Flatworm Removal

[jeasko]

decided that the flatworm outbreak in my tank needs to be delt with once an for all so am going to use salifert flatworm exit, the water changes sucking the little critters out just isnt doing a good enough job for me so decided to take the plung.

before i just go head long into it i thought i'd ask a few questions

firstly has anyone else managed to find a predator that actually eats these things (i know they are toxic when they die so cant belive anything will eat them)

secondly and more importantly I am likely to go down the flatworm exit route, however i am awaiting a delivery of a HOB fuge which I am now considering not connecting to the main tank straight away but more to use as a seperate system to put my fish in while i treat the main tank, the fuge is not massive at only 3 uk galons but was just considering it for 48 hours while i can do several large water changes to eliminate any toxin from the dead flatworm after using flatworm exit

does this sound over the top or is it just a sensible move?

likewise has anyone had any experience with this stuff as looking around there are mixed opinions on it?




fish in tank
1 fox face rabbit fish
1 pair fiji red clowns
1 pyjama cardinal
1 dottyback
2 cleaner shrimps
1 fire shrimp

 

[-Nemo-]

Cramming those fish into that small of a tank is just asking for trouble.
We have used this at my work multiple times when our coral systems become infected. I would suggest to siphon out as many worms as possible first and then to use the product. As they die, siphon them out.

Watch for signs of distress from any livestock, and I would suggest running carbon to help take out any toxins. You can also additionally do a 25% water change.

As for what eats them, six lines can do a pretty good job keeping the population under control. Some additional information about your tank would help.

It's a good product as long as you are careful.

 

[Morri]

Have you considered one of the natrual solutions ?

Checkerboard Wrasse will wip them out in no time a silver bellied wrasse will also eat them depends if you can fit them in to your stocking plans ofc?

The other option is a Chelidonura varians Blue Velvet Nudibrach ? This might need to be removed once all flatworms are gone though

I am not a big fan of adding chemicals to the water if not needed

 

[jeasko]

personally i'd rather not go down the chemical route but have never found anything that was very good at eating them, the wrasse option has a mixed opinion when i look around

The tank can withstand another inhabitant as its 150ltr reef setup, being its a reef it rules out the nudibranch as they tend to munch on coral.

the fuge size is as i susspected too small to cram everything in so will make sure there is sufficient water for a 25% water change should i go down the chemical route, although I have big concerns over using chemicals of this nature, more around the toxins the flat worms will excreet when they die but a small water change to remove as many as possible before adding chemicals will reduce the threat along with a huge water change after (will be aiming for higher than 25% more 35%)

will be paying a visit to the LFS today to see what they have in there in the way of wrasse in the hope it will help before going head on into the chemicals

 

[Morri]

The fact you have a reef I would realy avoid adding chemicals as you will most probably do more damage than the worms which are just unsightly

You could just increase the flow over them as they do not like high flow

 

[MartinS]

I have a friend who added a Blue Velvet Doris (Chelidonura varians) to his flatworm infested tank, and it cleared a largen number of them, and now keeps them in check. I don't think it will rid you of them, although i have been told the eight line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus octotaenia) (the larger cousin of the six line, Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) will almost definitely clear them all, and on the plus side, will also take frozen foods, so you'll not have to shift it on to stop it from starving - only downside is that it get's to 5.5" as opposed to the six line which only gets to ~3".
HTh
Martin

 

[-Nemo-]

Blue velvet nudis, i forgot about them!
They are seasonal around here... only get them in stock a couple times a year so I don't know if you'll have difficulty finding some. They also tend to get sucked down overflows and caught in powerheads so if you go with them, make sure it's all nudi free.

@ Morri, while I don't like using chemicals in my tank either, flatworm exit is a great product that works well if you need to use it. The only time I've ever heard of problems when people did not follow the directions. FWIW, if it came to it, I would use it in my tank.

 

[Morri]

Yip I agree about FWE just seen a few people make mistakes with it the usual things I have a 150L ahh I need to add x instead of working out displacment etc I added a Silver (Fat) Bellied wrasse to my stock list as they are known to eat flatworms and are a pretty little fish shame mine eats like a pig

 

[jeasko]

one 6 line wrasse added so will carry on with siphoning them out in water changes but to be honest there seems to be sooo many of them and they multiply almost daily! just seems like an uphill struggle to get on top of it every week which is why I am seriously tempted by FWE

the next issue I have with all this is weather to get HOB fuge up and running before I get FWE (if i decide to use it) or leave it until i have treated the tank then get it up and running?

 

[jeasko]

Is it worth setting up my hob fuge or should I wait until I have decided weather to use FWE or is it worth just setting it up now?