flatworms

Dragonlady · #1 03-05-2008, 04:34 AM

I'm almost positive it's flatworms i have in my tank. any suggestions? please help.

Keri · #2 03-05-2008, 04:37 AM

brown/red or white ones?

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this is a (slightly squished) one I found (one of many, many more to come)

Dragonlady · #3 03-05-2008, 04:47 AM

red ones

Myka · #4 03-05-2008, 04:49 AM

Flatworms only seem to really take over in tanks that have a nutrient abundance. Cut out the nutrients, and the population should diminish to a size that you can deal with. Which means a whole lotta siphoning them out!

Dragonlady · #5 03-05-2008, 04:52 AM

thanks, i have started that and i have taken out some of my live rocks that's infested with the flatworms. i hope this will help.

fencer · #6 03-05-2008, 04:57 AM

see the six line wrasse thread

Myka · #7 03-05-2008, 05:13 AM

^ Ya they can do a good cleanup! If I were you, I'd remove every single rock out of the tank, suck up all the worms I can see in the tank. Then use a turkey baster to blow the worms off the rock (in a different container), then put the rocks back in. Should nearly decimate the population, at which time you could possibly add a Six Line Wrasse or try to get your hands on some Salifert Flatworm Exit.

tang daddy · #8 03-05-2008, 04:43 PM

as myka said remove as many as you can another wrasse that's a resident FW eater is the yellow canary wrasse!

TRS · #9 03-05-2008, 05:03 PM

Increased flow and SALIFERT Flatworm Exit works too.

Reefer Rob · #10 03-05-2008, 05:27 PM

If you have fish you have enough nutrients for flatworms. To starve them out you'd have to remove all your fish. I've heard rumors that they can crash on their own, I've never seen it.

Flatworm Exit was a disaster for me, but if you're more careful than I was it should work OK. Basically multiply the number of flatworms you can see by a couple of hundred to get the true amount in your system.

I've heard that you can shine a light on the front of your tank over night the flatworms will congregate there, making it easier to siphon in the morning. I found this out after I treated with FW Exit, so I haven't tried it myself.

Six Line Wrasse didn't work for me. Cute little guy though.