I am in Flatworm Hell in my 220

[swiseman]

I treated my tank with Flatworm Exit about 2 months ago. I witnessed an orange sand storm about 5 minutes into the treatment because I had far more than I had ever imagined. Unfortunately, due to the release of the toxins from the dying flatworms, by water turned orange and over the next 12 hours I lost all of my tangs. Anyway, I sucked that up to not being prepared. Two weeks later I treated the tank again and there was a much smaller amount. The tank has looked great until recently. I have noticed over the past two weeks that they are back with a vengeance. They are starting to clump together again on the sandbed and are making there way back onto the corals. I thought I would go the eco friendly way and added a Target Manderin and a Yellow Wrasse to the tank in hopes of keeping them under control, but, I have not seen either one touch a single flatworm.

So now I have to decide, do I treat the tank yet again and what will it take to rid my tank of this plague? I am guessing I should try to remove the Achilles Tang that I added last week. Has anyone ever finally gotten rid of them for good? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Leonardo_]

Maybe it is a good idea to temporarily transfer the fish to another tank. Make sure that tank has been set up properly to prevent problems with ammonia and nitrites in the quarantine.

If you treat your tank with FW you have to make sure that you remove most of the dead (and dying) flatworms before they disintegrate and release their toxins.
Use a Micron bag to catch the dying flatworms an change it a few times per hour. After the treatment add a good amount of high quality GAC to remove the Levamisole (FE) and the toxins from the flatworms. A good waterchange and skimming wet wouldn't hurt either.

After the treatment and checking your parameters you can slowly add back the fish.

Good luck, Leonardo

 

[graveyardworm]

I got rid of them with just siphoning. They were beginning to clump together and cover the LR. I set up a 5g bucket and 1/4 airline wih a section of rigid airline. I siphoned as many as I could see. Next day the rocks were covered again. So I siphoned them again. This continued as the population slowly declined. After a couple months it was just one here one there. Everytime I was near the tank I would give it a once over if I saw one it got siphoned out. 3 - 4 months they were gone and havent returned now 2 years later. Previously to that I had used FWE on several occasions. I didnt experience any livestock losses but the buggers always came back.

 

[AndyH5512]

I once treated a tank and got the same "orange sandstorm" immediately. Literally, within minutes, the water fouled and I could tell things were going downhill too quickly. I lost fish and coral. I learned something, though. First, I now either take the rock out and use old water and a power head to blow off the FW's, then dump the water. Second (and this is very effective) if the rock is just rock without coral, take it out and dip it for about 15-20 seconds in fresh RO water (no salt). The FW's will be no more. Then, when that is done treat your tank with FW Exit as a combo round against the nasty little beings. Be ready with plenty of new saltwater and carbon. Also be ready to camp out by your tank to make sure things are going well. Good luck!

 

[Oldude]

Perhaps try a 6 line wrasse

 

[UgoneBannas]

First of all, over a couple of days, siphon out as much as you can. You can try turning off the lights and shine a flashlight into an open rock. They will migrate to the light and you can start siphoning. I have done this, light attracts them. After you think there is only a bit left, FWE those sucker.

 

[swiseman]

I am going to try the syphon method as suggested above. Once I can't see anymore I will hit it again with the FWE. I have three fish that are supposed to eat these, a 6-line, Yellow Wrasse, and a Target Manderin.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Siphon as many as you can for a couple of days,then treat the tank, and do a water change within 15 to 20 minutes after treatment.

 

[graveyardworm]

Siphon siphon siphon like a regular maintenance routine. There's no need for the chemicals here. If kept in check there is absolutely nothing wrong with the flatworms. There is also no determining how much damage or not that FWE does to microfauna and their offspring. Risk of messing with the biofilter is bad and I no longer take risks like that.

Not to mention that ones that survive the first treatment now have a tolerance and their offspring have a tolerance. It will be more difficult next time to erradicate them with treatment.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

My melenarus wrasse wiped them out in my old 180. The tank was covered in them. He did not eat any food for 2 weeks as he was stuffing himself on flat worms.