Dinoflagellates SYMBIOTIC relationship with flatworms

240gallons

New member
Looking to hear some thoughts on Dinos and flatworms. I recently treated 4 tanks with flat worm killer. 6 weeks later, all 4 tanks were infested. 2 tanks at work and 2at home. These tanks share nothing and no coral has been introduced in any of them for severwl momths.

Could killing off the flatworms in my tank led to the release of dinos?

Has anyone else experienced a dino infestation shortly arter treating the system with flat worm remover?


Symbiosis between a pelagic flatworm and a dinoflagellate from a tropical area: structural observations
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00006376
 
I'm inclined to think it's more a relationship with an increase in nutrients released by the die off of the flatworms. I only read the abstract (too cheap to by the paper though it is intriguing) but it's referring to a pelagic or open water flatworm. Not that symbiosis isn't possible with the benthic flatworms we find in our aquariums but we aren't making this connection with nuisance algae when our corals release their symbiotic dinoflagellates.
 
Thanks for the response. I throwing this out there hoping someone with expertise will chime in.

Could be grasping at straws but Dinos has been the HIV of reef tanks forever.

If your dog has fleas then you may see a few around the house. If you kill the dog (host) now your house is infested with fleas.
 
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