Help Needed: Flatworm Control – Natural Solutions Not Working

[windsor_salt]

I bought a sixline wrasse and a sapphire damsel, but neither of them seems interested in eating flatworms. Maybe they’re still too young to hunt them? I also tried a blue velvet nudibranch, but it vanished after just a few days—this happened before I got the wrasse. Honestly, I’m at my wit’s end and feeling really frustrated. I’d rather not resort to chemical treatments. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[Uncle99]

Option 1: Flatworm exit (a salifert product) kills them in the tank within an hour, but be sure to remove as many as possible and be ready to run carbon and a 25% water change.

Option 2: Flatworm stop works but works slowly and the stuff is expensive. It’s a KZ product dosed at 1ml per 25g and is intended as a long term solution. Normal it’s dosed along with coral boost every other day at same rate.

Unfortunately these both are chemical solutions, outside of manual removal and predators, not much else.

 

[Lavey29]

How long has the 6 line been in the tank? Remember nothing in this hobby beneficial happen quickly. Patience is key.

 

[windsor_salt]

How long has the 6 line been in the tank? Remember nothing in this hobby beneficial happen quickly. Patience is key.

1-2 months

 

[exnisstech]

Tank size? I have a sixline and several different types of damsels and they couldn't keep up when I had a bad outbreak of pumpkin flat worms in a 330g. I added a melanarus wrasse and he took care of them but they need a larger tank with sand. I lost the melanarus but am still not seeing flatworms so I think the sixline and damsels just couldn't keep up with the number of flatworms I had but they can maintain them now. Mine were so bad i was having to blow them off of my leathers and mushrooms several times a day.

 

[windsor_salt]

its a nano, 20 gallon long

 

[BriDroid]

I went through this in my nano. If you do the Flatworm Exit, you have to do more than one dose, I learned that the hard way! I did 3 doses 7 days apart. Maybe it's coincidence, but almost all of my zoas melted and my hammer and duncan were mad for weeks. Everything else handled it just fine. Cerith snails also don't like it. None died, but they get very inactive for a week or so after treatment.

It's been a month, and no more flatworms at all!

 

[Lavey29]

1-2 months

Well that's not much time and a pretty small tank for a 6 line. 20g means like 14g with rock. You would be better with a banded shrimp.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Fenbendazole flakes will kill flat worms