flatworm erradication natually????

[Hens4Fish]

Ok, So I have a few flatworms in my tank. Not tons, but I can see some here and there. I have a six line currently controling the population(I think). So what other fish hav people actually seen or used to erradicate these things. I know the yellow coris wrasse works, but I cant find one on line. Any other fish/inverts. Must be reef safe.
Thanks,
Bill

 

[dcombs44]

Mine eventually became a victim of overproduction.

They reproduced to mass levels, and apparently starved themselves out and disappeared.

I guess water changes were enough to offset any toxins given off as they slowly died off.

Had they all died at once, I may have had problems.

 

[Doolin]

I've heard that Mandarin will eat them...

 

[dcombs44]

I have a mandarin, and I never saw her touch them, but, like I said, they're gone, so maybe she did.

She was pretty fat there for a while.

 

[junio]

Wrasses are the best flatworm controling fish. Mellanurus is the best.

 

[dcombs44]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15389914#post15389914 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by junio
Wrasses are the best flatworm controling fish. Mellanurus is the best.

I've heard that as well. I've heard that most wrasse species of genus Halichoeres will eat them, but particularly melanurus.

 

[davocean]

I haven't heard mandarins eating them, but never know.
Coriss is what most use from what I've read.
FWE is safe if used properly.

 

[Hens4Fish]

I have FWE, just wanted to try natural first. I have some nice corals that I dont want to loose due to a mistake by me if I dont do the correct water change. Thanks for all the info, any others with experience? I might just get a manarin. I have a 75 with just the six line and clown. Should do fine if it does not eat them.

 

[dcombs44]

Carbon is a must with FWE, as is suctioning out as many worms as possible before during and after treatment.

I almost lost my fish b/c I didn't get enough of them vaccuumed out.

 

[Aquafred]

Sorrry for the Hijack but would anyone think having a mandarin, yellow wrass and sixline in a coral introduction tank be a safe bet not to introduce those? would that and a dip in revive & another in FWE for example be good enough for those who can't get interceptor?

 

[dcombs44]

Depending on the size of the tank, you probably don't want to mix the wrasses with the mandarin. They will out compete the mandarin for food and it will starve.

People will do various coral dips to eliminate pests. Melev combines revive, interceptor and iodine.

Read here: http://www.melevsreef.com/pest_control.html

FWE can be ordered from various places online.

 

[davocean]

Agree w/ that depending on tank size, but I personally don't like mixing wrasses and mandy's.
Even w/ enough pods, some wrsses will pick on mandy's just because they compete for same food.
And need lots of LR for mandy, not sure how your coral intro tank is set up.
Interceptor from my understanding is mainly for red bugs.

 

[dcombs44]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15390200#post15390200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean

Interceptor from my understanding is mainly for red bugs.

I think that's right. Melev will first do a dip with Interceptor to remove redbugs, then follows with revive and tropic marine pro coral cure to remove other pests.

 

[Aquafred]

Thanks for the info. I edited my post as it's Interceptor that I don't have access to and not FWE. so do you think the combination FWE, Revive and Tropic marine procoral cure is enough without Interceptor?
My Q tank for corals is not set yet but I'm just planning one. might avoid getting the mandarin in a Q tank as it will not have any pods to eat with the frequent treatments whereas yellow cories and sixline will eat frozen and prepared food...

 

[dcombs44]

You can get interceptor from any veterinarian's office. It has to be prescribed, but access is pretty easy.

Agreed to avoid the mandy in the QT. Also, if you're going to be treating in the QT, I'm not sure I would keep any fish in there. I'd do the dipping and treating outside the QT, and just use the QT for observation. Constantly throwing chemicals in there with fish will be detrimental to the fish and the coral. Just MHO.

Depending on what coral you plan to keep, you could probably make it w/o interceptor, as I think they mainly attack sps, but if you can use it, why not be on the safe side to keep unwanted critters out of the tank.