souperman Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 My tank will be fallow until the new year, but I have been adding a few corals her and there. Well even after dipping everything I seem to have added a few red flatworms to the tank. They look like C. retrogemma to me. Would this be a good time to try and nuke them with a chemical remedy since I have no fish in the tank? My other option is to let it be and try adding a wrasse or something that may eat them later on. Right now there aren't that many so any fallout from a die off would be minimal. What do you guys recommend for chemical warfare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I have a box of flat worm exit that will expire soon. I am not going to use it. Sell it for 15 bucks. I paid 29.99 for it. Hear it works really well. I never needed it bacause I went the route of adding a wrasse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwenReefin Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I bought flat worm exit, works very well. However, I nuked my tank, killing MOST of the flatworms. I also lost a blood shrimp and my flame angel in the process, so I will never do it again. Pretty much all my inverts acted weird for the next few days. Oh and they are back, with a vengeance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I don't know anything about chemicals, but I know there is a really cool looking nudibranch that only eats flatworms. Its black with electric blue stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 I'm really leaning towards adding a Melanurus Wrasse to see if that controls them as soon as I can have fish again. The nudibranch is an interesting idea too, I wonder how hard they are to come by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocboat Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 A Melanurus Wrasse is great for eating those things. It may not be able to wipe out a large population but it sure will take care of a large amount of them. I used Flatworm exit a few years ago to kill the majority of the worms and then my Melanurus took care of the stragglers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefnjunkie Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Neithe rmy malanerus or my corris wrasse ate any flatworms- I used the flatworm exit and did not kill anything other than what it was intended-both fire shrimp and all the inverts did fine-Granted I had a small population (very small) but they were present none the less-I did a 50 gallon water change on a 150 gallon tank 4 hours after treating (not 6 as I am told I shold have) and ran a large carbon reactor as recommended. I plan to treat the tank one more time and wait the 6 hours before the water change just to be safe before I move everything into my 400 gallon. Good luck if you choose to go another route other than the flatworm exit-its hit and miss from everything I have read- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 my six-line from Garret took care of a fledgling population very quickly. in my 55, I saw probably 20 or so on the glass front plus who knows how many others. they were small but I was afraid of a population explosion. bought the six-line (my wife calls it Bowie because a friend described it as "80's fish"). within a week I saw 0 flatworms and it's been probably two months and I've never seen 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I tried chemicals and nudibranchs. Wrasse worked for me. Yellow Coris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckie Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Funny- seems like many different things worked or didn't. I had flat worms and got a green Coris, nothing, got a Yellow Coris, nothing. I couldn't find the Bl Nudi locally so..... Yep flat worm exit. No problems at all. Nothing affected but the flat worms. Good Luck with what ever you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I'm really leaning towards adding a Melanurus Wrasse to see if that controls them as soon as I can have fish again. The nudibranch is an interesting idea too' date=' I wonder how hard they are to come by.[/quote'] You should ask Nick at rose city, I have seen them in his shop before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 I would love a 6-line but I'm afraid of getting a trouble maker. I heard they can get mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrierreefcf Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Spotted Target Mandarins and Sapphire Damsels will eat them as well. I know "Damsel" conjures images of a mean, nasty fish, but Sapphires are pretty laid back. We add them to most of our tanks because they eat flatworms and get along with everything. Under $10...problem fixed for a long time:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Natural over chemical everytime. Reassess work, the mandarins and damsels are a new one to me, but barrier reef knows their schtuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 My vote is to go natural. I tried FWE on an infestation and battled it for quite some time, never able to rid them. I bought a sixline wrasse and hear cleared the issue quickly, but they do have an attitude sometes so beware! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandoftiki Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I've been trying to get rid of flatworms for about a month. Used Flatworm Solution several time. It got rid of ALMOST all of the flatworms. But those few that it doesn't touch are multiplying, so every-other-day I suck out any I can see with a turkey baster. The population can't be more than about ten or 15 after I'm done sucking them out, but I don't think it will ever be zero. My thought is to keep doing this for a couple months...through several generations of flatworms and then when I can't see any left, nuke the tank with a triple doze of the flatworm solution. Failing that, I'll find several people that might like to rotate a velvet nudibranch through our tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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