Flat worm invasion!

[IraqVeteran]

and as for the freshwater dip, no way! I have 150 lbs of live rocks! I am so not taking everything out!!! (here is the lazy in me )

I dont blame ya. Like I said, it was just an crazy idea that popped in my head at the time. I never tried it; I just read about it before.

 

[Sxybeemr325]

Some pix of my flatworm invasion......

 

[IraqVeteran]

Wow, that is definetely a shit-load of flatworms. That sucks cause it looks like a nice tank.

 

[Bifferwine]

Holy crap! You weren't kidding about the invasion...

As for the mandarin, I'd say it's worth a shot. You have TONS of flatworms in there, if you get a mandarin that eats them, no way will it starve. You can ask the LFS to feed it in the store, that way you'll know if it'll take frozen food.

That being said, a mandarin won't be able to eat all those. You'll still have to remove as many as possible by hand or by using Flatworm Exit. Even an army of mandarins would get full on those...

 

[Ironman]

If I repeat something that has already been posted im sorry, I didnt want to have to read the whole thread! LOL

I havent treated in my own tank but have treated several friends tanks for them. you have to many to treat with flatworm exit alone. you will end up poisoning your tank. I took a piece of tubing like a python water change hose. stuck one end in a filter sock and placed it in the sump or in a bucket. then start syphoning them out, if you are using a sump then you can syphon all day long and you arnt gonna take any water out of your tank, if your using a bucket you will have to keep adding that water back into the tank. but take the other end and go around miticulously and suck up all the flatworms you can find. you will never get them all but you can cut the population down so the remaining flatworms wont be so detrimental when they die from the flatworm exit treatment. then be prepared for a good size water change and run some carbon for a few days.
Oh ya and bleach the filter sock when your done!

 

[Sxybeemr325]

haha. no, i was not kidding about the invasion.... This is why I tought about posting some pictures on here... some suggested the flatworm exit, but like I said, i don't know if i want to risk it as i do not want to wipe out my whole tank! As for your idea Ironman, Biff sent me a link with a similar idea and I will definetely try this out this week end!

And Biff, about the mandarin, how do I know if I have pods in my water? and how do I know if I have enogh pods to keep it alive? And of course, if I was to get a mandarin that eats flatworms, he's gonna be nice and fat:bounce: (must find something positive about the flatworms:mrgreen:). I'd love to go get one this weeek end (a mandarin), but before I do, I'd like to make sure it will have some food so it dosn't starve to death....:sfish:

 

[Bifferwine]

I can guarantee that you have pods in your tank. You can see them best at night. They look like clear little bugs, less than 1 cm long. Take a little flashlight and inspect your rocks and glass at night. You'll see little bug like things scurrying around on them. That is, if you can manage to see through the wall of flatworms ;).

 

[reeffreak]

Most copepods will be from pinhead size(near microscopic)to about 1/4 of an inch.You will rarely see them with the lights on.Try looking in the fish tank when the lights are out especially the corner bottom glass.Believe me,as mature as your system is,you have copepods.

Try to find a mandarin taking frozen foods if possible.Even if you can't find one,I would still get one.Your system and amount of live rock seems plenty big to support a mandarin even if it eaten frozen or not.I really don't consider the sixline as competition for food.I see them prefering larger size foods-pyramid snails,bristleworms etc.One other thing,look for one that has some meat on its bones.Don't get one that looks skinny,sunken stomach.

 

[Ironman]

for whatever its worth, i really dont think a mandarin or sixline is gonna help your problem, they may be a benefit for the future, when you add something to pick it clean , but with an infestation like you have I dont think you have a option other than flatworm exit. I havent in any of my treatment ever seen any stress involved in the treatment, nor have I heard of anyone having a problem, it is just warned to suck out as many as possible to avoid the chance of then causeing a problem, like I said though I dont think you have a choice other than the treatment, but either way keep us up to date

 

[Sxybeemr325]

I'm going for a mandarin this week end! They have one in their display tank. i ll try to convince them to sell it to me.... And i'll buy some flat worm exit, try and get rid of as many as I can before... And hopefully the flatworm issue will be long gone!

 

[Sxybeemr325]

Thanx Biff,That link that you sent me where they show how to remove the worm with a piece of tubing and some type of a "net" at the end works great!!! I removed thousands of worms tonight... i ll try and remove some more tomorrow.... the only thing that dosn't work are for the worms in the sand. i can't suction it with the small tubing.... And if I use the one for my waterchange, it seems like the worms sticks to the sand and won't get sucktionned.... but anyhow, it worked great for the worms on the glass and rocks!

 

[Reefgyrl]

Be careful of chemicals that rid flatworms, sometimes they will kill your corals. Flat worms, although unsitely, are harmless unless they start to choke out your corals. Frequent siphoning and water movement , with algae control seemed to slow mine down. I tried the six line and a mandarin which didn't work.

 

[Reefgyrl]

If you do use a chemical, make sure to do a huge water change after they die off, if not, it could wipe out your whole tank. I know of a couple of people that used it and the death of all the flatworms sent their tank into big trouble.

 

[salt newbie01]

that is why you need to remove as many flatworms as possible with air tubing and larger tubing. They do release toxins when they die. So you remove all that you can get your "hands" then add the flatworm exit. After they start dieing you then start running a lot of carbon to neutralize the toxins. And then you do a large water change. Yes if you didn't remove the faltworms first then you would very possibly kill your tank. But since you have already removed a bunch you will hopefully be ok.

Goodluck and be sure to give an update

 

[kyle]

i dont know if this was alreaty said but aparantiy lemon damsels love these little buggerz

 

[Reefgyrl]

you know you could always get a blue velvet nudibranch. They feed strictly on flatworms....

 

[cumminz]

How are we doing?..

 

[Piggy]

Here is my experience with flatworm exit. It works. I suctioned out as many as I could everyday a week before I used it. The day I used it I suctioned out as many as I could. I used the amount it said. The flatworms started dying immediately. Unlike what the instructions said. I had to work quickly to suction them out as quickly as I could. Believe me I had more then I expected. I also added carbon as soon as they started dying. My daughter was using a brine net to help get them out fast. It took awhile to get them all. I thought they would float when they died but the majority of them were on the sand bed. I did a large water change and added some new sand. Been over a week and haven't seen any. All my fish and corals made it.

 

[Reefgyrl]

even with a mandarin, flatworms will multiply faster than the mandarin can eat them. I had mine cut down to a tiny bit until I got a new lighting system that caused some algae growth. Now they are multiplying again. Good news is that the algae is going away. I did buy a blue velvet nudi which devours flatworms, but after three days he is dead. I would suggest siphoning like crazy and eventually they will rid your tank. Make sure you have a lot of flow going too.