Flatworms??

kmbyrnes · 04/05/2016, 09:20 PM

I assume these are flatworms on my mushrooms.
They must have come in on some hermits and snails I bought this weekend.
Whats the best remedy??

inthedeep2 · 04/05/2016, 09:37 PM

possibly flatworms
ive always gotten them from either mushrooms or softies

CoralBeauty13 · 04/07/2016, 10:20 PM

sixline wrasse, or flatworm exit.. better make a move fast tho

UTCReefer · 04/07/2016, 10:46 PM

Flatworm exit will work on those kind for sure

johnike · 04/08/2016, 04:37 AM

I got 'em bad.
I just ordered a pair of Velvet Nudibranchs and have read Springers Damsels eat them so I'm going to try a couple/few of those. I have a Melanarus Wrasse in the big tank that eliminated them there.
Make a siphon from rigid airline and soft tubing and siphon out as many as you can if you go the chemical route, as they release a toxin when they die.

billdogg · 04/08/2016, 09:27 AM

My vote is for flatworms as well. I used a diy airline tubing siphon and could never get on top of them. I finally broke down and used FWE at 1.5 x the suggested dosing twice, a few days apart and that got a goodly number of them, but they came back anyway. You MUST be prepared to do a very large water change and run lots of carbon because of the toxins released. A pair of Blue Star Leopard Wrasses, on the other hand, have completely rid my system of them, and they continue to be a pair of my favorite fish. Very colorful markings, always out and about and on the hunt for little pests.

hth

johnike · 04/08/2016, 09:39 AM

Bill, how reef safe are the Leopard Wrasses?
I was considering a pair of possums kinda, I was told they may eat them as well

cloak · 04/08/2016, 09:46 AM

If you can remove the rock that the mushrooms are on with ease then just give it a quick freshwater dip. The osmotic shock will have the flatworms falling off in a matter of seconds. GL.

johnike · 04/08/2016, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

If you can remove the rock that the mushrooms are on with ease then just give it a quick freshwater dip. The osmotic shock will have the flatworms falling off in a matter of seconds. GL.

I was actually planning on doing that myself this weekend.

billdogg · 04/08/2016, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnike

Bill, how reef safe are the Leopard Wrasses?
I was considering a pair of possums kinda, I was told they may eat them as well

My tank is a mix of LPS/SPS, and a couple clams. There are also a few various mushrooms and a gorgonian. They are model citizens. They swim around all day every day picking at all the tiny stuff. Don't bother anything else at all. About 20 minutes before the lights go down they are buried in the (sugar fine) sand for the night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

If you can remove the rock that the mushrooms are on with ease then just give it a quick freshwater dip. The osmotic shock will have the flatworms falling off in a matter of seconds. GL.

I forgot that trick. My Elegance was hardest hit by the little buggers. I was advised to try a temperature adjusted ro/di dip by the owner of my LFS. Although skeptical, I gave it a try. 15 seconds with a couple light swishes at the end.

Here's the results

The problem was that they were also all over the stuff I couldn't remove, and so they quickly moved back to their buddy the Elegance.

Leopard Wrasses to the rescue! It was fascinating to watch them zero in on one on the elegance, zoom in, and pluck it away.

kmbyrnes · 04/08/2016, 06:42 PM

That wont be easy. It's on the bottom of a big pile.
Looks like I will be giving FWE a try this weekend.
Thanks for all the advice, I knew I could count on RC!

dbigfoot111 · 04/09/2016, 09:29 AM

i hope you can get rid of it soon. they're a mess

FullBoreReefer · 04/09/2016, 02:29 PM

Melanurus wrasse worked for me!

Nina51 · 04/09/2016, 05:30 PM

i had thousands of them at one point. they were on the rocks, glass and sand. never did see many on any of my corals but they were SO butt ugly. i got a vrolik's wrasse and within a couple of weeks, i saw zero flatworms and have not see any since.

kmbyrnes · 04/10/2016, 06:43 AM

I had a Red Coris in there until 2 weeks ago. Moved him to a different tank becasue he got too big. I wonder if there's a connection between moving the fish and seeing the flatworms? Was he keeping them under control? If so, I can certainly get some different wrasses. I was thinking of some flashers. Do they do the same job?

johnike · 04/10/2016, 08:08 AM

No idea, but I ordered a pair of Blue Star/Divided/Vermiculite Leopards yesterday.

04/05/2016, 09:20 PM	#1
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Flatworms?? I assume these are flatworms on my mushrooms. They must have come in on some hermits and snails I bought this weekend. Whats the best remedy?? __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

04/08/2016, 09:27 AM	#6
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	My vote is for flatworms as well. I used a diy airline tubing siphon and could never get on top of them. I finally broke down and used FWE at 1.5 x the suggested dosing twice, a few days apart and that got a goodly number of them, but they came back anyway. You MUST be prepared to do a very large water change and run lots of carbon because of the toxins released. A pair of Blue Star Leopard Wrasses, on the other hand, have completely rid my system of them, and they continue to be a pair of my favorite fish. Very colorful markings, always out and about and on the hunt for little pests. hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

04/08/2016, 06:42 PM	#11
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	That wont be easy. It's on the bottom of a big pile. Looks like I will be giving FWE a try this weekend. Thanks for all the advice, I knew I could count on RC! __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

04/09/2016, 02:29 PM	#13
FullBoreReefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Wooster, OH Posts: 1,862	Melanurus wrasse worked for me! __________________ 60x36x24 mixed reef. 40b sump. Regal 250int Varios. 4xHydra26HDs+t5s. 4xMp40wes. Apex2016.

04/09/2016, 05:30 PM	#14
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	i had thousands of them at one point. they were on the rocks, glass and sand. never did see many on any of my corals but they were SO butt ugly. i got a vrolik's wrasse and within a couple of weeks, i saw zero flatworms and have not see any since. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

04/05/2016, 09:37 PM	#2
inthedeep2 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 378	possibly flatworms ive always gotten them from either mushrooms or softies

04/07/2016, 10:20 PM	#3
CoralBeauty13 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 597	sixline wrasse, or flatworm exit.. better make a move fast tho

04/07/2016, 10:46 PM	#4
UTCReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 652	Flatworm exit will work on those kind for sure

04/08/2016, 04:37 AM	#5
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	I got 'em bad. I just ordered a pair of Velvet Nudibranchs and have read Springers Damsels eat them so I'm going to try a couple/few of those. I have a Melanarus Wrasse in the big tank that eliminated them there. Make a siphon from rigid airline and soft tubing and siphon out as many as you can if you go the chemical route, as they release a toxin when they die.

04/08/2016, 09:39 AM	#7
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	Bill, how reef safe are the Leopard Wrasses? I was considering a pair of possums kinda, I was told they may eat them as well

04/08/2016, 09:46 AM	#8
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	If you can remove the rock that the mushrooms are on with ease then just give it a quick freshwater dip. The osmotic shock will have the flatworms falling off in a matter of seconds. GL.

04/09/2016, 09:29 AM	#12
dbigfoot111 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 52	i hope you can get rid of it soon. they're a mess

04/10/2016, 06:43 AM	#15
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	I had a Red Coris in there until 2 weeks ago. Moved him to a different tank becasue he got too big. I wonder if there's a connection between moving the fish and seeing the flatworms? Was he keeping them under control? If so, I can certainly get some different wrasses. I was thinking of some flashers. Do they do the same job? __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

04/10/2016, 08:08 AM	#16
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	No idea, but I ordered a pair of Blue Star/Divided/Vermiculite Leopards yesterday.