flat worm invasion - Page 2

 

 

Wow, Interceptor!? The same stuff as the canine/feline heartworm prevention? How do you use it?

 

 

 

 

I haven't added any coral yet but I've been putting together the stuff I'll need for when I do. I bought some coral dip called Coral Rx http://www.coralrx.com/   have you or any one else had any experience with this product? Should I try something better? 

Ok it has been 4-5 days and I have seen only a few flatworms here and there in the tank. I was only able to get one velvet nudibranch and now think one per 60 gals is enough if you start with a large number of flatworms. In my tank every rock was blanketed with flatworms and some were starting to cover the glass. The nudibranch was about an inch when added and got to four inches at its biggest. Over the past few days the velvet nudibranch seemed to be getting smaller so I gave it to one of my fellow reefers locally.

It is time for Treating with Flatworm Exit
The tanks volume is about 70 gals. This morning I gathered up 1 lb carbon, 10 gals ro/di water, and will use it as need to clear any flatworm toxins. I am leaving my skimmer and media reactor running. The reactor has half a cup of GFO and a half cup PhosGuard. I added 60 drops Flatworm Exit. Within 5 minutes I saw a reaction flatworms started to move around trying to get away from the treatment. Other flatworms appeared paralyzed and were blown off the rock work. I would guess 20-30 flatworms came out of the rock work to be seen and many more unseen. Not wanting to remove the treatment too soon I let this go for 30 minutes then added the pound of carbon. The skimmer produced some skimmate and all fish, snails, starfish, and corals look normal and seemed not to respond to the treatment in any way at all.

If my sump had many flatworms I would have cleaned it out ,but I did not see any so I let it be. I think in the next few days I will do a second treatment to take out any flatworms that recover from this one.

I still see live Gammaridean Amphipods at this time.
Edited by GeoJ - 2/15/12 at 4:33pm

Thanks for that report, interesting... keep us posted!

Kiefers, what is your flatworm situation now?

I did not know I had them until I saw them on a close-up shot of a frag. I had been looking for justification for another Sixline;

all my flatworms seem to have been converted into fish poo.

Yeah, I've read all the Sixline stories too, but we really like them. I guess our fish list now leans towards "aggressive" or at least, potentially so.

That's fine, it gives them something to do....

Well I have to say things look good. I don't know if things would go as easy in a smaller tank volume. I think I would try it if you did not see any flatworms but you knew they were there.

I got really paranoid about Flatworms after reading this thread and bought some Flatworm Exit. When I purchased my first coral about a month ago I dipped the coral in Flatworm Exit and then a 2nd dip using Coral Rx. 

 

Do you think this is overkill, or just good preventative measures?

 

I just want to know, so that the next time I get more coral, I'll know if I need to go through the same process I went through last time. 

 

The bottle of Flatworm Exit is tiny, but it doesn't really require much (just a few drops) if I'm using it as a dip. 

You can use both one at a time. Just remember every time you dip you put the coral at risk and you can have a loss. The Coral RX does not claim to kill the bugs only remove. So you still need to QT. I also have not used it other then a free sample. You will have to be vigilant an keep a watch for corals that don't like the dips you use and may not take being dipped more then once.

Oh, that's good to know! I was under the impression that dipping coral was sufficient and that a QT for coral wasn't necessary.What brand of coral dip would you suggest??

 

I'll have to get some stronger lighting to add to my QT. Right now it's only good enough for fish. I have a basic 10 gallon QT, what sort of lighting would you suggest for quaranting coral?

 

Any coral I purchase would only be soft coral and LPS since I only have a BioCube 29 gallon with stock lighting (stock lighting includes 1 -  36W 10K Daylight and 1 - 36 W Actinic Blue)

Okay, I'll keep the QT up and running just in case... I'm sure I can find a corner to stick it in. I really wish I lived in a bigger apartment! I can't wait to move to a house one day!

Are you sure those weak lights are going to be okay for a coral QT?? 

I'll also buy some Lugols Iodine, does it need to be this brand? 

 

 

 

Are Flatworms and those pests you mentioned above easy to see? 

 

How do I maintain a QT/HT with and without anything in it?? 

 

I'm so sorry that I have so many questions!! I feel like such a pest (which I guess is ironic since this discussion thread is about controlling pests...lol) I really appreciate you taking the time when you answer my seemingly endless questions! Thank you so much :) 

Yesterday I saw a flatworm in the DT and treated for a second time. Because the number of flatworms in the tank are so low from the first treatment I extended the treatment time to 40 minutes before adding the carbon. The dose was 60 drops of the Flatworm Exit. I saw one flat worm hang on for 30 minutes but die off within the 40 minute time frame.

Ya, but they are getting their hat's handed to them...