Preventing Flatworms.

[mblitz86]

Hi. I'm a prevent a problem before it happens if you can kind of person and I'm setting up my 5th saltwater tank which is going to be my torch and hammer tank.

Since they sometimes come in with flatworms and there is always the possibility of something slipping past I'm looking for a fish or something living to have before I buy the corals that eats flatworms. The thing is I'm looking for something that will not eat my snails, crabs, and tuxedo urchins.

I've heard everything from boxer shrimp to clownfish to damsels eat flatworms. Can anyone confirm this or recommend something that is invert safe for my 60 gallon tank. It has plenty of rockwork.

The tank is cycled. I'm planning on putting in fish in 2 weeks and corals in 4 weeks. Copepods, rotifers and amphipods have already been added to the tank after the cycling was finished.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Lavey29]

6 line wrasse or yellow coris wrasse. Banded shrimp eat them too.

 

[exnisstech]

I like a six line in my tanks too small for a melanarus (my fav for flatworms) A 60g would be fine for one as long as your selective with tank mates. IMO too many try to keep them in smaller tanks with other small but timid fish. Sixline is a small fish but has big fish attitude. I keep one in 65g 36x22x22" with an electric blue damsel and yellow and 2 spot bristletooth tangs and they all get along fine. I have another in a large 330g and I hardly see it because it rarely leaves the rocks.

 

[mblitz86]

I should have mentioned my tank sizes.

1. Nem tank 40 gallon rectangle with a 10 gallon macroalgae refugium.

2. Frag tank 40 breeder

3rd Torch and Hammer tank. 60 gallon rectangle with a 25gallon refugium/ macroalgae tank. This is being setup and where any larger than 50g req fish is going to be living to clean all frags before final placement. A shrimp would be better because I could toss those in all my tanks. .

I have heard six line and coris eat inverts and that's a concern. I have a lot of ornamental crabs and shrimp. Red and green emerald, Acro, porcelain, anemone crabs sexy, cleaner shrimp.

Thoughts?

 

[Tahoe61]

Since you have so many already established systems why not use one as an Euphyllia quarantine system?

 

[troublemaker]

That’s really trying to control a problem before it gets out of hand, not a prevention. The Flatworms on Euphyllia are easily killed with a mild dip like Melafix, and the eggs are relatively easy to spot with good eyes. I’m not saying to not implement the fish mentioned above, just that a little prevention up front makes their job easier and improves their level of success.

 

[Parrottbay]

Try Wormageddon dip for flatworms, new product but works like a charm.

 

[LEDSmartInc]

In aquariums, use quarantine periods and preventative dips for new live rock and plants to eliminate flatworms before they infest the main tank.