Flatworms everywhere

[jtemple42000]

I'm sure that this has been posted before, however the search feature is not working so I made a new post.

75g, no fish yet, 1 cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, 50 or so snails, 2 emerald crabs, 40 blue hermits. approx 50lbs of live rock.
wet/dry filter, protein skimmer

I have flatworms everywhere. I have siphoned some out, but this hardly puts a dent in them. They are on the crushed coral, on the live rock and on the glass. I have been reading about flatworm exit. Is this the best solution at this point and what do I need to successfully treat the tank. I have read that I need to run some sort of carbon filter afterwards?

My lfs said the the six line wrasse may eat them, a yellow damsel would eat them, but may become a problem later down the road when we start to stock the tank, and peppermint shrimp would eat them, they have been in there for 3 days and it doesn't look much different to me. Do I just need to be more patient?

This stuff is all new to me and my wife and I have been taking it slow so that we do kill a bunch of fish and or lose a lot of money. So any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[Paintbug]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

are they red or clear flatworms?

[jtemple42000]

they seem to start off clear and the turn a rusty red color, with a red dot.

I have also read that the velvet nudibranch will eat these things. How many would I need, 1, 2?

[UrbanSage]

I have a similar problem
Tagging along :rollface:

[Paintbug]

heres some info on flatworms, and how to use flatworm exit. http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

some nudis will eat them, but often not all of them. then the nudi will die of starvation, and leach toxins into your tank. this could wipe out your whole tank!

six line wrasses are popular for control of flatworms as well. but they are 50/50 on eating flatworms. if your tank is new, its fairly common to have a flatworm population bloom. they often die off themselves soon after from starvation. however you decide to get rid of them, dont leave the dead ones in the tank. they will release toxins as well. you need to syphon out the dead ones ASAP.

[jtemple42000]

Just got back from the lfs. He gave me two yellow damsels. They grow corals and distribute them through out the midwest and they use the yellow damsels in their grow tanks to take care of the flatworms. He said when they are done bring them back......

Guess we'll see how they do......

I really do not want to use chemicals.......unless I have too....

[Paintbug]

theres alot of fish that will eat them. atleast you have a good LFS that will loan you a couple of preditors. i dont like adding chemicals myself. so i can understand that!

[kiowascout]

I tried nudis, six lines, siphoning, and I even tried Exit.

NONE OF IT WORKED. well, the exit worked for a short term fix.

Then, after about six months, they came back with a vengance!!!

So, I then, out of desperation, siphoned all I could see for like four straight days and then hit it again with about four times the recommended dosage of exit.. Things seem to be under control now FINALLY after dealing with these for nine months.