I have two varieties of flatworms. One is the "garden" variety brown flatworm with vague whitish grey spots and the other is more elongated with an orange-ish body and red tail (or head?). Both are very small - about 1/4 inch. The latter moves slowly across the glass of the tank, in slug like fashion, while the former covers the rocks and the sand bed. They really haven't been a problem, but I don't want them to over-run the tank or cause problems later. Any suggestions on how to get rid of them?
Flatworm infestation
- Thread starter Leslie
- Start date
If you siphon or filter out as many as you can, a natural predator may then keep it under control.
One Six Line Wrasse has eliminated them from my main tank. They are still in the refugium and sump.
A slug called c. Varians will eat them all before it dies if you can keep it out of your overflow and powerheads. They get blown around the tank pretty easy.
Mandarin fish may develop a taste for them if there are not enough pods for it to eat.
A product called Oomed, I think, is hard to find but is reported to kill them in one or two doses with no harm to anything else except some pods. Again I would physically remove as many as you can before treating so that a mass die off doesn't pollute or otherwise harm your system.
A thorough pre cleanup should at least improve your results with any of these methods. I would try a predator first, but the two fish will also eat up good stuff and then move on to the flatworms as a second choice.
One Six Line Wrasse has eliminated them from my main tank. They are still in the refugium and sump.
A slug called c. Varians will eat them all before it dies if you can keep it out of your overflow and powerheads. They get blown around the tank pretty easy.
Mandarin fish may develop a taste for them if there are not enough pods for it to eat.
A product called Oomed, I think, is hard to find but is reported to kill them in one or two doses with no harm to anything else except some pods. Again I would physically remove as many as you can before treating so that a mass die off doesn't pollute or otherwise harm your system.
A thorough pre cleanup should at least improve your results with any of these methods. I would try a predator first, but the two fish will also eat up good stuff and then move on to the flatworms as a second choice.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Marty M:
If you siphon or filter out as many as you can, a natural predator may then keep it under control.
<hr></blockquote>
Perhaps. Depending on how many you have its a long shot.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
One Six Line Wrasse has eliminated them from my main tank. They are still in the refugium and sump.
<hr></blockquote>
Thats a crap-shoot. They may or may not eat them. Glad it worked for you.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
Mandarin fish may develop a taste for them if there are not enough pods for it to eat.
<hr></blockquote>
Again.. thats just guessing. They may or may not eat them regardless of copepod population.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
A product called Oomed, I think, is hard to find but is reported to kill them in one or two doses with no harm to anything else except some pods.
<hr></blockquote>
I have not known Oomed to cause damage to pod populations, though it can damage other animals such as some sponges and some coral species.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
Again I would physically remove as many as you can before treating so that a mass die off doesn't pollute or otherwise harm your system.
<hr></blockquote>
A 'mass die off' is unlikely unless you do something radical like medicate the system. In which case yes... adding carbon would be advised.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
A thorough pre cleanup should at least improve your results with any of these methods. <hr></blockquote>
I agree that manual removal cannot hurt.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
I would try a predator first, but the two fish will also eat up good stuff and then move on to the flatworms as a second choice.<hr></blockquote>
'moving on...as a 2nd choice' is only guesswork. Some may if you are lucky... many will not. If you have some, start with manual removal now.
You can search this and other boards for lots of info on them. The ones that are commonly worried about are convolutriloba retrogema and are small orange-red critters with a 3-pronged tail. People worry about them because they can reproduce rapidly and can sometimes overrun a tank.
If you have others (brown with white spots) keep an eye on them. Are they frequenting on mushrooms perhaps or another coral? that would be a pretty good indication that they are feeding.
[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: Steve Richardson ]</p>
If you siphon or filter out as many as you can, a natural predator may then keep it under control.
<hr></blockquote>
Perhaps. Depending on how many you have its a long shot.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
One Six Line Wrasse has eliminated them from my main tank. They are still in the refugium and sump.
<hr></blockquote>
Thats a crap-shoot. They may or may not eat them. Glad it worked for you.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
maybe. If it lives. They do not ship well, and they dont eat that many of them either.. they are quite small and have a relatively short lifespan in any case.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
Mandarin fish may develop a taste for them if there are not enough pods for it to eat.
<hr></blockquote>
Again.. thats just guessing. They may or may not eat them regardless of copepod population.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
A product called Oomed, I think, is hard to find but is reported to kill them in one or two doses with no harm to anything else except some pods.
<hr></blockquote>
I have not known Oomed to cause damage to pod populations, though it can damage other animals such as some sponges and some coral species.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
Again I would physically remove as many as you can before treating so that a mass die off doesn't pollute or otherwise harm your system.
<hr></blockquote>
A 'mass die off' is unlikely unless you do something radical like medicate the system. In which case yes... adding carbon would be advised.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
A thorough pre cleanup should at least improve your results with any of these methods. <hr></blockquote>
I agree that manual removal cannot hurt.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
I would try a predator first, but the two fish will also eat up good stuff and then move on to the flatworms as a second choice.<hr></blockquote>
'moving on...as a 2nd choice' is only guesswork. Some may if you are lucky... many will not. If you have some, start with manual removal now.
You can search this and other boards for lots of info on them. The ones that are commonly worried about are convolutriloba retrogema and are small orange-red critters with a 3-pronged tail. People worry about them because they can reproduce rapidly and can sometimes overrun a tank.
If you have others (brown with white spots) keep an eye on them. Are they frequenting on mushrooms perhaps or another coral? that would be a pretty good indication that they are feeding.
[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: Steve Richardson ]</p>
Flatworms are also a good indication your reef set-up is relatively new.I added a mandarinfish and leopard wrasse to combat the MILLIONS I had in my 220 reef at start -up,but after viewing many systems I have concluded that an outbreak of these will subside naturally after some time {maybe months}passes.They do not seem to kill anything-but they are unattractive.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gary Majchrzak:
Flatworms are also a good indication your reef set-up is relatively new...<hr></blockquote>
No. You can get them at any time, regardless of how old your system is. They hitchhike in on new coral or rock.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
rambling...
Flatworms are also a good indication your reef set-up is relatively new...<hr></blockquote>
No. You can get them at any time, regardless of how old your system is. They hitchhike in on new coral or rock.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
Perhaps.. some have reported this. It is equally as likely that you will have them for years. The population will not definitively crash due to the passage of time.
rambling...
I'll go about it manually first. I'm hesitant to put chems in my tank. They aren't on the corals yet, just sand and rock. I'm also hesitant to add a predator. Not saying I won't, but I like the least invasive ways to handle stuff first. I can always get more aggressive. My siphon is large enough to suck 'em up. I'll give the rocks a good vacuum. I have a Six Line Wrasse who shows no interest whatsoever in these critters. Either that or they reproduce too fast for it to make a difference. Thanks all for the input. I'll check back for more input/suggestions!
Steve, I found that you are right - about about an hour ago. I will use your suggestion for sure! One interesting thing I discovered is that they fly right off your rocks if you use a turkey baster to direct water flow. Then it's possible to suck them up easily (not so in the sand bed - too much sand comes up). I'll use a combo technique of the turkey baster and the siphon hose. Great idea. Thanks. I think it will take several "treatments" before I put a dent in them. No matter. I prefer it to an unpredictable predator or chemicals. I'm also hoping that my skimmer will take up a few. Wishful thinking. One more question: why would I have an infestation on one side of my tank and not the other? It's only a 29 gal Eclipse, low-tech system. About 15 lbs. + of live rock, about 3/4 inch of sand.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Are you talking about the small red ones now?
If the infestation is localized... it could be for several reasons. Thats where they started and they havnt spread yet, thats where the food is, favorable currents... who knows.
If you choose to blow them up into the water with a turkey baster... I imagine its hard to try and catch them to suck them up. I would just use a long piece of air hose and suck them right off the rocks where they are. (Unless of course you think it works better the other way.
)
_________________
Down Syndrome / Retardation Forum
If the infestation is localized... it could be for several reasons. Thats where they started and they havnt spread yet, thats where the food is, favorable currents... who knows.
If you choose to blow them up into the water with a turkey baster... I imagine its hard to try and catch them to suck them up. I would just use a long piece of air hose and suck them right off the rocks where they are. (Unless of course you think it works better the other way.
_________________
Down Syndrome / Retardation Forum
Both species of worms is on one side. The orange-red ones seem to have subsided and the brown with white spots have taken over. I guess I should learn their names, huh? I doubt my way would work better now that I think it through. I'll use the air hose. Less water loss, less work. You're absolutely right. Can't wait to see those little rascals in the bucket!
Leslie,
If you have small redish ones with a 3-pronged (as I mention above, they are C. retrogema) people get uptight about them because they multiply rapidly. You should remove them.
The other ones you have could be anything. Look closely at where they are. If they are *not* on a coral, then perhaps they are merely grazing on algae and are relatively harmless. If the population is growing and troubles you theou... feel free to remove them. Not all are 'bad news'.
good luck,
_________________
Mercedes Benz 500E
If you have small redish ones with a 3-pronged (as I mention above, they are C. retrogema) people get uptight about them because they multiply rapidly. You should remove them.
The other ones you have could be anything. Look closely at where they are. If they are *not* on a coral, then perhaps they are merely grazing on algae and are relatively harmless. If the population is growing and troubles you theou... feel free to remove them. Not all are 'bad news'.
good luck,
_________________
Mercedes Benz 500E
Will do. I think they're unattractive. The brown ones are on the rock and sand, not my coral. The C. retrogema (thanks - that's probably what they are...I'll look it up to confirm) are "in remission" right now. But I intend to keep the population down in both.....with an air hose!
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