Flatworm eXit begun

[Runner]

I am about 30 minutes into flatworm exit (Salifert brand). I must have siphoned out and strained 5 gallons of water four or five times to remove as much as I could. I thought I got about all of 'em. Then I put in about 18 drops of FWE and within about 5 minutes dead flatworms were streaming out of the rocks. Corals slimed a little and closed up like it is night-time, but they still look healthy. Their slime even captures some flatworms so I could siphon out a few of the dead ones before they could dissolve and grow even more toxic. I've been netting a bunch too. Water is still clear -- probably thanks to the pound (2x recommended amount) of activated carbon I dropped in the back of the tank on top of my pump.

We'll see hour this goes. Thus far no obvious deaths other than flatworms.

 

[Runner]

An hour later and I just did a 5G water change and sucked a bunch of dead flatworms from the substrate and rock. Everything is still closed up, but the fish and snails and hermit are doing well. Only negative is that my brittle stars are looking a little stunned. Ah, well. We'll see how it is going in the morning.

 

[EvilMel]

You're leaving it overnight, right?

 

[Runner]

I left the carbon in overnight, yes. I plan to replace it tonight. Even though that carbon is new I am not sure I want it hanging around knowing the poisons it sucked up.

Anyway, my corals seem to have recovered. I'll have to wait for the lights to check on the brittle stars.

 

[EvilMel]

Wait wait...I meant, did you leave the FWE in overnight?

Recently, I've noticed many people having serious issues getting rid of FW. The biggest commonality amongst them is that they followed the directions or just barely overdosed. I 5x overdosed/left it overnight and was successful. I'm not necessarily recommending that people do that BUT...that's what seems to work.

 

[Runner]

Not really. I put the carbon in as soon as they started floating off the rocks. I have a small tank and did not want to risk it. I plan to hit it again this weekend, though, without carbon to pick up whatever few might be left.

 

[Steve W]

Am interested to know what if any effect this has on your mini brittle stars. Also, what about amphipods, copepods, etc?

Steve W

 

[Runner]

The corals are still whining and complaining. I suppose I'll try another water change tomorrow. I do not see any flatworms, though. And no dead brittle stars.

 

[cee]

If you or anyone else wants a box for free of FW eXit I have one. I got it in a grab bag and won't be using it.

Dave

 

[EvilMel]

Dude...I'll totally take it if Scott doesn't.

 

[Runner]

Feel free, Mel. I have plenty left over for now. It says it treats 200G and my tank is only 24G.

 

[EvilMel]

Then you're not properly overdosing! hah hah.

 

[Runner]

Well, 4 days later and my hammer is done. It was struggling with the higher light for months, anyway. And my encrusting monti has not yet fully come out. Biggest loss seems to be my baby brittle stars -- there are some alive but I have a very hard time finding them.

I just cleaned the tank, removed the carbon, and dosed again. No reaction. Everything is staying extended and no floating flatworms. Hopefully this will be their demise.

 

[Runner]

Turned on the "actinic" (royal blue LED) light this morning and brittle stars were crawling everywhere. I suppose the flatworm death toxins just sent them into deeper hiding for a while. Thank is starting to look totally recovered, too.

 

[TriMax]

Great. Sorry about the hammer.

Do you think the treatment was the demise of the hammer, or was it on it's way out anyway?

 

[ironman2]

For what its worth i would follow that up with two more treatments. like mel said the posted directions rarely solve the problem totally. you will kill the vast majority of them and that will be the hardest hurdle for the tank inhabitants. the two following doses will kill any that survived or eggs that hatched later. if you only did the one dose you will probly start to see them again in small numbers.

 

[Runner]

Hit it again with a double dose a few days ago when I noticed a few FW crawling around. They were a different color than the masses I killed off in the first round -- they were two-tone rather than solid "reddish". Perhaps a different strain. Or perhaps the walking wounded from the first poisoning. I haven't seen any more since. I plan to put a 4x dose in this weekend to hopefully prevent a recurrance of the little guys.

EDIT: As for the hammer, it was already hurting. I kept hoping for a recovery, but I suppose the toxins from the FW did it in.

 

[Runner]

About 6 weeks later and no sign of flatworms. I've discovered that the Flatworm eXit killed off more than flatworms. I can find no sign of the little brittle starfish that once littered my tank. And I would say these stars were killed directly by the FWE because I witnessed it happening to a frag I added two weeks ago. Before I put that frag in my tank, I prophylactically added 4 drops of FWE to the bag. Within a minute, a single brittle starfish wiggled out of the rock in torment and curled up and died. No sign of flatworms anywhere (which is why I assumed the FWE did the killing directly). So be careful if you guys use this and know that this is at least one of the risks you face.

 

[TriMax]

Scott, I know this is lazy of me, but could you summarize and get us a blow by blow -- Times and how much and any other good info.

Thank

 

[Runner]

When I find a non-lazy moment myself, I'll do a write-up for our website and post it (and link to it from here).