Any Suggestions?

[BlackRed+Yellow]

I have 90 gal. mini reef....too me, everything looks beautiful except one thing. I have a flat worm problem. Currently, I have both a male and female green mandarin pair. They look pretty but don't seem to do much about the flatworms. I have tried syphoning them out with airline tubing...that makes a difference for about a day and then its like I never did anything. I have increased the flow where the problem seems to be worst...no difference..I have not yet tried a nudibranch and I have no intention of shocking the tank with a salinity drop....also chemicals are most likely out of the question....I doubt their is a chemical that will get rid of flatworms and harm nothing else.
Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any good advice
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[wrassehole]

I had the same problem. I bought a coris wrasse (Red coris graimard) all he does all day long is hunt those little S.O.B's. he will without a doubt get rid of your bristle worm problem, in fact, after a few months you'll wonder if there are any left for him to hunt. i have to start a refuge to get their numbers up, before they become extinct. thats my advice. get one. they also keep your sand gleaming white as well.

 

[iamjosh]

There is a chemical called Flat Worm Exit, I believe you make a bucket of it, dip rocks and get rid of the problem and I think you can dose your tank, but you can only do that once or twice before the flat worms build up an imunity, I believe there are some people in the tri-cities that dealt with it.

Good Luck.

 

[Angelscrx]

You do a low salinity dip instead of dropping the salinity in your tank.

 

[johnehr]

I have those flat white worms swimming around at night in my tank (1/4" long). Those flat worms? They do any damage?

 

[NaH2O]

BR&Y - Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

Can you tell us a little bit about your system? It might be something like a nutrient or flow issue, so if we can break down your system, then we can try and come up with some ideas. Do you have a skimmer, do you use RO/DI water, what is your water change schedule, foods/feeding routine, water parameters?

For removal - try this, mojoreef has a great suggestion of taking a piece of white plastic board (i.e. cutting type board) put it on the bottom of the tank (sand if you have it). When the lights go off, shine a flash light or something similar on the board overnight. In the morning, the board should be covered in them.....from there you can siphon them out.

 

[NaH2O]

Johnehr - it is hard to say without a picture, and that might be difficult, as well. There are so many varieties of these little critters. I'll see if I can dig up a link with some pics. Check out this article and see if it helps: Tie A Yellow Ribbon (Worm) Around The Old Reef Rock