Red Planaria help!!!

[joshainga]

So I just checked my downstairs display and noticed that I’m starting to get Red Planaria in my tank. I want to get rid of them before they get out of hand. I prefer to start with natural removal if possible. Tank is a 25 gallon nuvo lagoon and I’m afraid that if I do flatworm exit that I would not get them all out and the toxins would nuke my tank. I didn’t notice them until after I added some corals a few weeks ago. Any advice?

 

[Jikkermanccini]

Planarians are no fun at all, trust me you want to get them out! I have tried blue velvet slugs with limited success, however my display is large & high flow so they weren't as effective as they could have been. In a smaller tank it may work fine, you'll just have to put mesh over the overflow & any powerheads, they shred like wet toilet paper. The route I wish I had taken is to suck as many out as you can see every day (you'll want to do a water change for this, if you suck them into a sock they will die and release toxins), then when you can't find them very easily go ahead and do a round of FW Exit. I hate using chemicals of that nature, but sometimes it's the only way. Just whatever you do, don't let them proliferate! They will reach a population cap and finally crash like mine did, I'm flatworm free but I'm also 98% livestock free. Not a fun experience.
I wish you luck, flatworms are a big nightmare but I believe you can get them out since you only just noticed them. Good luck and God bless.

 

[joshainga]

Planarians are no fun at all, trust me you want to get them out! I have tried blue velvet slugs with limited success, however my display is large & high flow so they weren't as effective as they could have been. In a smaller tank it may work fine, you'll just have to put mesh over the overflow & any powerheads, they shred like wet toilet paper. The route I wish I had taken is to suck as many out as you can see every day (you'll want to do a water change for this, if you suck them into a sock they will die and release toxins), then when you can't find them very easily go ahead and do a round of FW Exit. I hate using chemicals of that nature, but sometimes it's the only way. Just whatever you do, don't let them proliferate! They will reach a population cap and finally crash like mine did, I'm flatworm free but I'm also 98% livestock free. Not a fun experience.
I wish you luck, flatworms are a big nightmare but I believe you can get them out since you only just noticed them. Good luck and God bless.

Thank you. I’ve been in and out of this hobby for at least 12 years and this is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with them. Aptasia always, vermetid snails a time or two but never flatworms

 

[SaltwaterGardening]

Get a wrasse in the appropriate size for your tank. They’ll be gone within a week!

 

[jcook54]

Wrasse are a great option but I've had a lot of luck with Blue Sapphire damsels too. Sometimes they're called springeri or "Springer's" damsels. In my frag tank, the sapphire damsel eats a bunch of them but I can still see them laying flat against mushrooms. I think the mushrooms act as camouflage and the damsel won't eat them. But it does keep the population low enough that I've never had a issue using Flatworm Exit.

 

[civics14]

I highly recommend using Flatworm Exit. I went thru Red Planaria in my last tank and their population can quickly grow out of control that no natural control will work.
Here is what I recommend:

1. Vacuum as much out as you can with an airline hose. You can get a filter sock, vacuum it into the sock in the sump, so you don't have to lose water. I did this every day for a week.
2. Make enough water to do a 40-50% water change.
3. Get activated carbon rinsed and ready to use. Make a giant bag, if you can, put it in a reactor.
4. Do a double recommended dose of Flatworm Exit.
5. The moment you see die off, put in the Carbon.
6. Do the Water Change.
7. Add 6-line wrasse to get residuals.
8. 3-4 Days later, repeat but use a normal dose (not double)

I had a full reef tank going and had zero loss.