ok so I have flatworms now what??

[damac20]

I have flat worms in my tank. I know there is a product called flatworm exit. Has anyone used it? Is it safe? How effective is it? Also is there a more natural approach to getting rid of them. I'd rather purchase a fish or invert that likes to eat them rather than dump more chemicals into the tank.

 

[affan]

FWE is made by Salifert. Good product, good reviews, and is very effective. As for more chemicals, the very salt you put in your tank, in essence, is all chemicals. Go with FWE.

 

[damac20]

yeah I know....but its also and excuse to buy something

 

[antonsemrad]

FWE kills pods, worms, small shrimp, ect.. And at least in my case they (flatworms) came back three months later... Good Luck.

Ant

 

[skeeter-doc]

i say get a mandarin!

 

[annamarie421]

I bought a sixline wrasse in hopes that it would eat my flatworms. I'm sure it eats some of them, but basically the population is staying at the same level. Whatever you decide to do, don't waste any time, because the darn things multiply quickly - and I wouldn't count on any fish/invert to rid you of them.
Good luck!
Anna

 

[Ooulophilia]

I have had very little sucess using fish to eat them (mandarin, coris, ect..). The velvet nudi eats them, but seems to have a prediposition to powerheads/overflows.
If your flatworm population is not at plague proportions, I have used this in the past - take a piece of clear glass/acrylic and put it on your sand. Focus a light source on it (I use a small maglite) after your lights go out. Before they pop on in the morning, rinse off the plate under the tap. Flatworms are photosynthetic, so they travel to the plate. More of a preventitive than a cure all, but something I do if I see a few in my tank.

 

[annamarie421]

Thanks for that tip, Ooulophilia - I'm going to give that a shot tomorrow!