Planaria and Aiptasia

[Almondsaz]

I have had my system for a few years now and never really had any "pest" problems until now. :help2:

First is the red planaria, while I have only seen a few (15 or less on the sump wall) that means there are a lot more that I don't see. In my DT I have several wrasses so don't see any in there - not a one and believe me I look. I know when I got them and why. A friend gave me some macro and then it happened. I have been manually removing them and they are not growing in population size out of control. I have been debating on putting a wrasse temporarily in the sump til they are gone. But I know he will eat all the pods and mysid as well. I definitely do not want to use Saliferts FlatWorm Exit because the situation doesn't yet warrant it. Question: My plan is to monitor and physically remove them when I see them. If they do get to the display then I may have to rethink the Saliferts Flatworm Exit before it gets to be a problem? Thoughts.

Second: The dreaded Aiptasia. I have noticed several in the overflow box and I got in and inject them with Kalk and then more grow. Never noticed any in my display til this week and saw my first in a rock. Makes me wonder how many other little starters are in there some where that I can't see. I have peppermint shrimp in the sump as I am trying to keep the problem from getting to the DT (just got them). I can't add them to the DT becuase my mystery wrasse and others decide they must be food since they are last in the tank - even if I add late in the night after lights out. What other methods are there for Aiptasia control? I can't remove the rock (or don't want to) because there is good coral growth fixed to the rock. I would love a long nose butterfly, but I have a lot of soft corals and LPS (ACANs) that I don't want damaged. Question: Any ideas on doing something other that what I am already doing?

Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post.

[fsn77]

For the red planaria, I would control them manually as long as possible. It sounds like your wrasses will control any that find their way to the main tank. Treating a system with any size to it with Flatworm Exit can become pricey quick (especially if you find yourself needing a second dose). I dosed our 90g recently because I began seeing them and wanted to knock them out before they became a problem, and I used more than a bottle dosing at 3x the recommended rate. Luckily, there were not all that many, but nonetheless, two bottles runs between $40 - $50, depending on where you shop. I've since spent the $20 and bought a yellow "coris" wrasse, hoping it might help head off this problem in the future before it really becomes a problem.

For the aiptasia, I've never bothered injecting them. I mix up kalk paste thick enough that it barely comes out of a needleless syringe. I then coat the entire aiptasia and a small surrounding area, essentially cementing it in. If there's several, it can be a tedious chore, that's for sure, and one that takes days (or weeks) to complete.

I understand your hesitation about getting a butterfly... I've had my eye on one for a couple of years now but have similar reservations based on some of the corals we chosen to keep.

[JUICY JAYNE]

I use aipitasa x its fantastic, wait untill they are a size that you can see easily then do what this says in the instructions, the little blighters love the stuff and DIE

[DoctaQ]

yeah, ive had good experience with aptasia x too.

red planaria? flatworms?
those things are rough, be diligent about getting rid of them because they multiply
one thing is though that they are attracted to light hope that helps

[Catpicklesdog]

With regards to the flatworm, I wouldn't worry too much if you have wrasses. Like FSN said, your wrasses will control any that get into your display tank and will also keep them well fed at the same time. I had a massice outbreak and my green spotted mandarin soon got through them all that I didn't have one left that I ever saw.

With regards to Aiptasia, I'm still trying to find a permanent solution without introducing a copperband!!!!

[Amphiprion]

With regards to the flatworm, I wouldn't worry too much if you have wrasses. Like FSN said, your wrasses will control any that get into your display tank and will also keep them well fed at the same time. I had a massice outbreak and my green spotted mandarin soon got through them all that I didn't have one left that I ever saw.

With regards to Aiptasia, I'm still trying to find a permanent solution without introducing a copperband!!!!

I'm actually trying something out and I'll let you know if it works out or not. I have recently purchased a bristletail filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus), which is reputed to be relatively "safe" (minus worms, smaller shrimp, etc.) yet feasts on Aiptasia (this part is well-documented in captivity and seems to be a consistent behavioral trait). I mainly don't want it touching the corals I have, but we'll see.