Which "springeri" eats flatworms?

[tribbitt]

Springeris are supposed to eat flatworms - and I have a bunch of those red-brown planarians - but which one is the real deal? There's both solid blue ones and ones speckled with black. I saw some article claiming the solid blue ones are the true springeris, but most hobbyist accounts of "springeri ate my flatworms" feature the speckled one. I'm hoping it's the black speckled one because that's some coloration I really like.

And no, I'm not getting this fish purely as a problem solver. I genuinely like the fish but if I could pick the one that has the added benefit of flatworm-eating that'd be great.

 

[Darkxerox]

I've tried both, neither do. My tanks are full of failed (but entertaining) red planaria predators: scooter mandarin, spotted mandarin, yellow wrasse, both types of springeri (one lives with @Turkeysammich ), pink streaked wrasse.

Sixlines might work, but they're usually horrible fish.

When I start up my new systems, I'm going to just KCl dip everything and use a QT before they make it into the display.

 

[tribbitt]

Six lines are assholes and I don’t want to have to catch one out.

I’ll get one anyway because they’re really pretty, but expectations of flatworm eating should be 0?

 

[Darkxerox]

They're pretty good community fish, they kinda stake out their little region and only bicker with conspecifics. No problems with other fish like typical damsels. Much prettier under whiter lighting too.

 

[PjFish]

I like the tail-spot , Halichoeres melanurus wrasse for my tanks. They have worked alot better in the past then a six line which I have as well..Skipping feedings seems to get them on the ball quicker lol but that means all the other fish skip a few meals also which is just fine for the fatties!

 

[Turkeysammich]

I’ve had a lot of them. They don’t eat flatworms that I’ve seen. Maybe if they are in the water column. But how many times are flatworms in the water column. Although the one that Thomas @Darkxerox gave me is the most beautiful fish that I’ve ever seen in that species. I’ll take a picture of it later.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

H. melanurus wrasse is my favorite
But other members of this genus work too

 

[BAYMAC]

third vote for H. melanurus

 

[tribbitt]

Well, my tank is twenty gallons. So I think a melanarus is a bit much

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Well, my tank is twenty gallons. So I think a melanarus is a bit much

Glad to hear that philosophy

 

[BAYMAC]

Well, my tank is twenty gallons. So I think a melanarus is a bit much

Absolutely!

You scored some BAR Bucks with that comment

 

[Kensington Reefer]

@tribbitt
Maybe a dose of the salifert flatworm exit
But…use with caution and have water ready for large water change (at least 30%)

 

[Darkxerox]

@tribbitt
Maybe a dose of the salifert flatworm exit
But…use with caution and have water ready for large water change (at least 30%)

They honestly never get wiped out from this, I think the ones hiding in the sand or rocks don't get exposed or just some percentage survive the treatment.

Vacuuming the visible ones works for me though using Mark Levinson's method: https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/how-eliminate-flatworms-red-planaria

That should be done no matter what prior to treatment.

 

[tribbitt]

They honestly never get wiped out from this, I think the ones hiding in the sand or rocks don't get exposed or just some percentage survive the treatment.

Vacuuming the visible ones works for me though using Mark Levinson's method: https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/how-eliminate-flatworms-red-planaria

That should be done no matter what prior to treatment.

Yeah I worry it’ll be a recurring process which can’t be good for the biological balance

 

[iani]

More water changes to drop nutrients will help as well.

 

[Darkxerox]

More water changes to drop nutrients will help as well.

They're photosynthetic so I use them as a form of nutrient export

 

[Invictus]

I will answer your question directly in the event that you still want to give a Springeri a shot. Many LFS’s like Neptune keep them in their tanks for pest control. Plus, they’re beautiful fish which can do well in a 20 gallon.

The answers that I’ve gotten, after lots of research, is that both of those fish, with more or less black on them, are considered Springeri damsels. With the ones that are mostly blue, what you want to look for is that slight black line along the side under the top fin.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Go for a target mandarin

 

[tribbitt]

Go for a target mandarin

Aren't mandarins a lot of work, voracious pod eaters, and will require all kinds of things like baby brine? Unless I get a regular mandarin from Biota, but those are outside my price range :/

I don't know if my tank and schedule will allow a fish like that to live a happy life.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Aren't mandarins a lot of work, voracious pod eaters, and will require all kinds of things like baby brine? Unless I get a regular mandarin from Biota, but those are outside my price range :/

I don't know if my tank and schedule will allow a fish like that to live a happy life.

Not really.. ideally they have a mature system full of pods to snack on... otherwise you can supplement pods and use a in-tank pod hotel to establish a population.

most would recommend a large mature system... but I used to keep a fat target mandarin in a 12 G EVO with a pod hotel... made a few posts on this previously on R2R. (same username)