Flatworms & Flatworm eXit

[ANGUS]

This forum has taught me many things about managing reefs, and I'm grateful. Maybe my experience with flatworms can help others with the nasty critters. I have 100 & 75 reefs. Weeks back, I probably had at least a couple thousand in the 100, and most recently a small amount in the 75. Over a period of several weeks I constantly extracted them with a turkey baster. I got experienced enough to even remove them from the gravel. I had a net setup in the overflow to receive them so no water was lost in the aquarium. As an alternative, I would also blast them off the coral with the baster and net them. I got a lot of action with this method. At any rate, after several weeks I reduced them to a manageable group to use Flatworm eXit. As you know, it is the body fluids of the flatworms that cause reef problems. I used the manufacture's recommended amount directly into a high flow area of the tank, and they started dying immediately. I used a series of nets to remove the dead. As they die, they float freely about the tank. The results were that the entire reef, corals, fish, shrimp, etc. were not distrubed in any way, and the flatworms are no more. I never used any carbon. This did take some effort, but it was well worth it. At least I'll know how to handle it if there is a next time.

[impur]

Good to hear. That stuff sure does work. It works on some nudis as well. Just follow the directions and all goes fine.

 

I had 2 or 3 different flatworms in my tank when i set it up last year. The brown ones, with the red dot on them, i would syphon out or kill, the small clear ones i left be. Eventually the brown ones were all gone, and i can't find a single small clear one either. I think they go in cycles, the population builds and builds then there are too many to be supported by the food available and most of them die off. And it starts again. Of course until we intervene.