Minor Flatworm "Problem"

[Thunderkat]

In my temporary tank (back up hospital tank/holding extra live rock) I have flatworms starting to proliferate. All I have in there right now are some xenia, mushrooms, and a few snails. I used most of the live rock in that the extra stuff came in from the order I did so I know they are also in my main tank but something is eating them, probably my shrimp and wrasse. For my nano tank I don't want any fish or shrimp, just corals and snails. I was wondering if there are any corals that will eat those flatworms. The flatworms right now are almost the size of a copepod (have thousands of those in there, it is cool watching them).

The flatworms aren't that bad, I just don't want them to reach plague levels.

[GaryP]

Since its such a small tank, you might want to treat it with Flatworm Exit. It'll probably take a couple of treatments. Just follow the directions and do the water changes and run carbon and it will be OK.

[PeeperKeeper]

I have flatworms too. I was hoping they were "good guys" but Aquadoc took one look and said "flatworms". There were only a few on the glass when I noticed them Friday, but today (Monday) there are many more. Will just putting a 6 line wrasse in take care of it eventually, or should I treat the tank?

[mkengr45]

treat it quick before you have too many....

Randy

[GaryP]

I never had much luck with a six-line wrasse. I tried several different wrasses that were "flatworm eaters" and the only one that I have had any significant success with was a green tail spot wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus). After fighting them for years, including several treatments with Flatworm Exit, the tail spots have both of my tanks flatworm free. One of them came from another MAASTard after he had cleaned his tank, and the other cleaned out a tank at an LFS. I'm a believer.

I think a lot of the wrasses in this family (Coris wrasses) will eat some flatworms but few will make a steady diet of them to the point that they are eliminated, or nearly so. I've tried six-line, yellow coris, leopard and tail spot. All were reported to be good flatworm eaters. I also tried both species of mandarins. I can't say they are 100% eliminated, but I can't see any in my tanks. If you look at some of the old pics of my tanks you can see plenty of evidence of flatworms.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/spec...name=Melanurus