Red Flatworms

[RRaider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15529080#post15529080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justincognito
My 2 Cents:

Flatworms are a symptom and not an issue by themselves alone. No one is addressing the CAUSE of the flatworms. Flatworms like low flow, nutrient rich water. If you have tons all the time, and siphon them out and they keep coming back, there is an issue with your system, stocking and maintenance.

Flatworms are common in newly set-up systems, they usually go away in 4-6 months in a properly functioning system. I have systems that i can dump flatworms in all day and they will not maintain a sustainable population.

You will often notice they congregate where there is low flow. Increasing your flow in these areas will help. Also it is proven they prefer high nutrients, as they feed on these dissolved organic directly, as well as supplement their feeding through photosynthesis. Remove the nutrients, and the flatworms have a hard time surviving. Also it is believed that they require silicates, remove the silicates, no flatworms. The use of Ferrous Oxide phosphate removers will take out phosphates and silicates they need to survive.

Wrasses will help, as they eat straglers and make it hard for the flatworms to be out in the open. But all the suggestions on this thread have not made one mention of system design and maintanence. What is your nitrate, phosphate levels? What is your total tank flow? By addressing these issues you will take care of those suckers.

In short:

MORE FLOW

LESS NUTRIENTS and SILICATES

SYSTEM OVER 6 MONTHS OLD

EQUALS NO FLATWORMS

I've seen you post this more than once, but I disagree as well. I believe the planaria I have are photosynthetic just like most corals. I have a 29g tank with plenty of sps, no measurable nitrates, phosban reactor, no algae problems (i rarely have to clean my glass and only have 4 or 5 snails), and I have 2400+ gph of flow, and I still have lots of flatworms.

 

[Timanator]

Picture you said? BTW I have a Yellow Coris, and still have these nasty worms.

 

[acrylic_300]

My tank was starving to death, four years old, and still had them.

I never planed on getting rid of them...but I started collecting damsels to help with nutrients and now the flat worms are gone.

Blue damsels, Blue yellow tail damsels, and plain old yellow damsels eat them.

If you see a yellow damsel picking at a coral...something is on the coral. I recently thought a yellow damsel was picking my Porites to death, a closer inspection revealed Porites Nudibrach (the damsel was trying to groom the coral).

I have nothing but good things to say about damsels...I have a pair hosting nearly every coral in my tank and they fight less than tangs.