Reefoholic January 19, 2012 Share January 19, 2012 Hi all, After all kinds of talk on red flatworms, I am concerned about some I have in my tank. I discovered them last night. Although they are not disturbing anything (yet) I would like to keep them in check. I have a Six Line Wrasse and I think he is doing his best to help with the flatworm population, but I was wondering if anyone sells these little Blue Velvet Nudibranches? Also, does anyone have any experience with them? Thanks! PS: They look like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luceneck January 19, 2012 Share January 19, 2012 I got one several years back and I wish I hadn't. The one I got started eating flatworms within 5 minutes, but it could not stay in one location very long. The flow in the tank would lift it up and blow it around the tank until it eventually got sucked up by the powerhead. Looking back at that mistake, the only way I could have kept it long term was to reduce my flow down as low as possible to almost nothing. Keep in mind that while these slugs will eat flatworms they will never be able to get all of them so the FW will come back. The only way to get rid of FW is to kill them all at once and the only way to ensure that is to treat the entire tank at once. I would recommend a chemical treatment over a specialized hunter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic January 19, 2012 Author Share January 19, 2012 I had no idea that they were so easy to be blown away. Thanks for the info! I don't want to treat my tank with chemicals, that's all. Flatworm issue is not like an explosion at all. I was just concerned and did not want to end up like Zygote2k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni January 19, 2012 Share January 19, 2012 Flatworm exit is pretty safe. I use it at half dose and have a small airline tubing to suck out the "strings" of dead flatworms you see. I also siphon up all the visible flatworms each day for a week prior to treating. The risk with FE is that if a ton of the flatworms die off and release a toxin, it can cause a tank crash. I've treated once each on 2 different tanks without any visible flatworms afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic January 19, 2012 Author Share January 19, 2012 Thanks Roni. How do you siphon the death worms out tho? I would most probably siphon out my sand doing it. I might try the chemical warfare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni January 19, 2012 Share January 19, 2012 Get some airline tubing. Put a narrow mesh net at the end of the airline tubing. Put end of airline tubing in the sump. Start siphoning. Empty net and repeat. I don't siphon off sand initially, just off rocks. When you treat with FE, they form these strings of dead flatworms which are easy to siphon out. Also, when I dosed, I did half dose from what was recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic January 19, 2012 Author Share January 19, 2012 Great idea! Thanks man! I will try that today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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