, only fish in the fuge. The only problem is, i have jumped through hoops, and im finally proud of the Biodiversity I've managed to sustain in my refugiums. Seriously, they are crazy full of lots of microfauna. I stare at one of the fuges for hours, sometimes with a magnifying glass, and watch the sand bed and dense macro-algae. Its fascinating and Im a Biologist lol. Add the two together and I amuse myself quite easily LOL.
Soooo.....
Im hesitant to add a six-line thats going to start eating all of my little critters tooo. This is the biggest problem.

 

[evolved]

Probably would, but I don't know if you're going to find a fish that will ONLY target the flatworms. I doubt one would eradicate all the tiny creatures in there; one should target the bigger/meatier things.

Regardless, I'd re-home whatever fish you add once the flatworms are gone.