Opinions on Flatworm Exit

[rtaylors3]

I have an outbreak of little red flatworms (planaria I think). I have siphoned out as much as possible in the last two weeks but it doesn't seem to be making a dent. I ordered flatworm exit to use but wantd to see if anyone here has used it before. Did it work? Did it kill anything else? I have read the instructions and am aware of the toxins being released when the worms die and doing a large water change...anything else I need to know? Thanks! -

Rachel

 

[JR's Reef]

Yes it works but sometimes you have to do it more than one time. I would siphon as many out as possable. I used airline tubing and put a filter sock in the sump and siphon them in the sump. That way I didnt have to do a water change and could siphon all day long. It very important to get there pop down as low as you can before using Flatworn Exit

 

[dave3112]

I would just buy a six line wrasse or a melanarus wrasse. I prefer the melanarus myself but I have used both and they each do a great job and are beautiful additions.

Dave

 

[rtaylors3]

Joey, I hadn't thought about that! That is a great idea! Thanks

 

[longiotti]

wrasse

wrasse

if you already have an outbreak I dont' think one wrasse will be able to keep up.
I got flat worm exit and it worked GREAT. no issues at all just follow the instructions. I have a mixed reef and I only had to dose once and I had no casualties exept the flat worms.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I would not underestimate the abilities of these fish. However, if you are very impatient, Flatworm Exit works really well. I tried it in my 15 gallon tank several years ago. I did exactly what Joey described earlier. I also placed activated carbon into the tank after a large water change just in case.

However, a couple of my friends reported that these things disappeared out of their tank all on their own, and in my larger tanks where I had mandarin gobies, these red planaria were completely confined in the refugiums.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can use remaining Flatworm Exit to treat any new thing before you introduce it into your system.

 

[dave3112]

Believe me when I say that the Melanarus wrasse will eat non-stop!! I have NO pests or bristle worms either. I will never have a tank without one again!!

 

[scapes]

dave is right on w/ this one...
i had a massive infestation, flatworm exit worked but they'd ALWAYS come back. bought a melanarus from a lfs, and the fish doubled in size in one week ate every single one of them and haven't seen hide nor hare of the flatworms again. i now have two of them, a male in one tank and a female in another

 

[atlantisaquari]

ditto on all of the above. but also, one other trick is to grab the object they are all on and dunk them in fresh water. they usually seem to all get on a few things in the tank. i usually put 1 part tank water with 3 or 4 parts ro water ( fresh) into a bucket. then i dunk the item for maybe 30 seconds or so and then begin to repeatedly dunk and swish the item for maybe a minute until they all have abandoned ship. keep in mind there are a few corals that do not like this. but honestly it is such a short duration that almost anything can quickly recover from this mild irritation.

 

[rtaylors3]

Well I used the flatworm exit this afternoon. I had siphoned out as much as I could and then added the FWE. I had some activated carbon ready and I did a 20g change (I have a 75g). So far all is well but i did see loads of red dots all in the water after i used this stuff. I cleaneed all the filters out a couple of times so make sure all the dead bodies were gone. I do have a fairy wrasse. I can't really mix any other wrasses in such a small tanke can I? Thanks all! -Rachel

 

[JR's Reef]

I would redose again in a day or two just to make sure you got them all.