Flatworms

[Martini5788]

So I am currently cycling my 90 gallon, have been for a month and a half( almost there I hope), and today I was looking closely at the glass and I find a bunch of tiny flatworms. The only thing alive in the tank as far as livestock is a large brittle star that wouldn't come out of a rock I was putting in. What exactly are my options? I am planning on having this tank be a reef.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

You could use the flatworm exit and kinda overdose it a bit since you don't have any livestock, or use a small airline and suck them out of the tank weekly, or get a few wrasses to eat them.

I sent you a PM that you're gonna love :dance:

 

[Martini5788]

Will flatworm exit kill the brittle star?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I'm not sure, I know that Prazipro didn't kill them, I've got dozens of them and had to treat my tank for flukes on a few of my fish. I wound up having to triple dose Prazi due to the type of flukes I had. I did a thread on it in the Reef Fishes forum. It's a page or two back. But Prazi won't get rid of flatworms I don't believe. Not much kills them.

 

[thegrun]

The flatworm exit will not kill your starfish. Are you certain they are flatworms? Run a search and find a picture to be sure before you medicate the tank.

 

[Martini5788]

 

[thegrun]

It's hard for me to be sure but it almost looks like a stomatella snail.

 

[Martini5788]

That's the best picture I can get. They are very small

 

[thegrun]

Here is a link to flatworms:
http://www.masa.asn.au/masawiki/index.php/File:Aceol_flatworms_2.jpg

 

[Martini5788]

It's these

 

[Martini5788]

They stretch themselves out and then shrink back down. Definitely not a stomatella. They also have the split tail

 

[Martini5788]

 

[Lunchbox360]

Those look like flatworms

 

[thegrun]

I agree, flatworms. Use Flatworm eXit at 1.5 the recommended dosage and repeat the treatment every 4 days for a total of three treatments. If you have quite a few it is best to siphon out as many as possible before you treat the tank. The Flatworm eXit is not poisonous to your livestock, but the flatworms release toxins when they die and that can kill. Use a net to catch as many as quickly as you can once you start the treatment, and afterwards you must make at least a 25% water change and run carbon.

 

[mr.feebles]

melanurus wrasses can be very effective natural controls.

you may want to consider a 2nd treatment after a week or two break, just to be sure you get 'em all-and as posted above, best to do manual removal before/during treatment to avoid the toxins surging into the system.

there's one other thing to consider-every piece of l/r, or coral, is a possible introducer. if you treat now, and introduce l/r or livestock post treatment, there is a risk of getting back to square one. quarantining helps. it might be more advantageous to wait until at least all the l/r is done and then treat.

not saying it's better-it's dependent on your individual situation/priorities.

edit: the trade off w/ the melanurus is that they'll go after smaller inverts (snails, etc)

 

[Razoreqx]

It's hard for me to be sure but it almost looks like a stomatella snail.

I agree that looks more like a stomatella snail. Harmless and probably a hitch hiker. I wouldnt worry.

Read further into the thread. If it has a split tail.. Follow the flatworm advice thegrun or mr. feebles. Stomatella look like small snails with no hard shell. Sometimes black or grey in color.

 

[Martini5788]

Yeah I've had stomatella snails before, I know what they look like. I can't get a good picture
Of them with my phone but they are 100% flatworms or worms of some kind. I will get the flatworm exit and some carbon this weekend

 

[Martini5788]

Also I have whatever this is, some aipstasia, and the stupid little spiral worms on the back glass.

 

[Martini5788]

I'm getting mixed reviews for treating the flatworms. They look like acoels, same size. They keep trying to eat the pods on the glass. They aren't clear though. They are like a light brown tan. Do I use the flatworm exit? Or no? Some people say they are harmless. But I don't know. Also, eventually I want to get a mandarin. So I want the pods

 

[jminick2]

looks like FW to me, I would dose it