Flatworms! Die suckers, die!

[don_chuwish]

I can't believe it took me so long to realize what these buggers were. For a long time I just thought my various lighting changes lately had caused a bit of discoloration or something. But today I was taking a bunch of pictures with the underwater camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS10) and got a better look. Immediately it struck me that these were parasites!

Just a few minutes in a CoralRx dip and some gentle blasts with a feeder tube and they're all gone. Much relieved. Haven't seen any others anywhere in the tank so fingers crossed...

The experience has made me think it's a really good idea to get closeup photos occasionally. Much better clarity than viewing from outside the tank helps to spot these things.

- D

 

[Misled]

With as many as I see in the first pic, there has to be more. Keep an eye out. You want to use FWE when there are as few as possible.

 

[don_chuwish]

Thanks! Yeah didn't have any FWE so made due with the CoralRx. They sure didn't like it - on the move instantly! I'll read up on FWE.

 

[joel g]

Check this out http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

 

[Misled]

The flatworms themselves really aren't the problem. It's the toxins they produce when they die. Good luck.

 

[don_chuwish]

Check this out http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html

Perfect info, thanks! Always nice to see a reef safe solution. I like the siphon idea but don't see enough in my tank to use it. I will however get some carbon & water change water ready before dosing.

- D

 

[don_chuwish]

The flatworms themselves really aren't the problem. It's the toxins they produce when they die. Good luck.

Understood, thanks. Best to hit them now then while there aren't many!

- D

 

[maroun.c]

They usually prefer on of the corals in a tank and tend to accumulate on it, Still I'm sure the tank is loaded with them unless the coral is a new addition and cameinfedcted. I'd try removing as many as possible by syphoning and then treat the tank twice at 1 week interval with FWE

 

[don_chuwish]

Thanks, I've seen some of the translucent sail-like critters (juveniles?) cruising the tank but that little colony is the only place I've actually seen a cluster of the red buggers. Local LFS doesn't carry FWE so I'll have to get it online. I'm actually looking forward in some twisted way to seeing how many come out of the rock work. I have a six line wrasse in the DT that may be helping keep them in check.
I did pick up some rigid airline tubing to make a small siphon. Now I'll just have to get some tubing the right size.

- D

 

[SecretiveFish]

My experience with FlatworkExit was extremely poor to put it mildly.

The claim is that it will not kill your microfauna, just the flatworms. Not so in my case, I lost 90%+ of the microfauna in my tank and had to manually remove the little brittle stars and snails to save them. Best part? I apparently had obtained resistant flatworms because after I did the treatment as recommended, I still had flatworms. Tried tripling the dose and tried FW again, and guess what, I still have flatworms minus all that cool microfauna I loved so much. I got mine from a LFS who apparently was using FW exit regularly, thereby creating a resistant population.

Before you use it, I would test to see how resistant the population of flatworms are in your system and be aware, it could decimate you microfauna. Best of luck! I am now stuck manually removing the nasty little {insert word of choice to imply extreme dissatisfaction}.

 

[cakemanPA]

I had luck with my mandarin and my mystery wrasse working them over. I have not seen any in months.

 

[rogermccray]

FWE worked wonders for me and i suffered no losses.

 

[don_chuwish]

Thanks for all the input! Like anything in our systems, slow and cautious is always prudent. If I can I'll find some more test victims to hit outside the tank.
FWE ordered off Amazon.

- D

 

[RA]

FWE has worked well for me. It only works if you do a second treatment about a week after the first one to kill all the new ones that were eggs when you did the first treatment.