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View Full Version : Flatworm eradication plan!


ScubaSteve
04-29-2010, 07:38 PM
So, a few weeks ago I noticed some of them brown flatworms in a low flow corner of my tank. I siphoned them out and have been pretty on top of them... that is until now. I think I am starting to lose this battle...

I've read up on all the different methods to get rid of the buggers but I need a bit of a strategy... because I move tomorrow! (the tank will be moving a few days after). Now I am planning on replacing the sand with a nicer, finer sand in the process of redoing the tank so I am not too worried about eradicating the flatworms from the sand but I sure as heck don't want them in my rocks and in the new tank.

How would you approach this? I am debating treating the whole tank with Salifert and carbon before moving OR doing a Salifert dip as I disassemble/reassemble the tank. I figure that dipping as I move would reduce the chemical stress from the dying flatworms on the other livestock but I don't know if dipping and moving would be too much stress for the livestock attached to the rocks.

Thoughts?

saltynuts
04-29-2010, 07:54 PM
yellow wrasse will eat them. and 6line. i have had better luck with the yellow wrasse.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+2113&pcatid=2113
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+386&pcatid=386

ScubaSteve
04-29-2010, 07:56 PM
Ya, I'm planning on getting a wrasse when I put the new tank together, however, I would like to get rid of these things before or during the move. I doubt a wrasse could polish them off in just a couple of days.

TheKid
04-29-2010, 09:14 PM
You Can use a blue shield. I think JL has them.

ScubaSteve
04-29-2010, 09:24 PM
Thanks for the tips. I have read about all of the natural predators. I plan introducing a wrasse in the new tank anyways and will get a shield nudi if needs be. More what I am wondering though is... I move this tank in 2 to 3 days; What is the best way to get rid of these things so I don't bring them into the new tank?

iansfishy
04-29-2010, 09:45 PM
cant do it. I tried the same thing when I moved ( dipping every piece of rock and coral) in a really heavy solution of salifert. Like the whole dropper to a 28 gallon bucket. Then a rinse in new salt water. Didnt have any worms for like two days but soon after they where back and are now stronger then ever. I have a yellow wrasse and a six line as well, but I have never seen either of them eat a worm. Best to move and then worry about them in the new tank in my opinion

ScubaSteve
04-29-2010, 09:51 PM
Dang. I had a feeling that'd be the case. Would you still recommend a dip before putting them in the new tank or just manually remove them before moving?

iansfishy
04-29-2010, 10:33 PM
If I had to do it again I would have waited till I had stuff in the new tank. It was ALOT of work and moving rock and coral in and out of water, only to have the same result soon after. One of the things I did do though was to put a filter sock in my sump, and syphon the flatworms from the tank into the sock every once in a while. That way you dont need to do a water change every time you syphon the little basterds. I would use a power head and blow as many out of the rocks as you can syphon them out etc.

christyf5
04-29-2010, 10:57 PM
If I had to do it again I would have waited till I had stuff in the new tank. It was ALOT of work and moving rock and coral in and out of water, only to have the same result soon after. One of the things I did do though was to put a filter sock in my sump, and syphon the flatworms from the tank into the sock every once in a while. That way you dont need to do a water change every time you syphon the little basterds. I would use a power head and blow as many out of the rocks as you can syphon them out etc.

+1 I'd wait too. The treatment and the tank move might be a bit all at once. I'd wait till the new tank is settled and bite the bullet in a week or so.

DiverDude
04-30-2010, 12:58 AM
I've never used it, but apparently Coral Rx works well as attested to in this Advanced Aquarist article: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/4/aafeature2

If you try it, post back here; I'd like to hear what you thought.

ner'T'
04-30-2010, 01:25 AM
I added a blue headshield a few days ago. Within an hour it transformed from a thin-ribbon into a football! It seems to be kicking ass, but I'm sure it won't mow then all down. A plus is that it's really pretty too. I will update later.

Marlin65
04-30-2010, 01:49 AM
I eradicated them out of two of my tanks and one has a huge 35gallon refugium on it.

I had tried a few times and had a hard time with the first tank. The first time I dosed on my 75 I had really underestimated how many I had and it really kicked the crap out of my tank my clams closed right up and all my sps went brown for about 3 weeks. My fish really freaked out by having to many worms release toxin all at ones. I did the water change more than was recommend. This is a must.
After this episode I still had lots of them left.:twised:
The fist time kind of freaked me out so now I was hesitant to relive this episode. I was determined to get rid of them so did another dose. This time went much better. I did see the odd one but ended up getting a mandarin and I saw him eat some right away. It has been about a month and a half and they are no longer there in my 75.

I also had them in my 100 so for this tank I took everything out and back in again. I had 1000's my sand and glass was almost brown.:lol:
I drained the water without worms and put that in buckets.
I then took all my corals and rocks out swissching it in the tank to get as many of the flatworms off. After that I dosed all the buckets and really heavy in the tank. Used a net and filtered all the dead flat worms out of the remaining water. And then added everything back in the tank siphoning the dead worms that are now in the buckets with the rocks and coral out with a net.
All my worms were gone out of this tank in one shot. So it can work :wink:
I dosed almost double on that tank than recomended. It does say to add more if you don't see result in 30 min.
I have gone through about three bottles of the stuff and found out if you don't dose heavy you will not kill them all that and if you see some left hit them again and again if you need to.
It won't harm you corals or fish and worked for me.:biggrin: