Awesome Flatworms... Help ME

[Futurecanadian]

Hey group,

The other day I had a friend swing by to show him the tank and to offer me advice on upgrading. While visiting he informed me that my "exciting new sponge growths" were actually flat worms... He offered removal advice, but I am freakishly nervous about killing off my entire tank. I realize that the removal of FW requires FLATWORM EXIT and a vacuum them out as they die.

After much reading I feel that I am not qualified for this... I will need to panic vacuum and run carbon and such and then hope for the best. I am far to hi strung for this. Does anyone else have any other techniques that d not involve this random vacuum attempt?

Should I take out each rock and dip it in aquarium water I have removed from my tank, with Flatworm Exit in it, and then shake them free of worms and put it back? I would still treat the main tank, but wouldnt fear the release of toxins as much... or is this ridiculous?

Let me know,

Shawn Paul

 

[Tswifty]

It's not as difficult as you think. I treated my 90g system. The key is to get as many out as possible "before" you dose the tank. Then vacuum out that you see dying once you dose the tank.

Then about 20 minutes or so (I actually forget the time line... follow the directions) hook up a phosban reactor packed with carbon, and let it run overnight.

I used a piece of airline tubine as my "vacuum" so a ton of water wasn't lost, and also had the phosban reactor ready to go and hanging on the tank ahead of time... so all I needed to do was plug it in when it was time.

 

[Tswifty]

http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

 

[Jeff Trout]

I treated mine full blown reef with pig wormer,Levamisole Hydrochloride.I did NOT remove any fish or anything!!!I even keep pipefish in the tank!I only had to do it once unlike the stories of endless treatment of flatworm exit.Been flatworm free for over a year now!

 

[aerius007]

I went overboard when I did mine a while back. I removed all of the rock I could that didnt have corals attached, put them in a tub and treated with flatworm exit. I put all of the corals in an old sump with a heater and pump and then dosed the tank, later did a water change. Prior to this I used airline tubing with a filter rubberbanded to the end of it. That end went in the sump so I could siphon a bunch out without losing water.

I also ran carbon in a can filter for a couple days after.

2 weeks later I dosed again just to be careful, didnt take anything out of the tank. The only casualties I noticed where some starfish in the rocks.