Red planaria-problem? Recommend a fish for control

[Kahuna Tuna]

I had an outbreak of red planaria and was wondering how much of a problem this was. Never experienced this before and was wondering about a natural predator to control numbers? Really don't want to do the six-line thing but can anyone recommend a reef safe wrasse that wont eat ornimental shrimp

 

[Northside Reef]

yellow coris wrasse

 

[mayjong]

my yellow coris (who i love) won't touch them.
i got it to eat them and it doesn't.
good for me , i upgrade tanks and was able to dip everything in coral rx.
haven't seen any in over a month.
most sya a melanuarus wrasse will eat them.

 

[HiImSean]

my melanarus wrasse destroyed them in my tank. he went for them when i first introduced it into the tank, then took a break for a few months. I saw they were coming back then out of the blue they were gone again.

 

[ca1ore]

Dusky wrasse eats them.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

How are melanarus and dusky wrasse with a clean up crew? I love the look of the melanarus but was concerned with shrimp and snails.

 

[small alien]

yellow coris wrasse

+1.

 

[RyanSweatt2004]

Springeri dotty back and melanarus wrasse cleaned my tank completely of them.

 

[ca1ore]

How are melanarus and dusky wrasse with a clean up crew? I love the look of the melanarus but was concerned with shrimp and snails.

Dusky has not bothered any of my snails or shrimp, but will occasionally go after a small hermit crab. When I previously had a Melanarus, he was 'murder' on my ornamental shrimp .... but sample size of just one.

 

[HiImSean]

How are melanarus and dusky wrasse with a clean up crew? I love the look of the melanarus but was concerned with shrimp and snails.

Any snail my melanarus saw was a free meal. I find empty shells all the time. Not sure about shrimp though.

 

[Rea17]

It is my understanding that any wrasse of the Halichoeres genus will eat flatworms, bristleworms, and pyramidellid snails. People often add them to reef tanks to protect corals and clams, or just to keep pests in check. My personal favorite is the Radiant wrasse. They are strikingly beautiful and I've heard people say they are "safer" with clean up crews, but I think anything small enough is going to be fair game for these guys. There have been several accounts of large specimens going for cleaner shrimp, but alternatively plenty of people have said their wrasses are model citizens. Just depends on the individual you end up with, and if it is a risk you want to take Good luck!

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Thanks for all of the replies!

 

[DopeCantWin]

Thanks for all of the replies!

None of these guys are guaranteed to eat them. I've seen several readily pass them up, while a Chromi would munch on them. Good quarantine is your better bet. If you already have them, you can get rid of them without adding a wrasse.