Flatworms

They can become a problem over time not from eating your corals(unless acro eating flatworms but u won't see those on the glass) but from covering them and aggitating them. Get yourself a wrasse like Six line or yellow coris or get some flatworm exit and you can treat the whole tank. Chances are there are eggs all over the place so you will have to treat several times. The wrasse will however eat them and keep them in check.

Hope that helps.
 
I got a melanarus wrasse about a year ago. He took care of the pest problem and eats pellets and mysis. Reef safe.

Coincidentally he is also for sale (20$) and I am taking him out tomorrow. Let me know if you're interested.
 
MADtanks said:
Chances are there are eggs all over the place so you will have to treat several times. The wrasse will however eat them and keep them in check.
Click to expand...


I'm not a huge fan of using chemical treatments for Red Planaria (red flatworms). I always would rather find some kind natural approach to rid the tank of them. Don't get me wrong Flatworm Exit works, I've used it in the past but my SPS corals lost some PE and color after dosing the tank. While it all came back months later, I'd just rather not stress them out like that again.
If you do decide to use it make sure you siphon out as many of them as you possibly can. You can use a mesh bag tied to the end of your siphon tube going back into your sump, that way you won't need to have mixed and heated make up water to deal with. After treatment use a net to catch all the floating dead ones. They produce a toxin when they die and that's what will harm your other tank inhabitants.
After that's all been done be sure to do at least a 25% water change followed by running carbon. Carbon will help neutralize the toxins they relese. You'll more than likely have to dose at least one more treatment to kill off any of the newly hatched ones.
I now prefer to add a flatworm eating wrasses to my reef. I have a Yellow Corris wrasse that eats them every now ( Others have had great luck with them) and then but hands down my Melanurus eats them like a machine. I've heard many other reefers having success with Six Lines against Red Flatworms as well.
Either way try to nip it in the bud soon. Their populations can explode rapidly. Good luck! :)
 
yup same here, thats why i always keep a coris in my tanks ;)..... but i know for sure that flatworm exit works just as well so added it as a choice although not my first.

GL indeed
 
The wife's tank had epic proportions develop in no time, don't take these lightly. I bought a six line and KZ flatworm stop. The KZ product absolutely does nothing more than strengthen the corals and helps keep them at bay. Took about a month, but the six line is so fat, and I cannot see the worms at all. The KZ product says to continue dosing for three months.
 
thanks for the suggestions, this helps..
gmate - I noticed the wrasse has been sold. thanks for the offer. I ve PMd you on LR though.
 
I hit my tank before it became a huge problem....and still had to do 3 treatments with flatworm exit!!! Hit them fast...hit them hard!!! Do not wait!!
I would not count on fish to eat them as a cure. Years ago I had them and used a green mandarin. It seemed to work, and I saw no more flatworms. The mandarin died...and they were back with a vengeance. I really think they were never truly gone. Bomb them!!!
 
Tweaked said:
The wife's tank had epic proportions develop in no time, don't take these lightly. I bought a six line and KZ flatworm stop. The KZ product absolutely does nothing more than strengthen the corals and helps keep them at bay. Took about a month, but the six line is so fat, and I cannot see the worms at all. The KZ product says to continue dosing for three months.
Click to expand...

The korallen-zucht 'Flatworm Stop' product is only intended in helping the fight against the acropora coral flatworm and not the red planaria flatworm. I found the name of the product 'Flatworm Stop' to be a little misleading, thinking that it was a product which was also intended to assist in the fight against the rust looking red planaria flatworm but its not. I've purchased and used the product myself to try and rid my tank of a red planaria flatworm outbreak and my feedback is that the 'Flatworm Stop' product does NOT affect the red planaria flatworm at all. I then went ahead and even double checked with a korallen-zucht company representative via email and their response was that the product hadn't been tested on the red planaria (or any other flatworm), other than the acropora eating flatworm.
 
Thanks for the distinction. I believe I have the acropora flatworm.
I actually did a heavy dosing a week ago. Another dosing is due tomorrow. I am starting to think I may have to have a couple of more doses based on what I see. I don't have a heavy infestation to be honest (atleast based on what I can see), but they are persistent. This was interesting - http://www.melevsreef.com/aefw.html
I am sure this is a good ref here in reefcentral.
 
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