Flatworm Exit Question

[jmc1024]

Need some advice on making a decision to use flatworm exit or not.

From what I can see i have a small population of Acoel flatworms. I'm sure the there are more but I only see a few on my glass from time to time.

Currently I only have 2 clown in the DT. I also have a wrasse and angel in qt. I'm debating on either taking the clowns out for a few days and treating with flatworm exit before introducing the rest of the fish. Or letting the wrasse take care of the problem as I'm told that he is a good one to do so.

The way I see it is if I were to take care of the issue with flatworm exit, now would be the time to do so as: I only have 2 fish in the tank, I dotn't have a large population of flatworms (less toxic) and I could even remove the fish just to be safe. Was hoping to get some thoughts.

Jay

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

What kind of wrasse is it? Some are hit or miss. The melanurus is a sure bet to eat flatworms.

 

[cloak]

Before you start adding fish or chemicals to the tank you might want to build yourself a siphon like the one pictured in the link below and manually remove what you can first. Take 5 minutes out of your day for about a week to do this and I'll bet you'll make a significant dent in the population. This is how I got rid of mine. GL.

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

 

[jmc1024]

What kind of wrasse is it? Some are hit or miss. The melanurus is a sure bet to eat flatworms.

He's a Hoevens wrasse, I think it's the same as melanurus? Bought him from Vivid aquariums BEFORE i saw any flatworms. Ever since seeing them i asked and they told me that this type loves flatworms. Seems like it was meant to be.

 

[jmc1024]

Before you start adding fish or chemicals to the tank you might want to build yourself a siphon like the one pictured in the link below and manually remove what you can first. Take 5 minutes out of your day for about a week to do this and I'll bet you'll make a significant dent in the population. This is how I got rid of mine. GL.

There are so few on my glass that it wouldn't be worth it. I see two or three a nite and usually use a turkey baster to get them out.

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

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

He's a Hoevens wrasse, I think it's the same as melanurus? Bought him from Vivid aquariums BEFORE i saw any flatworms. Ever since seeing them i asked and they told me that this type loves flatworms. Seems like it was meant to be.

Yep, hoevans is a melanurus. Mine cleared my tank completely of flatworms.

 

[jmc1024]

Wrasse has another week or two in qt, maybe i'll just wait it out and let him do his thing. Beautiful fish.

 

[thegrun]

Flatworm eXit is so benign to your livestock I would go ahead and treat the tank now. I've found it works best at 1.5 times the recommended dosage and if you repeat the treatment three times on a 4 day interval you will kill them all. The flatworms themselves release toxins when they die so after each treatment you need to make a 25% water change and run carbon.

 

[jmc1024]

Flatworm eXit is so benign to your livestock I would go ahead and treat the tank now. I've found it works best at 1.5 times the recommended dosage and if you repeat the treatment three times on a 4 day interval you will kill them all. The flatworms themselves release toxins when they die so after each treatment you need to make a 25% water change and run carbon.

Thanks, for you advice, I hear what you're saying.

 

[jmc1024]

Yep, hoevans is a melanurus. Mine cleared my tank completely of flatworms.

Wondering if you had any shrimp with this wrasse? I have a cleaner shrimp and a pistol shrimp (thats always hiding) Vivid told me that the wrasse shouldn't bother my cleaner shrimp but I'm not so sure. Have you had any experience with this?
Thanks,
Jay

 

[theatrus]

My melanurus has no problem with my pistol shrimp/goby pair. He has on occasion knocked over a snail, but mainly to get at something the snail was blocking. Very active, fun fish.

 

[jmc1024]

Thanks for the info.

 

[ReefWhatYouSow]

Flatworm eXit is so benign to your livestock I would go ahead and treat the tank now. I've found it works best at 1.5 times the recommended dosage and if you repeat the treatment three times on a 4 day interval you will kill them all. The flatworms themselves release toxins when they die so after each treatment you need to make a 25% water change and run carbon.

I took this same method and it worked well for me. I changed out my carbon prior to using flatworm exit. Shut down the tank and dosed. I have a variety of more than 50 corals in the tank and more than 10 fish (to include my Melanarus wrasse). While the Melanarus may eat them I wanted to rid the majority.

The one thing that I did in addition is stood over the tank (on my ladder) and waited for the flatworms to start dying/floating. Then I siphoned them out. The toxins from dead flatworms are definitely more harmful than flatworm exit.

Good luck to you!