flatworms!?
- Thread starter Jah2707
- Start date
aquaconnect
New member
The wrasse I have from africa eats them, as well as the monti eating nudi's that are going around. I'll get the name for you this evening.
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aquaconnect
New member
Halichores iradius, also known as the Radiant Wrasse. Very, very difficult to come by, but cheap. Live Aquaria has 1 med in stock right now, and that's about the 4th one I've seen on the market since I got mine. I just happened to find someone who had one to take care of his monti eating nudi's, picked it up from him and it took care of them and all my flatworms.
And just a heads up to everyone, these monti eating flatworms are going around in this area. I don't have any in my tank, and haven't since this past summer. However, someone unknowningly does have these and is passing them around like Herpes! These nudi's are ultra distructive and basically your monti's just look like they have patches kind of dying off here and there, when in fact it's not a disease, it's a parasite. So again, everyone needs to be on the look out for these, and flatworms!
And just a heads up to everyone, these monti eating flatworms are going around in this area. I don't have any in my tank, and haven't since this past summer. However, someone unknowningly does have these and is passing them around like Herpes! These nudi's are ultra distructive and basically your monti's just look like they have patches kind of dying off here and there, when in fact it's not a disease, it's a parasite. So again, everyone needs to be on the look out for these, and flatworms!
Medicine Man
Premium Member
Just FYI, I have a Christmas wrasse that has the same diet tendencies. Eats flat worms. I bought mine from Fish so I'm sure he can get them. HTH
SoupySteve
Reefer Dadness
I also have a case of the rust-colored flatworms. I'm relatively sure of where they came from, but like the mentioned herpes, it could've been prevented (had I used proper QT techniques). I checked out both the radiant and the x-mas wrasse as I would also rather have a natural predator take care of the problem. I bought a spotted mandarin hoping he would eat them - and he does, but such a small, slow creature doesn't make much of a dent on their numbers.
I've had limited success using my siphon to remove them directly from the rock.
What other non-chemical ways have you all used?
These guys seem to love any sort of plant life - so could I assume that once they've eaten all my macros and turf algae that some should just die-off without a food source?
I've had limited success using my siphon to remove them directly from the rock.
What other non-chemical ways have you all used?
These guys seem to love any sort of plant life - so could I assume that once they've eaten all my macros and turf algae that some should just die-off without a food source?
aquaconnect
New member
I used it before in my old tank where I had an HUGE plague. It worked alright, but my corals looked like crap for about a month afterward and my skimmer went nuts for a week.
I don't know anyone who has been able to successfully rid their tank completely just by using flatworm exit. Does it help, somewhat. Does it get rid of them all, no. And in my tank, they built up a tolerance to flatworm exit. After a few doses, it just more or less stunned them w/o actually killing most of them. Let me tell you, these things can move fast when they feel its in the tank.
If you don't care to take a risk, here's what you should do. Get a small 1/4" or 1/2" hose. Attach pantyhose to the end of the hose that is going into a bucket. Start a siphon and suck up as many as you can, while catching them in the pantyhose filter. Pour the water back in the tank and repeat as necessary. It's a pain in the butt, the hose clogs over and over, but try to get as many out as you can before treat because flatworms put of a toxin when they die, which is what fish and corals respond too. Then, if you really want to, dose your tank. I double dosed mine, let it set about 5 minutes, then did a 30% water change and kicked my skimmer back on. The following day, I did another 25% water change.
To actually fix the problem, you need to get something that eats them. Flatworm exit works, but it can cause problems. Also, these things bury themselves deep into sandbeds where the flatworm exit doesn't penetrate, which is why you need something natural to get ahead of them. Some say 6 line wrasses, which are hit or miss. A radiant wrasse is what I would recommend.
How I got completely rid of mine was, I bought all new rock and sand, took my tank to the car wash, hosed it out, put everything else back in after I treated my corals with Tropic marin dip, but still had some survive, but then got a radiant wrasse and haven't had any since last July.
Good luck!
I don't know anyone who has been able to successfully rid their tank completely just by using flatworm exit. Does it help, somewhat. Does it get rid of them all, no. And in my tank, they built up a tolerance to flatworm exit. After a few doses, it just more or less stunned them w/o actually killing most of them. Let me tell you, these things can move fast when they feel its in the tank.
If you don't care to take a risk, here's what you should do. Get a small 1/4" or 1/2" hose. Attach pantyhose to the end of the hose that is going into a bucket. Start a siphon and suck up as many as you can, while catching them in the pantyhose filter. Pour the water back in the tank and repeat as necessary. It's a pain in the butt, the hose clogs over and over, but try to get as many out as you can before treat because flatworms put of a toxin when they die, which is what fish and corals respond too. Then, if you really want to, dose your tank. I double dosed mine, let it set about 5 minutes, then did a 30% water change and kicked my skimmer back on. The following day, I did another 25% water change.
To actually fix the problem, you need to get something that eats them. Flatworm exit works, but it can cause problems. Also, these things bury themselves deep into sandbeds where the flatworm exit doesn't penetrate, which is why you need something natural to get ahead of them. Some say 6 line wrasses, which are hit or miss. A radiant wrasse is what I would recommend.
How I got completely rid of mine was, I bought all new rock and sand, took my tank to the car wash, hosed it out, put everything else back in after I treated my corals with Tropic marin dip, but still had some survive, but then got a radiant wrasse and haven't had any since last July.
Good luck!
suliaman007
Tap Water Only Club
a yellow coris wrasse will also do the job
Jah2707
Member
Thanks guys. One is being ordered by a friend and should be in, in the next couple weeks. I am not exactly sure which WRASSE it will be but it will be in the right wrasse family. I did a water change last night and sucked as many of the suckers as I could! As you could imagine I probably won't be bringing any corals to the frag swap for a while. Thanks again for the help
