Flatworm Truth

[sickboy]

So, I was at the LFS today and told them I started to get some red flatworms, and the guy told me they were really bad and would kill my fish, then tried to sell me some flatworm exit. So...he's full of it, right?
I know they aren't "good", and that they eat pods, but the fish part isn't true is it? I plan on trying to suck them out and might try the flatworm exit eventually if they don't go away. Does the flatworm exit kill pods?

 

[samurai_sushi]

If you have corals or any other creatures requiring light than the red variety can get bad. They can smother the corals and block off all sources of light. If you don't want to use flatworm exit you could try a more natural way w/ a blue velvet nudibranch, but once the flatworms are gone it would starve.

 

[kevin34]

I am going through the same problem with my 125. I have a bunch of red flatworms on my front glass. yes they are bad but only when they die. when they die they release toxins into the water which is why you SHOULDNT use the flatworm exit. the flatworm exit will kill them all at once but then all of these toxins will be released at once and most likely you will lose a lot. It would be easier to siphon out as many as you can and get a fish that eats them and/or pods. What size tank is it?

 

[socal57che]

This guy has flatworm information. sorry, mostly pics/identification...
http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~bu6/

 

[luca brasi]

There are several threads about flatworms here on SWF,search flatworms

 

[mkzimms]

the flatworm xit works great. you just have to siphon most out before you use it and then run carbon and water change after. a good way to get most of them siphoned is to turn off all pumps and point a flashlight on one specific place in the sand. they like light and low flow so after about an hour they will all move to that spot. then siphon away.

 

[cranberry]

Originally Posted by sickboy
http:///forum/post/2736397
I know they aren't "good", and that they eat pods, but the fish part isn't true is it?
The red flatworms do not eat pods... the clear white ones eat pods. Things like flatworm exit will kill a lot of microfauna. This product is not specific enough to kill just flatworms. You may not see anything dieing but I guarantee you other stuff will die besides the flatworms. The ones that are really problematic are the pumpkin shaped ones. They tend to smother the corals a little more than the rest, albeit the populations of the ones you are talking about can get pretty thick as well.
Do you have coral in your tank? What do you have if yes?

 

[sickboy]

Xenia, Trumpet, assorted Zoas, long tentacle plate, hydnophora, assorted mushrooms, birdsnest, GSP....I think that is it.

 

[sickboy]

Originally Posted by Luca Brasi
http:///forum/post/2739399
There are several threads about flatworms here on SWF,search flatworms
I did that, but nothing says whether the guy at the lfs was full of it regarding the fish....

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by sickboy
http:///forum/post/2739512
I did that, but nothing says whether the guy at the lfs was full of it regarding the fish....
Yeah, if you use the flatworm exit and they die, they can potentially kill the fish too.
If a reef safe wrasse would work out in your tank, get one. It will be fat very soon. It would only be a supplemental solution to syphoning them out manually though.

 

[cranberry]

No, a living flatworm will not kill your fish like the LFS guy said.

 

[mkzimms]

blue velvet nudis and sixlines are known to much down on flatworms.

 

[acroaddict]

Originally Posted by mkzimms
http:///forum/post/2740281
blue velvet nudis and sixlines are known to much down on flatworms.
+1. i had a lil outbreak on the red ones n got a sixline. for a couple of days it didnt seem to eat them but as soon as it gets adjusted to the tank it will eat em up.

 

[luca brasi]

Originally Posted by sickboy
http:///forum/post/2739512
I did that, but nothing says whether the guy at the lfs was full of it regarding the fish....
The only way they can kill is when they die and release toxins. You would have to have a massive die off of fw in your 45g(?) though.
Do the flashlight trick, siphon what you can and add a wrasse if you like one that works

 

[mr_x]

the red ones do eat pods-
http://macropyga.googlepages.com/

 

[spiderwoman]

I'm noticing some red flatworms in the glass of our bigger tank in and I'm going to order a Melanurus Wrasse to take care of that before they turn into a trouble. I don't want to risk the tank with Flatworm Exit if there is a chance that I mess up and end up killing everything.

 

[cranberry]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2740410
the red ones do eat pods-
http://macropyga.googlepages.com/
Ron Shimek feels differently.... can't provide a link but I can reference his Marine Invertebrate book. Maybe there's different circumstances leading to different diets. But I had an outbreak occur recently and there are zero pods in that tank.... especially for supporting the numbers I had for a month and a half. There's a Janss' pipe inappropriately in a 24gallon tank and the pod population has been long gone.
Interesting though... I'll have to go read more about it.

 

[sickboy]

Thanks everyone for your responses,
So...the fw's aren't a direct threat to fish, until they die, but I need to take care of them for the corals.
As far as a wrasse though...I have a 38 gallon, 45lbs of rock, with a black saddleback clown, lawnmower blenny, and fridmani psuedochromis. If I add a wrasse will I max out my bio-load?

 

[texasmetal]

Just about. Maybe one more small fish. Just go with one of the smaller wrasses, like a six-line.