Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
I found these on my shroom today, they move and are freaking me out!
WTH are these?
- Thread starter Melonbob
- Start date
hibye
Reef enthusiast
Do you mean the bumps?
SSalty
Team Liquid Force
Aaahhh, flatworms. I would do something about them right away before they get out of hand.
Here is a great product:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16551
Here is a great product:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16551
Last edited:
dustin_P74
Reef enthusiast
i would have to agree on the flatworms
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
I knew it! These are the only ones I can find anywhere in my tank, so I take it that means its safe to use the faltworm exit? I hear horror stories of tanks being wiped out from killing them all, but I'm guessing it won't happen unless the tank is infested with them?
SSalty
Team Liquid Force
Yep, that is why I said take care of it now. If the tank is infested I would suggest the flatworm exit and siphoning them out as there are dying. So basically folow the killing with a large water change.
You say you hear of horror stories about tanks being wipped out by killing them all?? Imagine letting them take over the tank and doing nothing about it.
You say you hear of horror stories about tanks being wipped out by killing them all?? Imagine letting them take over the tank and doing nothing about it.
Melonbob
Reef enthusiast
I'll be picking some up tomorrow if the lfs has it. Do you just add the stuff to the tank, or do you gotta chase them around with it?
daugherty
part time reefer
as far as i know you just dump it in. doc just had a bad prob with them and it ended up killing a lot in his tank. it turned his water green from them all dieing
hibye
Reef enthusiast
Oh I notice the flatworms now.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
I used that stuff. Follow the instructions. Here's how I did it and had no problem. Have two batchhes of saltwater made in case two changes are needed.
1. Suction out all that you see. Squirt the rock with baster to check for any hiding. Suction these out also if you find any. This is very important step because you have more then you think.
2. Take out all carbon if your running a filter shut it off. But have it full of carbon when the flatworms start dying. Keep protein skimmer running.
3. Add the exit. Start off with half the dose as stated on the instructions. If flatworms aren't starting to scatter add the other half slowly. Keep your eye son the flatworms. As soon as they start to scatter it means the stuff is starting to work. As soon as they start dying start suctioning them out.
What I did is I made a net out of material because they can't go through it. It helps if you have another person to hold it. This way you'll get them before they fowl the water to badly. As I was suctioning them out my daughter was holding the other end in the net above the sump by protein skimmmer. This way the water went back in but not the worms. Also didn't have to worry about the water getting to low.
4. Turn on filter with lots of carbon. If you turn this on too soon all the flatworms won't die. But if you can't keep up with getting them out as they die you'll have to turn it on. I turned mine on after a half hour. I had them real bad but with help I was able to avoid any problems. All my fish and corals made it. The corals opened up some the next day but the day after all were back to the way they were before treatment.
5. Do water change after you start the carbon. This is when I suctioned them off the sand.
6. Test your water after the change. If all come out good you won't have to do another water change.
7. Keep carbon running for a few days.
8. Retreat after a week even if you don't see any more flatworms. I did this before a regular water change.
9. If your lucky all flatworms should be gone. But iif your like me you'll always be looking for them.
Hope this helps.
joeman
MorphingSquid
Sounds like the right steps. After Doc had all his trouble I was reading about them. Apparently it's not necessarily the 'Exit' that causes the trouble in the tank, but the flat worms themsleves: when they die they emit toxic chemicals and this is what does all the damage, so by siphoning them out before you start (and during the process) you minimise the impact.
yote
In Memoriam
Yep,Its the worms themselves that cause the trouble.You get a million of em dieing at once in a tank,they can wipe it out pretty dang quick.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Flatworms! Everyone has given good advice so far. The trick is to get rid of them NOW, and not wait until your tank is totally infested. And once you've treated your tank, you may want to invest in a flatworm predator for preventative measures (sixline wrasses will usually eat them, as will other types of wrasses and mandarins). Only get one of these fish if there are other things in the tank for them to eat too, so they don't starve to death.
simpleman
Reefing newb
Get a sixline wrasse and dip your corals before entering them to the DT.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
My six line didn't eat them.
reeffreak
Reef pro
You can clearly see them on the mushrooms Fastlight.The small round,brownish things on them.I'll cross my fingers that I won't ever get any.
daugherty
part time reefer
tizapolgar
Zymurgist
I didn't see them at first, either. They're hard to notice if you don't know what you're looking for...then impossible to miss once you recognize them.
Evil little buggers, from what I understand.
yote
In Memoriam
Their not really evil,their just toxic as hell when they die.
