Blue Velvet Nudibranch vs Red Planaria

[AwildcatsZ]

Things are getting out of control with Red Planaria in my 29 gallon reef tank. I've tried it all...manual removal which seems to be a daily chore, Flatworm eXit (multiple occasions), 12 line wrasse (casually grazes on them), but whatever I try I still find patches of flatworms on my rock work.

I was on vacation for a couple days, which meant I was not home to do my daily manual removal, and came back to what seemed like the plague. Worms were covering the rocks and even started to cover some zoa colonies. This horrific scene caused me to dive into research yet again, to find the cure for this tragedy. It led me to the Blue Velvet Nudibranch.

Now I am not going to just go out and purchase a biological solution to this problem without further research. So I turn to you Reef2Reef community.

- Has anyone ever had success using Blue Velvet Nudibranch to remove Red Planaria?
- They tend to be fragile creatures. How should one go about acclimating them into the aquarium?
- Are they reef safe? (can't trust everything I read on the internet)
- How many would I need for a 29 gallon aquarium with a BAD flatworm problem?

Please share any advice, stories, successes, failures you have had with the Blue Velvet Nudibranch! Thank you!

I plan to document this process with the hope that it can help others...if it works.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Following along.

I will say, I found out I had red planarian probs when I took this guy out of my tank
https://reefbuilders.com/2013/12/18/juvenile-kamohara-fang-blenny-scribblier-cryptic-adults/

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I don't have first hand experience using them. Though I used to get them into the store I manged whenever they were available. We would do a 1 hour drip acclimation for them like other sensitive inverts. People seemed to have good luck with them but I think with any animal solution they tend to be hit or miss. One thing to consider is that the flatworm populations tend to explode in nutrient rich environments. You might try doing some decent size water changes and running carbon in a reactor to clean up the water.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I don't have first hand experience using them. Though I used to get them into the store I manged whenever they were available. We would do a 1 hour drip acclimation for them like other sensitive inverts. People seemed to have good luck with them but I think with any animal solution they tend to be hit or miss. One thing to consider is that the flatworm populations tend to explode in nutrient rich environments. You might try doing some decent size water changes and running carbon in a reactor to clean up the water.

I belive they feed on detritus and coral mucous.

 

[3mm3]

Things are getting out of control with Red Planaria in my 29 gallon reef tank. I've tried it all...manual removal which seems to be a daily chore, Flatworm eXit (multiple occasions), 12 line wrasse (casually grazes on them), but whatever I try I still find patches of flatworms on my rock work.

I was on vacation for a couple days, which meant I was not home to do my daily manual removal, and came back to what seemed like the plague. Worms were covering the rocks and even started to cover some zoa colonies. This horrific scene caused me to dive into research yet again, to find the cure for this tragedy. It led me to the Blue Velvet Nudibranch.

Now I am not going to just go out and purchase a biological solution to this problem without further research. So I turn to you Reef2Reef community.

- Has anyone ever had success using Blue Velvet Nudibranch to remove Red Planaria?
- They tend to be fragile creatures. How should one go about acclimating them into the aquarium?
- Are they reef safe? (can't trust everything I read on the internet)
- How many would I need for a 29 gallon aquarium with a BAD flatworm problem?

Please share any advice, stories, successes, failures you have had with the Blue Velvet Nudibranch! Thank you!

I plan to document this process with the hope that it can help others...if it works.

I used one in my 29 biocube. I had a bad outbreak too. I just did 1 hour acclimation. Also turned off vortech s until it had its bearing.
You will need only one. They hammer flatworms hard. Keep in mind it's the only thing they eat.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I believe they feed on detritus and coral mucous.

There you go. So, remove as much detritus from the tank (can't remove the mucus!) and you're limiting their population.

 

[Tahoe61]

Something to consider: Red Planaria are photosynthetic to some extent. Check out the link below it might offer some alternative or multiple modes of attack.


https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-battle-with-red-planaria-flatworms.84921/

 

[3mm3]

I will add. My 29 biocube was a coral only tank. Zero fish 2 plus years before I had the massive outbreak. Detritus was minimal yet they thrived.

 

[3mm3]

Sorry adding one more finding from my experience. When they use the bathroom make sure it doesn't settle on corals (The waste).

 

[AwildcatsZ]

I don't have first hand experience using them. Though I used to get them into the store I manged whenever they were available. We would do a 1 hour drip acclimation for them like other sensitive inverts. People seemed to have good luck with them but I think with any animal solution they tend to be hit or miss. One thing to consider is that the flatworm populations tend to explode in nutrient rich environments. You might try doing some decent size water changes and running carbon in a reactor to clean up the water.

One of my first thoughts was my nutrient levels, but I run a ultra-low nutrient system. I supplement this with spot feeding of my LPS and polyp corals.

When they first got out of hand I changed 5 gallons every other day thinking, if you do enough water changes most problems will go away. It did not work.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

I used one in my 29 biocube. I had a bad outbreak too. I just did 1 hour acclimation. Also turned off vortech s until it had its bearing.
You will need only one. They hammer flatworms hard. Keep in mind it's the only thing they eat.

Through my research I found that they only eat flatworms. I have a friend in the hobby who also has flatworms, and I would pass the Nudi along to them. If mine come back (I assume they would since they always do) we would share the Nudi.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

So I finally got around to having the time to order my BVN and acclimate it properly. My LFS was nice enough to have one come in their next shipment. It arrived today (no cost for shipping!) and I will be picking it up after work.

I will keep this post updated over the next few days with the process and the results!

 

[keddre]

Following along

 

[3mm3]

Cant wait to see pictures! Very cool creature.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

Picked up the BVN after work and floated it for 15 minutes. Began drip acclimating. All sources say to drop acclimate for a couple hours prior to adding to the tank.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

After 2 hours of drip acclimation I added the BVN to my tank. I placed it next to a patch of flatworms and it immediately went to work. It was very interesting to watch it hunt, and to watch the flatworms try and escape. I easily spent an hour just sitting and watching it do its thing.

This morning I was unable to find the BVN. My lights do not turn on before I leave for work, so I may have just missed it in the dark. Hopefully it survived the night.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Yeah, they are pretty amazing predators. Like little planaria roombas, sucking up the flatworms.

If he doesn't re-appear, check your overflow box or sump to make sure he didn't ride the rollercoaster at night...

 

[mort]

Really interested to see how it does. Hopefully you will have great success. I was talking to someone years ago when I first saw this and they said that due to their extremely short lifespan and the fact that flatworms can multiply up to 20 times a day, that the nudis were only a little helpful at best. I don't think they are ever going to eradicate the problem but I will definitely follow to see how it does.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

Sorry for the delay on updates.

Bad news...could not find him after Day 2...not sure what happened, but I couldn't even find a sign of him. I will assume the clean-up crew made short work of him. As far as whether they are a solution to flatworms, absolutely. For the short amount of time I was able to see the Nudi, he was munching on flatworms non-stop.

I may try again after the Holidays, but for now I will go back to trying to manually control the flatworm population by sucking out with a small tube, and let my 12 line wrasse pick off a few here and there. If anyone has any other remedies please let me know!

 

[keddre]

Sorry for the delay on updates.

Bad news...could not find him after Day 2...not sure what happened, but I couldn't even find a sign of him. I will assume the clean-up crew made short work of him. As far as whether they are a solution to flatworms, absolutely. For the short amount of time I was able to see the Nudi, he was munching on flatworms non-stop.

I may try again after the Holidays, but for now I will go back to trying to manually control the flatworm population by sucking out with a small tube, and let my 12 line wrasse pick off a few here and there. If anyone has any other remedies please let me know!

Check the sand bed and try a couple hours after lights out. To find that slug that is