Flatworm Issue. Need some input here

sheffboyrd

New Member
My 20 gallon finished cycling last week and things are really starting to progress inside as far as the hitchiker corals and my tiny cleanup crew of 2 snails and an emerald crab (have some bubble algea and he is doing a great job so far). Today I noticed a bunch of flatworms on one side of the glass. They are green, some brown, and some of them have that red "center line". They are all the same type, just some have different coloring or are in different positions/sizes etc.
What I'm trying to decide between is using the Flatworm Exit stuff, getting a velvet nudibranch, or hoping the sixline wrasse I'm planning to put into the tank will keep the population to a minimum. The sixline won't be in there for another couple weeks, at least. A velvet nudibranch I'm worried about because I feel he would destroy the population of a 20 gallon so quickly he would starve after a short period of time. I'm concearned about the effectiveness of the flatworm exit and how much stress it would put on my few inverts and corals right now. Any suggestions/info would be very appreciated. Thanks a lot guys!
 

dburr

Active Member
I have heard mostly positive results from FWE. Very few negative.
I also heard people doing half dose and full dose with good results. The trick is to suck out as many as you can before dose and suck them out as you dose when they die.
HTH
 

sheffboyrd

New Member
Thanks for the response. Does FWE keep the flatworms from returning and does it kill any other micro-organisms that are actually helpful? Thanks if you have any answers to those questions.
 

dburr

Active Member
You will need to dose 2 times because of the gestation period.
As far as I know it does not kill anything thing else.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
I have heard that some have had some problems with urchans and some with starfish. Remember to have plenty of fresh carbon to run and have a water change ready for a water change.
Lookup some of the posts about flatworms, I know Kip has used FWE and has some posts out there. Me I'm going to get a couple of nudibranches to eat mine.
Thomas
 
T

thomas712

Guest
PS. I;ve tried the 6 line wrasse with no real effect.
 

sucram

Member
I used FWE about a year ago, I literally had millions of brown and red flatworms in my 90. I had to use the entire shipment in two doses on the same day, but it did the job and they haven't returned. It's a good product.
 

sheffboyrd

New Member
sucram
Did you have any die-off in your tank? How much water did you have to change?
Thanks for the info guys. I guess the sixline isn't going ot cut it.
 
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