Flat Worms
- Thread starter AQUA DAVE
- Start date
greenbean36191
Premium Member
The flatworms get their energy from algae that live inside their bodies, not from eating corals, coralline, or anything else desirable.
I wouldn't recommend a school of 6-lines for a few reasons. First is that they're hit or miss when it comes to eating them, usually more miss than hit. Second, they aren't likely to get along, especially as they get older.
Probably the safest way is to just siphon out all of them you find everyday for a week or so. I did a major WC two days in a row, siphoning out as many as I could as I went. That got the majority of them. Then everyday for the next week or two I just kept a turkey baster by the tank and every time I walked by I sucked out any I saw until they just stopped showing up.
Salifert also makes a product called Flatworm Exit. It works well and seems to be reef safe, but when the flatworms die they release a toxin, so you have to do some work with that method too. Beforehand you should siphon out as many as you can see, then mix up water and be ready to do a large WC after the treatment. You also need some fresh carbon. Usually it's recommended to do two treatments about a week apart.
Generally, biological controls don't work. Six-lines probably have the best record of the predators, but they probably don't solve the problem in even 50% of the cases. Mandarins are significantly worse, and the flatworm eating slug Chelidonura never works.
I wouldn't recommend a school of 6-lines for a few reasons. First is that they're hit or miss when it comes to eating them, usually more miss than hit. Second, they aren't likely to get along, especially as they get older.
Probably the safest way is to just siphon out all of them you find everyday for a week or so. I did a major WC two days in a row, siphoning out as many as I could as I went. That got the majority of them. Then everyday for the next week or two I just kept a turkey baster by the tank and every time I walked by I sucked out any I saw until they just stopped showing up.
Salifert also makes a product called Flatworm Exit. It works well and seems to be reef safe, but when the flatworms die they release a toxin, so you have to do some work with that method too. Beforehand you should siphon out as many as you can see, then mix up water and be ready to do a large WC after the treatment. You also need some fresh carbon. Usually it's recommended to do two treatments about a week apart.
Generally, biological controls don't work. Six-lines probably have the best record of the predators, but they probably don't solve the problem in even 50% of the cases. Mandarins are significantly worse, and the flatworm eating slug Chelidonura never works.
use salifert as stated before be prepared for a 911 water change leave the sailfert in there for as long as possable and monitor the condition of your animals in the tank. when i had the flatworms in my 55 gal reef tank I nuked the planiria with multiable bottles of flat worm exit . also if you fail to kill them all do it again but remember this they become tolerant to the medicine if the dose isnt large enough and become super flatworms and the instructions tell you only to add a few drops but that didnt work for me . good luck
ScubaRaven
Premium Member
Flatworm Stratagy
Flatworm Stratagy
Ok, still having a major flatworm issue after well over a year. I just got back from overseas (navy) and have formed a solid strategy, so I think.
My plan is to use a suction hose that will be drapped down to my sump. I'll suck out as many as I can and have a filter bag tide to the end of the hose which will be in my sump. This way, I can take my time and get every single one of the suckers that I see.
Then, I'm planning on treating with Flatworm Exit. Now I have done this before and they have come back a month or so later so I have a followup plan.
After a few days of my initial treatment, I'm thinking of dosing Flatworm exit but only 1/10th the recommended dose and doing this weekly for about two months. During this time, I'll keep an eye on the system for any adverse reactions and stop treatment if nessesary. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Rich Valentine
ScubaRaven
Flatworm Stratagy
Ok, still having a major flatworm issue after well over a year. I just got back from overseas (navy) and have formed a solid strategy, so I think.
My plan is to use a suction hose that will be drapped down to my sump. I'll suck out as many as I can and have a filter bag tide to the end of the hose which will be in my sump. This way, I can take my time and get every single one of the suckers that I see.
Then, I'm planning on treating with Flatworm Exit. Now I have done this before and they have come back a month or so later so I have a followup plan.
After a few days of my initial treatment, I'm thinking of dosing Flatworm exit but only 1/10th the recommended dose and doing this weekly for about two months. During this time, I'll keep an eye on the system for any adverse reactions and stop treatment if nessesary. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Rich Valentine
ScubaRaven
gunslingerone9
New member
just get a the velvet nudibranch
ScubaRaven
Premium Member
trust me... even if they were effective, I would need atleast a hundred of them.
RokleM
Premium Member
Re: Flatworm Stratagy
Re: Flatworm Stratagy
Very very bad idea in my opinion. More than likely the flatworms that do survive will turn into the hardiest flatworms every known. It's a common assumption (well little more assumption as it's stated by Habib from Sailfert) that the flatworms will build up a resistance to the chemicals. If you hit them with small doses over and over and over again, they will become probably completely immune to it.
Re: Flatworm Stratagy
Very very bad idea in my opinion. More than likely the flatworms that do survive will turn into the hardiest flatworms every known. It's a common assumption (well little more assumption as it's stated by Habib from Sailfert) that the flatworms will build up a resistance to the chemicals. If you hit them with small doses over and over and over again, they will become probably completely immune to it.
ScubaRaven
Premium Member
Well, using a full dose usually kills them quite quickly though a few always seem to survive. (perhaps in a resistant cyst form) The only way to know for sure is for me to try it. Seeing how quickly they are effected by a full dose, I can't imagine them having the ability to develop an ammunity to it completely. I'll let everyone know how it works out. I purchased the exit from Marine Depot last night. My follow-up treatments will more than likely be 1/4th the amount of the recommended treatment, maybe slightly less. I'm always a little worried about chemicals like "exit" effecting my benificial bacteria level which would lead to other serious problems.
I've got a 'pest test' 55G aquarium that has a lovely infestation of flatworms. I've found that they love water high in bacteria and other zooplankton, preferring that over phytoplankton.
Other than a little ugly to look at, they seem fairly well behaved for a 'pest' species. I'm trying to see if I can get a really big one - so far, my max size is 5mm.
Other than a little ugly to look at, they seem fairly well behaved for a 'pest' species. I'm trying to see if I can get a really big one - so far, my max size is 5mm.
ScubaRaven
Premium Member
Mine are harless as well and have been a part of my system for well over a year now. Still hate'em though. They don't bother any of my corals; just remain on the rock and some on the sand.
greenbean36191
Premium Member
When they get big enough, they drop their 3 "tails" one at a time and each one grows into a new worm. They can also reproduce sexually, but at least with C. retrogemma, which is the common species, it seems uncommon in our tanks.
morphlingman
New member
How quickly after you use flatworm exit should you do your water change & should you use activated carbon between each treatment or at the end of all treatments. How many treatments should I do. I assume about 7 days between treatments.
graveyardworm
Premium Member
Follow the instructions on the package.
I've had the flatworms for a long time, and they dont hurt anything. I've tried many of the methods. Salifert flatworm exit didnt work ( It did kill most of them, but not all )and after several attempts all I had was resistant flatworms, and I've tried the Chelidonura Varians seaslug, all that resulted was a dead seaslug.
Then I changed my approach I started siphoning them, I kept a bucket and hose near the tank ready to go whenever I saw one. Eventually I couldnt even find one. Now something has happened I dont know if conditions in the tank have changed or the flatworms themselves, but I havent siphoned a single one in over six months. I know they are still in there cause I occasionally see one or two but thats it, their population no longer grows. They are much like the other little critters pods and such. Their population is in check, and is remaining that way. Perhaps there's an unseen predator that just takes time for its population to become established.
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