Red flatworms

[marco_1962]

Hi, i have red flatworms in my tank. They are sitting on flowerpot coral and rhodactis but they also start to go on the glass. I've started dosing Korallen zucht Flatworm stop but unfortunately it seems to be a very long term remedy and i'm finding something to speed up the cleaning.
Salifert Flatworm exit seems to be very effective but unfortunately is no longer available in Italy.
I've tried lemon juice directly with a small syringe (less than 1ml on 100 liter tank) that it worksbut nearest air mushrums corals does not agree.
Do you know a DIY method alternative to Flatworm exit?
Peroxide, Iodine dip?

Thanks.

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[Reef Bass]

Sounds like Planaria. They can reproduce quickly and overwhelm a tank. Various wrasses and some other fish will eat them.

You might try using the search feature of this site. Many other reefers have encountered them.

 

[Four drachma]

If you have a microscope, you can see which flat worm your dealing with.

I've had the brownish one with the orange spot on its back, they reproduce quickly but eventually all die off.

I've tried chemical treatments, but the eggs aren't killed so they just come back.

Also be careful with the chemical approach, you can wipe out your good bacteria and cause a tank crash.

I'd get a 6 line wrasse, be warned they are known to jump out, so might want to cover your tank with something.

Here's a pic of the ones I had.

Good luck!!

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[marco_1962]

Thanks for the contributions, they are definitely Red Planaria. yesterday i squeezed a dozen on the glass, but it seems somehow Flatworm stop is starting to work, Rhodactis and Euphilies look a lot cleaner. We'll see.

Thanks.

Marco.

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[reefteaser]

A brief fresh water (RODI) dip will kill planaria residing on any coral or rock you are able to remove. Some corals, especially leathers get upset, but recover. Don't leave the coral in the water very long, as the planaria wil disintegrate quickly and fowl the water. Dip for 10-15 seconds or so, shake it and watch what falls off, then remove. A second container to rinse it off before returning to the tank is a good idea.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

IF you get a fish to help I would stay away from a 6 line wrasse, they get nasty.

 

[marco_1962]

A brief fresh water (RODI) dip will kill planaria residing on any coral or rock you are able to remove. Some corals, especially leathers get upset, but recover. Don't leave the coral in the water very long, as the planaria wil disintegrate quickly and fowl the water. Dip for 10-15 seconds or so, shake it and watch what falls off, then remove. A second container to rinse it off before returning to the tank is a good idea.

Thank you, i will try it!

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[marco_1962]

Hi, what I don't understand is how they exploded in the last period. My tank hasn't seen the introduction of new corals for at least a year.
What could be a topic to consider is this: for several years I had a lot of snails (introduced with a coral) and I didn't have red planaria. Following a period of neglect of the tank (snail die-off, nitrates at 100 ppm and phosphates at 1 ppm) the Red planaria exploded.
Do snails eat red planaria by chance?
Now the water parameters are in place, NO3 between 1 and 2 ppm PO4 0 and the unique two problems are red planaria and asterina star (the last one is simple to solve)

Marco

 

[Attreui]

That is a shame, Flatworm Exit does do the best job and it won't hurt the tank. I got rid of them with a wrasse (a lot of them will eat them not just a 6 line but 6 lines are one of the best if you have coral) and also using Flatworm Exit. The stuff you are using may work though. They are a royal pain but I would take them over Aptasia. Syphon them off every chance you get.

 

[reefteaser]

My possum wrasse does a nice job on picking all sorts of critters from the rocks and one of the most “reef safe” fish I’ve ever had.

 

[Gangous]

Flatworm exit for red flat worms is great too bad u can't get it what size is ur tank ? I'd try to siphon out as many as possible and add several fish that might eat them wrasses


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[marco_1962]

A brief fresh water (RODI) dip will kill planaria residing on any coral or rock you are able to remove. Some corals, especially leathers get upset, but recover. Don't leave the coral in the water very long, as the planaria wil disintegrate quickly and fowl the water. Dip for 10-15 seconds or so, shake it and watch what falls off, then remove. A second container to rinse it off before returning to the tank is a good idea.

Hi reefteaser, it works!

This morning I tried like this:
I took 3 containers.
1) Aquarium water
2) RODI water (24° C)
3) Tank water
I took out two flat rocks with hairy mushroom and one frag of frogspawn coral and put them in the container 1)
Then I put one at a time in the container 2) for 10 15 seconds shaking it slightly and immediately in the container 3)
Eventually I put all the rocks and corals back into the aquarium.
They were closed for two hours but now, five hours after the treatment, they are completely open and free from red planaria.
Tomorrow I will try all the froqspawns and favia

 

[reefteaser]

Great to hear! It's a nice, quick, chemical free way to knock down the population.
The previous poster was right about the 6 line wrasse, they do get very aggressive, but their appetite for the planaria is pretty good. The Possum wrasse I mentioned will eat them too and is extremely well behaved. It's one of my favorite fish.