Flatworms/liverock treatment..

[shiver905]

Im infested with flatworms. Im going to Run threw Flatworm Exit but I have way to many for my system to deal with the toxins.


I was wondering if it is possible to take my live rock and dip it in a very concentraited levels of flat worm exit and still have the "live" rock/corals survive.

I was even tinkingdipping in coral dip such as Revive by Sprung.

This would get rid of most of my Flatworms on the rocks. Then running the recommended flatworm exit threw the system.

This would make it into a few days of treatment.

Ofcourse I'll try to take out the dead floating ones run carbon..ectect..

 

[James77]

The flatworms come off the rock extremely easily. Siphoning is also an option, but a PITA if you have butt loads of rock.

Mix a trash barrel of salt water, and remove and swish all the rock you possibly can. It only takes a light couple of dunks to get them off the rock. Siphon as many of the little idiots as you can from the sandbed and rock you cannot reach. That should get 90%+ of them. At that point, hit the tank with FWE. Have a large fine net ready to catch as many as you can that are dead floaters though there should not be too many at all. Also have a canister filter of carbon ready for after.

The first time I used FWE, it was a disaster since I was not ready for the amount I had. I've done the above way and it worked beautifully with no coral or fish deaths. They are persistent little things though. I would do another dose in week or 2 to get any remaining, and do it at 3-4x the dose they recommend.

Good luck

 

[ducksmasher]

i used my previous water change saved in buckets. I swish, dunck, thrash the rock in the bucket, and put it back. It really gets alot of them.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

How big is your tank? There is a biological control available if your tank is big enough.

 

[shiver905]

what do u mean by biological control

 

[James77]

Meaning natural predators that will eat them. i believe the melanarius wrasse may eat them.

I have found that aproach hit or miss with other pests, but it is an option.

 

[Plumbcrazy]

I have sheep dewormer works great. I bought 25grams dose my 40 breeder at half gram every three days for two weeks. I haven't seen a flat worm in months.

 

[James77]

I have sheep dewormer works great. I bought 25grams dose my 40 breeder at half gram every three days for two weeks. I haven't seen a flat worm in months.

any effect at all on other inhabitants like snails or CUC? what was the cost? FWE is super marked up.....

 

[Plumbcrazy]

any effect at all on other inhabitants like snails or CUC? what was the cost? FWE is super marked up.....

Not 100% ordered a long time ago, but it was right around $40. It came in 5 gram packets. Each 5 gram packet would treat 400 us gallons of salt water. No effect on anything else in the tank. Some corals would close up for a few moments but nothing alarming. I ran lots of carbon and a 5micron filter sock to deal with the dead ones. Also after every 3rd treatment I would do a 10% water change.

 

[Paul B]

Last year I had them on every inch of my rock. I didn't do anything and in a few weeks, they disappeared. There are now none.

 

[nanojg]

Last year I had them on every inch of my rock. I didn't do anything and in a few weeks, they disappeared. There are now none.

Do you have an known preditors of flatworms in the tank? Wrasse?

 

[Steveb]

I had them someone suggested a Halichoeres Melanurus wrasse. Within ten minutes of putting it in the tank it went to hunting. Within two weeks of putting it in the tank no more flatworms. Not to mention that they are a beautiful fish.

 

[walvis]

I use a 1/2" clear tubing taped to a fiber glass rod( buy 'm @ Lowe's) so it extend without curling up when reaching down.
Also, attach a mesh filter bag at the other end of tubing to catch the FW, so water can be recycled....Good luck

 

[Paul B]

Do you have an known preditors of flatworms in the tank?

Yes I have a small 6 line wrasse who was too fat to swim but he could not have possably have eaten more then 5 or 6 a day and there were thousands.

 

[Tbonekilla]

yes i have a small 6 line wrasse who was too fat to swim but he could not have possably have eaten more then 5 or 6 a day and there were thousands.

lol

 

[Algaenot]

shiver905 - any update? What did you end up doing? I had a massive infestation which took me a couple of days to siphon out what I could see and there was still a significant amount that came out of the rocks once I dosed the eXit. I lost an anthia and a blue damsel.

 

[James77]

shiver905 - any update? What did you end up doing? I had a massive infestation which took me a couple of days to siphon out what I could see and there was still a significant amount that came out of the rocks once I dosed the eXit. I lost an anthia and a blue damsel.

That stinks you lost some fish. I would consider dosing again another couple times over the next few weeks. You want to kill any leftover ones, since they will frow to that plague again.

 

[Algaenot]

I am going to dose again tomorrow. I went through this same process a year ago and didn't have any problems. However, this time lot more hidden flatworms emerged once i dosed the tank. I've had shrimp stress out during treatment but this was the first time I lost anything.

 

[Fin Mike]

I had an infestation on my Hammer coral. Why only the hammer coral, and no where else, I do not know. I dipped it in Revive and the flat worms fell off in droves.

I know this much. IF you are dealing with pests like this (parasitic nudi's, all the way to fleas on a dog), you must hit them hard and be extremely vigilant about getting the left overs. There are a lot of good opinions being presented here. Chose the route you feel is best for your tank, and pound the little suckers to death.
Be patient and vigilant. Best advice I can give ya.

 

[JonHorovitz]

Melanurus Wrasse eats flatworms like little fat kids eat cake.