What eats red flatworms ?
 

I read on other web sites that a mandrin goby will eat red flatworms. Is this true? Because we are just about ready for a mandrin goby and are having a lot of red flatworms. too many to use flatworm exit.

The spotted mandrin (Synchiropus picturatus) is said to eat flatworms.
The blue/green mandrin (Synchiropus splendidus) does not.

Well that sucks. We were looking to get the blue/green manderin not the spotted. But thanks for the info. Does anything else eat red flatworms?

I have a Royal Gramma which eats them. They were multiplying rapidly in my tank at one point and I was squashing them on the glass and sucking them out, to no avail. One day my RG decided they were food and they were all gone in about 2 weeks.

Your mileage may vary. :wink:

My normal coloured mandarin did eat them, but as posted, its the spotted most post to have success with. Several common wrasses, including the sixline, yellow & leopard. I have also heard of some damsels, like the blue/yellow tailed eating them.

However, I have seldom read where a flatworm population has been eradicated by fish. First, they seem to be a hit & miss and second, they dont eat enough. If something like "exit" is not going to be used, then the fish may help, along with lost of siphoning, lots of current to get them into suspension and good skimming & mech. filtration to remove them.

Not that this helps you now but my colony of flatworms disappeared and i didnt notive until they were gone so it was very quick. I hope you have the same luck!

lucky. my royal gramma doesn't, and I havent' been able to tell if my new sixline wrasses do either...

My black leopard wrasse ate them all in my olld seahorse tank within a week or so. Just cruised around all day picking them off. It was great. I love biological controls for pests.

Anthony

I'd love to get a Leopard Wrasse but I've read they're hard to keep. How has yours been?