TOADSTOOL HELP!

[seahorsemama]

I have a green tipped toadstool and it has these weird spots. I asked some people and they think that it could be flatworms. Also was suggested we do a FW dip on it. But, how do I go about doing that? Never done one and don't want to kill my coral. I don't want to treat with chemicles either. IS there a natural way to deal with it? I am willing to do a dip if I know how to do it... Someone please help me, if they aren't flatworms, what could it be?

 

[al&burke]

Can you get a clearer picture, it looks like it is shedding or something.

 

[meowzer]

Do the spots move? It kinda looka like algae spots....once I had a cyano issue and I got red dots like that on the leather

 

[al&burke]

That is what mine had meowzer, it needed more flow around it.

 

[seahorsemama]

Okay, so... I went to try and get a better picture to see if it was algea spots. And no, before the spots hadn't moved at all, till I touched it. Then they moved, in fact one started swimming against the current. Totally grossed and freaked me out. I took the toadstool out and got as many of the icky flatworms off that I could, and then, come to find out, they are all over the red fuzzy mushroom in it too. ICK. I want to puke. They are gross!!! How can I get rid of them without FW dipping my WHOLE tank?!

 

[meowzer]

siphon a lot......there is a thing called flatworm exit....BUT...you have to get them out

 

[seahorsemama]

I know I have to get them out. I don't have a syphon though. AND... I have never used chemicles in my tank. Is there a natural way to get them out? I have read about peppermint shrimp, scooter blennys, manderins, and six line wrasse. Will any work or do I have to get the flatworm exit. Next thing, where would I get the exit?

 

[meowzer]

I believe wrasses will eat them......you can get the stuff online or ask your locl store if you have one.
also ....just use a turkey baster

 

[btldreef]

You can beat flatworms without having to use chemicals. I've done it and it took about a month in total.
You need to be diligent about siphoning as many as you see out of the tank at least twice a day. I also put a sixline wrasse in the tank that I knew ate flatworms and a green target mandarin (for whatever reason they are known to eat flatworms more than the regular red and green mandarins).
You can do it, it's just going to take some work. I really advise against doing Flatworm eXit unless you have no other choice. Many people screw up the directions, and one little mistep will destroy your entire tank.

 

[lmecher]

I don't think FWE is as bad as some are making it out to be. I tried a mandrin, wrasses, always kept peppermints in all my tanks, nothing touched them. If you follow the directions, siphon as many as you can before hand, and have a large water change ready you should be fine. I always repeat in a week or so because 1 treatment usually does not get them all. I even used it in a tank with many bubble tip anemones (yes I was hesitant and worried but...no problems as long as you do not overdose your tank.