Flatworm-Eating Shrimp

[jimroth]

...No, but I saw a man-eating tunafish once...

Seiously, is anyone else in the club sufferring with the horrible red flatworms?
I am going to order some of these sargassum shrimp that RC Member JSCOTT says will eat the red menace! He lives in TX and has been testing the shrimp for a year.
Would anyone like to divide the cost of a shipment with me?
It's $75, for as many as you want.
Otherwise, I'm gonna have to have a bake sale...

[katspaw]

Jim,
uhmmm is that 75 each or split???? I am interested at any rate. Drop me an email.

Tracey

[harjit]

There is a good artical on this in thejuly issue of Aquarium Fish magazine.
It says fish such as Anampses spp and Macropharyngodon spp wrasses,golden headed sleeper gobies and the psychedelic mandarin fish.Invertebrate predators include the nudibranch chelidonura varians(it has to be this one for the red flatworms,they are very specific in their feeding habits)and snails such as those in the genera Thais and Nardoa..
Also increasing the size/efficiency of protein skimming help to eradicate flatworm by removing or reducing thier food supply.Also increasing the water flow can greatly diminish the flat worm population.They seem to like low-flow areas.
I hope this helps.

HB

[jimroth]

Thanks Harjit.
So far:
1) Mandarin did not eat flatworms
2) 50% water change, no effect.
3) Siphoning flatworms, reduces numbers, takes a lot of sand and sandbed animals with it. Unable to siphon worms off rocks.
4) Increased flow initially reduced numbers, then they returned.
5) Expensive C. Varians nudibranch ate flatworms, very slowly, and disappeared, probably sucked into a pump or over the overflow.

I have thought about stopping feeding the tank--kind of tough on the fish and corals. I have a supply of the Tetra Marine-Oomed, but tht can nuke your tank if it isn't used very carefully, like with a 100% water change ready.

The shrimp will work. I believe in the shrimp.

[katspaw]

Harjit,
I have to go along with Jim on this one. I too have tryed so many different things to rid myself of flatworms. I alsotryed taking out each piece of rock and dipping it into fresh water, and siphoning the sandbed too. This was not an easy feat with a 255 gallon show tank. I don't feed my tank, the refugium feeds it most of the time. I am still loaded with flatworms. I figure that it can't hurt trying something else with these shrimp.

[kennerd]

I would be interested in ONE. :D

The small flatworm outbreak in my new 7 gal disappeared as quickly as it came.

Strangely, I have them in my 10 gal now. The tank's been up for a year and a few months with no problems, and I haven't added a THING to it in 3 months, besides makeup water & supplements. Now I have little clear brown ones, same as those that popped up in the 7.

If they work, I would be willing to trade something for one (from the clean tank, of course!) at the July meeting @ my place.

[jimroth]

Gee, the shipping's gonna be pretty high on ONE.

[kennerd]

Well, let's see: to make it economical for me, I'd need to order, let's say, 50...with that many shrimp in a combined volume of 29 in three tanks, flatworms would be the least of my problems: ther'd be no light getting to my corals!!
:eek:

I figured that I might be able to piggy-back for a single...hey, I'll make some slow-cooked ribs for the meeting.....(blatant blackmail.) No dipping hands into the tank for frags after the ribs: only BEFORE you eat!:)

[kennerd]

Seriously, though: this sounds like a perfect "club-group" purchase, if they work, given the problems some of the group has had.

Any idea if these little guys rate at the top of the menu for any of your other inhabitants? $75 might rate a little high for the "Beefsteak Charlie's all-you-can-eat shrimp special".

[katspaw]

Being that my system will need more than Jim's ( larger size) I could more than likely spare a shrimp or two and set them aside for you.

[kennerd]

And I KNOW you like ribs, Tracey!

AND, you can have your pick from any of the tanks, given our mutual problem!

[katspaw]

Ken I love ribs, and I will bring extra prevacid ( ulcer meds ) :D that way I won't end up in pain from eating spicey food.

Tracey

[kennerd]

HAHA: spoken like a true Texan: don't avoid the spicy food, prepare for it...gotta love that!

[jimroth]

Just kidding of course Ken, especially considering spareribs. The JSCOTT is recommending 4 doz between Tracey and me, I'm sure we can spare a lone ranger!
There is another place selling something similar, they claim they will coexist with peppermints and cleaners. I'm pretty sure they'd be shrimp cocktail for my coral bandeds.

[kennerd]

Without a little levity in my life I'd be a basketcase, Jim! And, yes, we relly S L O W C O O K 'em up here, too..(did a stint in Charlotte, NC, so I larned from the locals.)

I've got a coral banded in the 10. Hey, I've got a great looking arrow crab in my 7: think there'd be a problem with him? Little bugger was tiny when I got him, but he's getting big, so he might be up for grabs.

[coachgail]

Actually, I don't have flat worms in my 180, but I have only 1 or 2 lone peppermints in there. I think my man eating sailfin or my torturus clarki clown (both now bite me) are taking a liking to them. How big do these guys get? If fairly large, I would happily get a couple dozen.
Gail

[jimroth]

JSCOTT says they range from less than an inch to an inch. In other words, smaller than peps.

[coachgail]

Well, I wouldn't mind trying them. I may have lost the shrimp due to I put them in as part of a cleaner pack when I first got the tank. I wold happily purchase 2 dozen and put most in the refugium.
Gail

[jimroth]

Sorry Gail, the order has gone out...

[coachgail]

That's OK! I know now you are all out to get me...;) LOL

[jimroth]

Tomorrow is the big day, they are coming from Texas. Ooooooooo, exciting.

[kennerd]

Texas, eh? Hope they don't show up on BBQ marinated dry ice!:D

[Bio]

Well I hope it works...

It would be huge if the really do eat flatworms....

[katspaw]

Well, I am hoping they do a good job of eating these flat pests. I will be able to survive the shrimps for a very long time if they do. :D
You know Jim, we should have waited, I am going down to Texas next week. I could have picked them up for us. Didn't think of that. :confused: And Gail's headed that way also.

Tracey

[jimroth]

Yeah, you could just pop over to Corpus Christi, I'm sure it's just a few minutes away. I was thinking next time, I could just zip down to the Carolinas after a big storm, and get the Sargassum myself. :D

[kennerd]

Jim:

Thanks for swinging by today: the little buggers were holed up in a small cave & seemed fine. One even came out for a little stroll when I shined the light in the tank!

[coachgail]

I am hitting Lone Star Corals, hopefully, as they are about 10 minutes from my mom;s house. Hope to get soem cherry-picked frags...

[jimroth]

Ken:
My pleasure. That is one cool pistol shrimp.
Them little trees you has is nice, too.