Flat worm invasion!

[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.