flat worm invasion

tirtza

tirtza

Member
Quote:
some times I will use Interceptor in to kill other worms and pests.
Wow, Interceptor!? The same stuff as the canine/feline heartworm prevention? How do you use it?
Quote:
Coral dips are not 100% affective and many just don't work.
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?
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
slice

slice

Active Member
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.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///t/389403/flat-worm-invasion/20#post_3459128
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.
Hiya, I still have "some" flat worms in the tank but not as much as before. The flatworm exit is a good product to get and at 30 bucks I think it was worth it.
My Wife had to use it last week due to some flatworms being on her frogspawn. They died within 20 minutes. She took the coral out and put the coral with 2 drops of the Flatworm exit. We took a turkey baster and blew the water around and the worms just fell off.
After reading Tommielynn story about her 6line wrasse, I really don't want one now.. Lol.
 
slice

slice

Active Member
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....
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ http:///t/389403/flat-worm-invasion/20#post_3459286
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 did catch up on the thread, it got buried, sorry. I am glad to read that things are clearing up in your system. I applaud your courage to treat in the tank, atleast you took the precautions in ridding the tank of the toxins. I however did not have the balls to do so in my tank. Maybe now that I have less flat worms I can get away with it.?
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
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.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
yup, what he said. Typically it's a good idea to QT EVERYTHING before putting it into your DT. That way you can see if dipping is needed. When QT'ing, you can observe anything that may come out like bristle worms, flat worms, or other bugs that may arise. JME
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
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)
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
I would keep what you already have. Just QT for now and observe. don't really worry about the dipping right now. Some corals don't do well with the dip so..... keep it simple (K.I.S.S.)
In my personal opinion, here is what you want to keep on hand all the time. Lugol's iodine and flatworm exit.
The iodine is good for ridding corals like Zoa's of some nudibranks and amphipods, and the exit, well you know what thats for. Only go out and get what you need for when you need it. You may not ever need certain things and they will only expire. Keep the QT up 24/7 in case you have an impulse buy. You never know. For yours, you can do both coral and fish, just not at the same time, intervals
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
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?
Quote:
nudibranks and amphipods
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 :)
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/389403/flat-worm-invasion/20#post_3459860
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? It depends on what types of coral you get really.
Are Flatworms and those pests you mentioned above easy to see? Flat worms can be seen, as the bristle worms. So,....... yes, you can see most of these I mentiond
How do I maintain a QT/HT with and without anything in it?? Well, when nothing is in it, ghost feed every other day, continue with water changes. Personally, in my fish QT, I use tap water and the reef salt. I keep my salinity in there 1.020-1.023
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 :) it's okay. Better safe than sorry huh? Your good to go in my opinion.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
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.
 
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