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I've had this discussion with a few on here and wanted some more input. There are many disadvantages that we all know of and discuss repeatedly:
They're unsightly
Some eat corals and other things in our tanks
If they all die at once, they can release a toxin that could crash the tank
How often do we think about the potential benefits, though? Mainly, the fact that they are a hardy and fast-multiplying food source to many fish that are more difficult to keep because of their diet requirements. Take a mandarin for instance. Many have difficulty keeping these fish because they will only accept live foods and will not get enough nutrients from live brine.
I have seen systems with populations of flatworms living in the sump and providing a food source to a fat and happy mandarin, in addition to pods and other microorganisms, of course. This would add more variety to the diets of mandarins and the other fish in the tank, potentially making them more healthy.
I think the biggest potential problem would be if a large portion of the flatworms die at once, nuking the tank. But, I would think the only reason for them to all die at once would be either we are trying to kill them, or poor water quality. If poor water quality is the cause, then there are bigger problems than flatworms, IMO.
What are your thoughts on this? Is this feasible, or am I completely off here?
They're unsightly
Some eat corals and other things in our tanks
If they all die at once, they can release a toxin that could crash the tank
How often do we think about the potential benefits, though? Mainly, the fact that they are a hardy and fast-multiplying food source to many fish that are more difficult to keep because of their diet requirements. Take a mandarin for instance. Many have difficulty keeping these fish because they will only accept live foods and will not get enough nutrients from live brine.
I have seen systems with populations of flatworms living in the sump and providing a food source to a fat and happy mandarin, in addition to pods and other microorganisms, of course. This would add more variety to the diets of mandarins and the other fish in the tank, potentially making them more healthy.
I think the biggest potential problem would be if a large portion of the flatworms die at once, nuking the tank. But, I would think the only reason for them to all die at once would be either we are trying to kill them, or poor water quality. If poor water quality is the cause, then there are bigger problems than flatworms, IMO.
What are your thoughts on this? Is this feasible, or am I completely off here?
