Flatworm problems… Can I get rid of it naturally

[melhe]

I got some flatworm problems in my tank lately . There are many brown spots on corals. there are are 10-15 tiny red/ brownish ones on the glass. I have 300 g tank . High nutrient is a little problematic because I have a lot of fish overfeeding sometimes .

I am afraid to use flatworm exit by now because I don’t want dead worm toxin release to water kill some delicate fish

I did some google search to find some natural ways to cure the flatworm problem .

so far I have 8 wrasses in my tank. 3 leopard ( one is blue star leopard ). 2 cleaner wrasse, 1 yellowtail tamarin wrasse . non of them interested in flatworms. Copperband butterfly doesn eat flat worms neither .

Finally I got a target mandarin . He moves slower than a turtle . Only hang around bottom of rock . Most of flatworms on top of sand and on corals . He has no desire to move away from the rock . I have another regular blue mandarin in the tank for a while , he only interested in pods.

i had to order a yellow coris wrasse yesterday to be arrived tomorrow. That’s my only hope here. I heard 6 line wrasse is great for flatworm too . But I am afraid its too aggressive to other fish

from many previous posts , people seem always found a miracle fish to get rids of those flatworms in a few days . So far I don’t have any luck yet .

If you have other suggestions please let me know. Many thx

 

[CasperOe]

Since starting to dose KZ Flatworm Stop, I have not had any issues! many reefers are using this as a preventive measure as well.

Description and video from BRS

 

[melhe]

Since starting to dose KZ Flatworm Stop, I have not had any issues! many reefers are using this as a preventive measure as well.

Description and video from BRS

My tank guy advised Same thing . He suggested to add as doser . By your experience, how many cc a day for 300 g is adequate?

 

[CivicS14]

It sounds like you are battling both planarian flatworm and AEFW. I had a big infestation with planarian on my last tank and I used flatworm exit safely with no loss on a full acro system. Before I did, I vacuumed out as much as I can with an airline tube. You do this by setting up a 100 micron filter sock in the sump and vacuum them into it. I did this every day for 2 weeks. At this point, visually, I didn't see any left. I got a 20% water change ready and a very large bag of carbon as well. I did the flatworm exit dosing but doubled the amount instructed, shortly after I saw thousands start to float up, at this moment I put the carbon in the overflow section of the sump to capture any toxins. I left the carbon in place and I ran the skimmer outlet into a 5g bucket and just replaced the skimmate that was pulling out with the prepared water.

Then 2nd dose 2 weeks later, I followed the required amount, only a few flatworms this time tho. I think the wrasses addressed the rest of anything else from there. I never had a planarian flatworm after that.

AEFW is a total different mess. I dealt with them using multiple six line wrasses in a tank. My tank was large enough to handle 3 and they didn't seem to care since I introduced them all together at the same time when they were small. However, I had to introduce them to the flatworms. I used a baster to blow off the base of my acros every day for a few months. After that, if I had any, I never saw any signs of them. No bite marks, nothing when I blew off the acros. Not sure if they were every eliminated or if the 6-line just kept them in check. Again, this process was way more time consuming than planarian since it required me blowing off the acros literally every day for like 3 months. What a nightmare!

 

[CasperOe]

My tank guy advised Same thing . He suggested to add as doser . By your experience, how many cc a day for 300 g is adequate?

I am dosing 5 ml/day in a 135 gallon tank - just manually. Haven't bothered with a dosing pump, i like the interaction

 

[Hal3134]

I didn’t know I had flatworms in my old tank until my sixline wrasse died.

 

[melhe]

It sounds like you are battling both planarian flatworm and AEFW. I had a big infestation with planarian on my last tank and I used flatworm exit safely with no loss on a full acro system. Before I did, I vacuumed out as much as I can with an airline tube. You do this by setting up a 100 micron filter sock in the sump and vacuum them into it. I did this every day for 2 weeks. At this point, visually, I didn't see any left. I got a 20% water change ready and a very large bag of carbon as well. I did the flatworm exit dosing but doubled the amount instructed, shortly after I saw thousands start to float up, at this moment I put the carbon in the overflow section of the sump to capture any toxins. I left the carbon in place and I ran the skimmer outlet into a 5g bucket and just replaced the skimmate that was pulling out with the prepared water.

Then 2nd dose 2 weeks later, I followed the required amount, only a few flatworms this time tho. I think the wrasses addressed the rest of anything else from there. I never had a planarian flatworm after that.

AEFW is a total different mess. I dealt with them using multiple six line wrasses in a tank. My tank was large enough to handle 3 and they didn't seem to care since I introduced them all together at the same time when they were small. However, I had to introduce them to the flatworms. I used a baster to blow off the base of my acros every day for a few months. After that, if I had any, I never saw any signs of them. No bite marks, nothing when I blew off the acros. Not sure if they were every eliminated or if the 6-line just kept them in check. Again, this process was way more time consuming than planarian since it required me blowing off the acros literally every day for like 3 months. Wha

How do you introduce 6 line wrasse to flatworms

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve had a sixline in my tanks for the majority of my eighteen years of reefing. I have never seen a flat worm. I’m not naive enough that over the years they must have hitchhiked in.

 

[DJF]

Spotted mandarins will go for planaria

 

[melhe]

I’ve had a sixline in my tanks for the majority of my eighteen years of reefing. I have never seen a flat worm. I’m not naive enough that over the years they must have hitchhiked in.

Does your 6 line aggressive to other fish ?

 

[melhe]

Spotted mandarins will go for planaria

Got one , it moves so slow under the rock . It might take him a year to walk through the tank . It seems walking in circles around the rock . Hasn’t seen him going to sand bed yet

 

[AustinBabler]

I have had a six line wrasse for 2 years. I’m not going to say he hasn’t bullied any of the other tank mates before but when he does it’s usually for just a split second then he goes back to cruising through the rock work looking for a free meal. I found some flatworms on a toadstool I added to my other tank Monday night. I immediately pulled my 6 line from the tank downstairs and threw him in after lights out. Then I sucked up 11 worms with a pipette. I know I missed a few because they went to the backside of the toadstool and under the cap. That was all Monday night and I’ve been looking after lights out since Tuesday night. Haven’t seen a single one. Granted my “outbreak” isn’t near as severe as yours and I hope you get a handle on it soon! Good luck!!

 

[melhe]

I have had a six line wrasse for 2 years. I’m not going to say he hasn’t bullied any of the other tank mates before but when he does it’s usually for just a split second then he goes back to cruising through the rock work looking for a free meal. I found some flatworms on a toadstool I added to my other tank Monday night. I immediately pulled my 6 line from the tank downstairs and threw him in after lights out. Then I sucked up 11 worms with a pipette. I know I missed a few because they went to the backside of the toadstool and under the cap. That was all Monday night and I’ve been looking after lights out since Tuesday night. Haven’t seen a single one.

you have a nice 6 line . My friend told me his 6line goes after any new fish . Killed a few already . That’s why I am hesitating to get one .

I received new yellow coris wrasse today finally . I hope he can help to get rid of some flatworms .

When you go to LFS , you can’t tell which 6line aggressive or not right ? It’s all by luck I guess ….

 

[CivicS14]

How do you introduce 6 line wrasse to flatworms

I fed mysis & brine shrimp thru the feeder tube (as seen below). Fish got use to hovering around the tip of it as it waited for food. Then I started to use the same tube to blow off the acros at the base and they would catch any AEFW that came off. Eventually, they learned to start looking at base of the acros for AEFW. Hope that helps.

 

[AustinBabler]

you have a nice 6 line . My friend told me his 6line goes after any new fish . Killed a few already . That’s why I am hesitating to get one .

I received new yellow coris wrasse today finally . I hope he can help to get rid of some flatworms .

When you go to LFS , you can’t tell which 6line aggressive or not right ? It’s all by luck I guess ….

Mine does go after new tank mates but he settles back down after the first day usually. I try to introduce anything new with the lights off for that reason. I think 6 line agression stems from rock layout. If you have a maze of arches and tunnels for the 6 line to stay busy they don’t bother other fish as much. Just kinda my theory I’ve put together by watching my tank.

 

[kevgib67]

Does your 6 line aggressive to other fish ?

I had a sixline for most of the 16 years prior to getting out of the hobby for ten years. Never had a problem. It was a must have when I jumped back in 2 years ago. I was baffled when I read all the posts about their aggression. The only time I see aggression is at feeding time in the area I introduce food but it also my diamond watchman goby and royal gramma all trying to occupy the spot where the food comes in. I love my sixline.

 

[Cari]

I tried a sixline wrasse first, he would disappear constantly. Needless to say, he spent more time in the overflow than he did in the tank.. The melanarus wrasse saved my tank! He is a great tankmate, fun to watch and quickly became my favorite fish!