Rust colored flatworms

[CaptainCoral]

Has anyone battled these guys and won? What I mean is, Are they completely gone?
I'm hoping to hear some positive stories with solutions. As long as they are gone . I'm not interested in the six-line wrasse solution. IMO adding another fish (which many of us shoulden't do anyway), isn't the answer. So, what has worked for you? I'm all ears.

[ricksreef]

i've used a quick 5-10 second
dip in RO water (adjusted for
temp. & PH) with good results.
of course this only works if you
can pull the peice out.it hasn't totally
wiped'em out,but it has significantly
reduced their number (98%).i only
occasionally see one,which i suck up with
rigid airline.i now dip any new rock/corals.

JMO/HTH

[CaptainCoral]

Thanks for the input, ricksreef. I'm trying to collect as many Ideas as possible, so that I can use a combination of what will work for me. Anyone have any great flatworm stories? I'm all ears.

[SPS100]

Seem to eat them like they were going out of style. Only problem I have had is getting one to stays alive more than a month..They dont seem to ship well at all. Copperbands (some) like them.
and of course some leopard wrasse and the splendid sp.wrasse family.


Good Luck

I seem to keep mine in check but never get rid of them as of yet..

[oscar c]

i remember a post that camel shrimp eat them.

[imgrtful]

ours migrate throughout the tank in colonies.one week we'll see them,then the next they seem to be gone.i got a 4-line wrasse and a manderine but still have them.good luck

[Skunk Clown]

Originally posted by oscar c
i remember a post that camel shrimp eat them.

hows the tank setup?

[Ninong]

Originally posted by oscar c
i remember a post that camel shrimp eat them.

I don't know about that but I do know that camel shrimp eat corals.

P.S. -- The Mandarin Dragonet that sometimes eats flatworms is the Spotted Mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus) not S. splendidus.

P.P.S. -- Here is some more detailed information on Camel Shrimp in case anyone is considering these for a reeftank:

Rhynchochinetes rugulosus; Rhynchochinetes uritai; Rhynchochinetes durbanensis; Rhynchochinetes brucei: Rhynchochinetes rigens

These five shrimp species, and probably others, may be sold as “camel-back” or “camel” shrimp, due to the pronounced “hump” on their abdomen. They are also very similar in color pattern and general appearance. This hump is characteristic of many shrimp in the Family Hippolytidae, but it is very pronounced in these animals. They are relatively small, reaching maximal lengths of about three to four centimeters. They also are attractively colored, with bright white stripes or spots surrounded by maraschino cherry red lines as a dominant color. However, like most of the shrimps with such a coloration, they are nocturnal and once added to a tank are seldom seen during daylight. They have large compound eyes that at night reflect a brilliant copper or red light beak at the aquarist if hit with the beam of a flashlight. Color patterns and general morphological features of all of these shrimps are similar. Distinguishing features including relative rostral lengths, presence or absence of dorsal spots on the third abdominal segment and other even more obscure features. It is simply not worth the trouble to try to identify the individual species.

These shrimps are very active at night and will be seen gleaning materials off rocks and other hard substrate. Close examination will show that they are primarily eating small polyps. A few camel back shrimp in a tank will reduce the net growth of zoanthid mats, or star polyp colonies to zero, and may well significantly impact these species. They may eat small polyped stony corals, and will eat tentacles from large polyped stony corals as well.

These are not animals that are “reef safe” except in the largest tanks with a healthy growing population of various polyps.

Interesting or Useful References:

Okuno, J. and M. Takeda. 1992. Description of a new hinge-beak shrimp, Rhynchocinetes conspiciocellus, from southern Japan, with designation of the lectotype of Rhynchocinetes uritai KUBO, 1942. Bulletin of the National Science Museum Series a (Zoology). 18:63-72.