Flat worms

[Drewl117]

I have a 125 mixed reef and noticed flat worms on my rock. I've heard of a few wrasses to eat these. What would be the best thing to try? I already have a red corris wrass in the tank... I didn't no if multiple wrasses would be an issue. Or should I get some flat worm exit?

 

[Dmorty217]

If you do flatworm exit be very careful, when the worms start to die their toxins will damage corals and fish so have carbon and a large water change ready to go. Wrasse will help if the problem is small, if you have a lot of worms the exit is your only choice. More than one application maybe necessary

 

[Drewl117]

Ok... Thanks... Last night I spent over an hour with a ridged air line tubing siphoning out the ones I could see.

 

[FishyFishy69]

Melanurus wrasse will go to town on them. My 8 line did the same in my frag tank. Works like a charm. I'd try that before going to checmical treatment. But if Flatworm exit must be used, it is probably the best option out there.

 

[Drewl117]

Will the Melanurus wrasse get along with other wrasses?

 

[Dmorty217]

Will the Melanurus wrasse get along with other wrasses?

Hit or miss. My Melanarus doesn't do a thing for mine, just a FYI... Didn't feed the wrasse for 3 months and that didn't make a difference either

 

[lhm nole]

I siphon the worms for months till I was tired of doing it was to leery of using flatworm exit still have 4 boxes never opened.. Bought a melanarus and have not seen one in over a year and a half.. I qt everything now including corals and janitors.

 

[Drewl117]

I'm going to have to call my fish guy and see about getting a melanarus on the way. I'd rather go that route instead of chemical.

 

[Drewl117]

Anyone ever try a gray head wrasse for flat worms in a reef tank? Seems to be the only one I can get around here at the moment.

 

[Nina51]

i have a 75g mixed reef. had a terrible flatworm problem. they were everywhere, rocks, sand, glass. i added a yellow coris wrasse and a vrolik's wrasse. within a few days, not a flatworm to be seen. haven't seen any since.

 

[Drewl117]

Just picked up a melanarus, found it an hour and a half away. Hope he does the trick once he gets to the DT!! Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

[Grkgod36]

Cool keep us posted

 

[Drewl117]

It's been about a week since I introduced the melanarus and he is doing his job! I have noticed the flat worm population is dwindling away. There has been no conflicts at all with any other fish, even the other coris wrass. He seems to be doing the trick.

 

[Drewl117]

Still have the flat worms. So... My lfs wants to sell me expired flat worm exit. It's 1 year expired. Would anyone use this? He told me $5.00

 

[Ruskin]

No. I don't think it's worth the risk at all.

 

[Drewl117]

That's what I thought... He also told me to do 4 X the dose. That's why I don't go there! I called for some exit and this is what they tell me. I guess I'll just order it.

 

[Ruskin]

You said your wrasse was doing a good job on them. Do you only have some now or has he stopped eliminating them? Could you siphon out what you have left? I did have this same problem in the past and my wrasse was able to keep them to such a small amount that I could just remove them to help finish them off. Maybe you just need to keep an eye on them before going with the exit.

 

[Nina51]

your wrasse is probably so full, he just wants to kick back in the recliner and channel surf. i'd give it a couple more weeks before i used any chemicals.

 

[Drewl117]

At 1st he was chomping them up but seems more interested in the nori and mysis. Once in a while I see him grab a few but that's it. Maybe I have it worse than I thought that's why I was going to get some "exit". I will siphon them off again next water change.

 

[SecretiveFish]

FWIW, the red planaria we had were resistant to the point of being immune to flatworm exit. There seemed to be a point of diminishing returns... a few resistant ones survived and reproduced. Unfortunately, not the only one who has had this happen.

Something killed off the flatworms in two of our tanks at the same time but not 100% sure what it was. SO has been using some Korallen-Zucht products, so it must have been one of those?