Flatworm eXit treatment

[osu133lbs]

I broke down today and went forward with a flatworm treatment. I was very apprehensive after all the horror stories that I have read about..... I followed the usually steps of siphoning off as many visible flatworms as possible. I would say that I had a moderate infestation. I replaced carbon and GFO in my 2 tlf reactors yesterday and ran the entire time when proceeding with the treatment. After dosing with the FW eXit, I started doing water changes from my RODI resevoir. I did one about every half hour for two hours. Every time I removed hundreds if not thousands more flatworms. Fish seemed a bit stressed within 20 minutes. Coral polyps retracted as well pretty quickly. Now about 6 hours later fish seem to be returning to normal but still a twitch now and then. Coral polyps are beginning to come back out. There are still a few visible flatworms on the sandbed, not sure if they are still alive, dying or healthy?? I plan on doing another treatment in a few days if even one FW is visible. I would have to say that my diligence in consecutive water changes had significant benefits... If I didn't and just let the little buggers die out in the tank I think the tank would have crashed. I will keep everyone up to date, so far things are looking good... Keeping my fingers crossed that they continue!!

 

[osu133lbs]

Yellow tang is not looking very good. Heppa is stressed also. It seems as if the poison released from the FWs has harmed the skin on the two tangs... Yellow might have a bit of ick?? Corals are all opened back up and look normal. I still see quite a few FWs. Looks like one dose was not enough. I think I will wait a few days to see if the tangs heal up before another dosing....

 

[hollback]

I tried dosing my system three times in a row. Each time they came back in even more numbers. I found that by decreasing my feeding and increasing flow I was able to entirely rid my system of them. IME, they are very much like hair algae, remove the source of the problem and it goes away.

 

[blakeorme]

I would wait a couple weeks before doing another dose, that seemed to be the consensus when I did the treatment. The first treatment is the hardest on the tank due to all the excess FW. By accident or laziness I waited about a month before doing my second treatment and the amount of FW was so significantly reduced that it didn't have much if any negative effects on the tank inhabitants(so two weeks would have even less). Also, during the second dose I nearly doubled what the directions called for. There would be straggling worms on the glass and I would keep adding drops till I saw them all fall off. Didn't seem to bother the other animals, (sps, lps, fish).

 

[osu133lbs]

Thanks Blake,
I lost my yellow tang today. He went downhill very, very fast. My heppa is struggling a bit tonight, I hope he makes it through. I think I will dose again tomorrow to try and kill the rest!!! I will be very careful about anymore trades I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RokleM]

A couple years back I had some, although never in the crazy stages or large (most of mine were 2-3mm max). I dosed a few times and they always came back. A combination of my wrasses and changing feeding habits just naturally wiped them out.

As for frags, you are absolutely right. I've found that more frags I acquire have flatworms than don't have them. If you're not dipping/QTing, you can pretty much guarantee you'll get them within 4-5 trades just due to the number of people that have them. I've found that Revive is VERY harsh on normal FW (not AEFW), knocking them out in less than 90 seconds. The good news is, honestly they aren't that bad or even truly anything to be concerned about... as long as your population isn't physically growing large or into plague type population.

 

[osu133lbs]

Thanks Eric, I am going to pick up some Revive for future trades. I don't think they really harm much, but my blue zoas seem to attract them a bit. I don't feed the tank much as is and I do a water change once every week or two at the most. They are just a nuisance!!!! Are there any shrimp safe, FW eating, wrasse that will get along with a goby??

 

[blakeorme]

A sixline or four line can eat them. It depends on the individual. Sorry to hear about loosing the yellow tang.

 

[aerius007]

Blue velvet nudi's eat them, but good luck finding one.

 

[RokleM]

Sixlines and Fourlines can turn MMMEEEAAAANNNNNNN if they don't come that way already. I had three in different tanks, and all of them turned psycho at one point or another. Nudi's don't last long and/or will starve when they're gone from what I've read.

A very commonly overlooked fish is the canary wrasse, yellow coris wrasse, etc. They're pretty hardy, very safe from what I've seen, and most importantly are not expensive I think Phishy had a number in. I have one in my frag tank.

Really old shot, but first thing I could find with him in it:

 

[osu133lbs]

I will look into the coris. I am not a fan of the six and four line because of their temperament. I like the peaceful tank that i now have!!! Thanks

 

[rob.holbrook]

check out this thread. I used this product and it works wonders

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=15148805#post15148805

 

[osu133lbs]

I am going to get and administer a Levimisole treatment on Monday! Thanks for the link Rob, I will be sure to be careful and accurate with my dosing!

 

[rob.holbrook]

If you cannot find the levimisole let me know I have a enough left to get you started with it until you find it.

I know it is hard to find now but in that thread there is useful links to places to order it.

also any questions just ask me or pm cleveyank hes a good guy

 

[osu133lbs]

so the Sailfert eXit didn't work.... still hundreds if not thousands in the tank. I found some levimisole and treated the tank today. No sign of a single FW I haven't seen Dori though... I presume another casualty of toxins in the tank. Well see?? I am also seeing hundreds of pods and bristles curling up and dying(No hard feelings...) Still running carbon continuously and very wet skimmer and plan on doing another water change tonight or tomorrow morning. Corals are already returning to normal... NO FW's Yeah!!!!!

 

[rob.holbrook]

Good about the flatworms sorry about the fish, did you find the levimisole at TSC if so which one? If so did they have anymore, I want to have some extra on hand.

 

[osu133lbs]

Hi Rob, Dori came back out after 6 hours in hiding, still to be seen if she makes it... I found the levimisole from a fellow CORA member.. they were running low as well. If you hear of any locally or anyone else knows of any let us all know!!! I too would like to have some on hand just in case....

 

[Shmax]

I just ordered some from that link you posted Rob: http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html The guy said he had plenty available, I'm wondering where he's getting it. TSC is completely out across the country still I think.