Invisible acro-eating flatworms

[lightningstrike]

The upside to this is that those with green-spotted mandarinfishes, six-line wrasses or leopard wrasses may find them feasting on these flatworms (NOT the red planaria) IF they spot them.

nothing eat those bastards.

[Achilles Tang]

I agree bro... I agree.

[RAV-65]

Supposing if we use some Salifert Flatworm Exit in a tub of saltwater to dip before introducing the colony to the tank, would it help??? would the colony be stressed??

[Achilles Tang]

I suppose that is good practice, Rav. It's supposed to be safe for corals.

[RAV-65]

I suppose that is good practice, Rav. It's supposed to be safe for corals.

Dat's it.... that's wat I'm gonna do in the future.... cant risk having these creatures running amok in my tank...

[RAV-65]

Here's a short thread I found in RC :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...ht=red+planaria

[RAV-65]

more literature for follow reefers out there :

http://www.rshimek.com/flatworms.htm

[somebody]

hmm.. these flatworms.... so, should i dip softies in flatworn exit too??

or is it only needed for SPS?

[RAV-65]

Here's Ron Shimek's quote in one the RC's thread on solution in getting rid of Red Planaria :

"Nuke the tank and start over"

[RAV-65]

hmm.. these flatworms.... so, should i dip softies in flatworn exit too??

or is it only needed for SPS?

Softies can be a breeding ground for flatworms...

[giantbicycle]

Softies can be a breeding ground for flatworms...

Wha, really ar? dint knw that, groos man, can softies and lps dip into the Salifert Flatworm Exit

[damienkee]

Softies can be a breeding ground for flatworms...

yo.... i better b caution!

[blueheaven]

I think no matter how much you try to remove the flatoworms and their eggs, total success rate is very slim as you do not know where there might still be eggs and especially when your tank is so big with so many colonies of SPS.

So unless you take out all colonies and inspect all LR and surfaces, you are probably fighting a losing battle as these guys will keep coming and you will lose more colonies.

I really wish you all the best in your war with the flatworms and may you win in the end

[strat]

So are there any natural predators for these flatworms?

[Reefaholic]

Sadly, this is not a luxury or practice that most of us follow... with such consequences.

The upside to this is that those with green-spotted mandarinfishes, six-line wrasses or leopard wrasses may find them feasting on these flatworms (NOT the red planaria) IF they spot them.

I guess a good countermeasure is to observe each specimen closely for negative changes, suspect the worse and try to spot for parasites such as these.

The eggs can be scrapped off with a sharp knife and you can kalkwasser paste the adults if you have the time. If not, a dip with Lugols iodine (may not work for some species) or flatworm exit or Freshwater Dip may kill them (with risks to corals).

Bottomline: I HATE FLATWORMS.

I must agree, having a quarantine tank is like setting another reef tank, even worst if its a sps tank. Extra money.

Those flatworms are a PIA. Thought of seeing them makes my hair stand even now.

But having those six liner, gobies that supposely eat flat worms would be good. But we must think, if we have high flow that surround those infested acros, no fishes will swim around them. So flatworms will be safe.

[weileong]

If your flow is so high and concentrated that they fish cannot swim ard the SPS then the tissues would be blown away long ago..... maybe the flat worm also blown away

[Eric]

I must agree, having a quarantine tank is like setting another reef tank, even worst if its a sps tank. Extra money.

Those flatworms are a PIA. Thought of seeing them makes my hair stand even now.

But having those six liner, gobies that supposely eat flat worms would be good. But we must think, if we have high flow that surround those infested acros, no fishes will swim around them. So flatworms will be safe.

Maybe we should just grow our sps tank with frags instead of colony, easier to inspect and less chance of infecting flatworms.

Eric

[wa_lanz]

ya but how many will have th patience to grow them from frags??

[FuEl]

Ah..nasty stuff..maybe could try a copperband or yellow longnose butterfly?

[RAV-65]

Maybe dipping the SPS colonies/frags with flatworm exit would be a good husbandry before they are introduced into the main tank....

[Jimng]

red planaria <-- i was thinking the Black+Blue line nudibranch (dun remember the scientific name) would feast on these.......

[RAV-65]

Bro, u sure about that??

[Jimng]

I saw in a book showing pics of them eating it....need to go thru the books to find the pics.....

[RAV-65]

I saw in a book showing pics of them eating it....need to go thru the books to find the pics.....

dat's good news...

[blueheaven]

If I can remember, AT had bought those velvet slugs before

Slugs vs Worms?