Flatworms - what to do / how screwed am I?

[maxmale96]

These tiny guys have appeared all over my glass overnight… looked it up and it seems like flatworms…

Seems like it’s one thing after another. Had a brook outbreak while out of town a few weeks back and killed all my fish. My tanks been fallow for about 3 weeks (besides the corals, CUC, and cleaner shrimp)

1. How did I get these? I dip all my corals. I do get my water from a lfs- could that be it?

2. What do I do? How can I get rid of these without killing my corals? I read the salifert flatworm killer is a good place to start

Thanks y’all,

 

[Cali Reef Life]

well to mange the levels you could get a wrasse once you get passed fallow. Turkey baster the coral with a slow siphon. If you are going to treat try to lower the population first. Dipping is great but doesn't treat eggs why a lot of people get a simple qt tank for coral and inverts and dip well they are in qt once or twice and observe them for a couple weeks to 2 months.

 

[adamg77]

I have had them in my tank since the beginning. As mentioned certain fish like wrasses have been known to predate on them. I have not noticed any damage to any corals so I’m just letting them be

 

[BriDroid]

Are they the ghost flatworms? They are what I have in my tank. Not sure where they came from as I also dipped everything. I've read that the ghost flatworms are pretty much pod eaters and don't cause much issues.

 

[adamg77]

I’d recommend this read

Flatworms: The Good, the Bad, and the Pretty Terrifying, Part 1

A description and discussion of marine aquarium flatworms and what to do about them.

www.reef2reef.com

I don’t know exactly what species I have but I do know that all my corals are growing

 

[BriDroid]

I've thought about a Springer's damsel. They're supposed to eat them, but they just aren't a problem right now, I only see one here and there. With my tiny tank, I'm pretty much limited to one fish, and I'm not sure I want a Springer's damsel as my one fish :)

 

[Jason boles]

I use the flatworm stop made by KZ. After about 90 days of dosing they all but disappear. They come back slowly when you stop, but I do enjoy my kz additives.

Has worked for me. They began to get to unruly numbers and were starting to crowd coral space and almost create films on things.

I got one of them cool nudibranchs. Blue velvet I think. Looked awesome. Ate the hell out of the boogers when I placed it in and never saw it again.

No wrasse here. I do have a butterfly fish that may grab one but I doubt it.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

These tiny guys have appeared all over my glass overnight… looked it up and it seems like flatworms…

Seems like it’s one thing after another. Had a brook outbreak while out of town a few weeks back and killed all my fish. My tanks been fallow for about 3 weeks (besides the corals, CUC, and cleaner shrimp)

1. How did I get these? I dip all my corals. I do get my water from a lfs- could that be it?

2. What do I do? How can I get rid of these without killing my corals? I read the salifert flatworm killer is a good place to start

Thanks y’all,

I have the same thing, got a six line and in a short time I hardly see any