flatworms

[ollie51]

for almost 2 months now i have been trying to get the flatworm outbreak in my tank under control tryed 4 yellow wrasses 3 vanished 1 still there but shows little if any intrest in the worms already have a mandrin ,not intrested i have 10 acros,4montis 1bird nest couple of lps bubble & galaxea my biggest concern with flatworm exit is my clams 4 aquacultered maximas 1wild black &white max & 2crocea plus a coca worm ,several feather dusters crabs shrimp ect seems to be some controversywith fwe & clams i just started sps about a year ago and now things are doing so well and now these damm worms iam stressedabout puttig chemicals in.HELP!

 

[Salty D-O-G]

Worms are good to have but if you have to catch them. Take a soda bottle and clean it very good. In one half of it drill a bunch of 1/8" holes leave the other half alone. Stuff a piece shrimp inside the bottle with some marbles(for weight)and submerge it to the bottom of the tank. Make sure when it settles on the bottom the bait stays at the end without the holes. Empty out the worms the next morning. Repeat as necessary LOL.

Jerry

 

[Cwazy Clown]

^^ that works for flat worms?? that would prob work for bristle but flat??

 

[Salty D-O-G]

Sorry try this:

As your granny probably told you, prevention is the best form of treatment. Good marine husbandry techniques (particularly use of a quarantine tank and dips) are typically helpful in stopping this pest (and many others) ever making it in to your aquarium. Planaria can sneak into the aquarium as a stow away on live rock, live sand, corals, clams and other live materials introduced to the aquarium.

If the worst happens and you find Planaria in your tank it is not all over - flatworms can be removed physically, biologically, or chemically.

Products such as Flatworm Exit can almost instantly kill off most or all flatwroms in your aquarium. Dying flatworms are toxic, so please be sure to read the instructions carefully - siphon out as many flatworms as possible before dosing the recommended amount.

The sea slugs of the family Chelidomura, sometimes called the head shield nudibranch can offer another biological solution. Although difficult to find through the aquarium trade, Chelidomura are obligate flatworm feeders, and will combat planaria. Reports of success are mixed. Chelidomura are frequently the victims of pump intakes and overflow drains. Those that survive, are reported as successful in the eradication of planaria populations. Once all the planaria are consumed you will need to find a new home for the Chelidomura.

You can also use a siphon to remove the critters. This can be combined with regular water changes, or if your tank has a sump and an overflow you could use your siphon with a micron bag. Place the micron bag in your sump to catch the overflow water and Use the siphon to suck the planaria from the nooks and cranies and divert the water with the planaria down your overflow. If using this approach do use active carbon to combat the potential release of toxins. Once finished take the micron bag and wash in fresh water. The planaria are extremely sensitive to fresh water and are killed almost instantly and completely dissolve within a few seconds.

 

[ragman]

I had some in my tank, and I got an arrow crab. I can watch him grab them and then he just sits there and eats them like sting cheese. Kind of cool to watch.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Why all the slow and iffy solutions, Salifort makes a product called Flatworm Exit that works like gangbusters. I highly recommend it.

 

[kevinpo]

Flatworm Exit is very effective but the fluid from dying flatworm in large numbers can be toxic. Be sure to have a water change and some carbon ready just in case. I have used it with dozens of clams without ill effect.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[RocketScientist]

Alright, so this is a weird spin on this but I gotta ask it. What if you want to have a flat worm eating nubibranch and want to maintain enough flatworms to feed it? How would you do it?

Next spin what threat do the flat worms actually pose and to what? Seems alluded to that they are a threat to clams? Is this the case? Are they really undesireables or just astetic nusciances? Just curious.

 

[kevinpo]

What if you want to have a flat worm eating nubibranch and want to maintain enough flatworms to feed it?

Unless you have a separate tank full of flat worms it is not possible.

The algae eating type are just a cosmetic issue. If for some reason there was a sudden die off of a large number of them it would pose a problem.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[ollie51]

kevin i have a spare ehime 2213 canister filter would this work if i took all of the media out of it and filled it with carbon also when you used fwe did you find you had to increase the dosage?

 

[kevinpo]

kevin i have a spare ehime 2213 canister filter would this work if i took all of the media out of it and filled it with carbon also when you used fwe did you find you had to increase the dosage?

Canister type filters are excellent for all types of media as they provide a nice laminar flow.

I do dose higher. I used 2 bottles which is supposed to treat 600 gallons in 2 different 450 gallon systems. I recommend you follow the directions though In those large systems it was just easier to squeeze in 2 bottles rather than count out the drops. I treat when I see just a few worms so I have never had a problem with dieoff.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[aquarookie]

Alright, so this is a weird spin on this but I gotta ask it. What if you want to have a flat worm eating nubibranch and want to maintain enough flatworms to feed it? How would you do it?

Next spin what threat do the flat worms actually pose and to what? Seems alluded to that they are a threat to clams? Is this the case? Are they really undesireables or just astetic nusciances? Just curious.

You are a nut. If you need flatworms, you call me up and say "I need flatworms". I have them as pets in a jar :lol:

I don't know what threat they pose, but I know Mike said they screwed up all his zoanthids. The only flatworms I have ever had came on ricordeas (not the rock, but the actual rics). Made me think they might be eating them.

 

[kevinpo]

There are many different species of flatworms. Some host on corals but do not harm them. Euphyllia species and and corals from the order Corallimorpharia (which includes Ricordia and Discosoma families) are common host for these type of flatworms.

Here are a few pictures of flatworms I have had over the years.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[aquarookie]

There are many different species of flatworms. Some host on corals but do not harm them. Euphyllia species and and corals from the order Corallimorpharia (which includes Ricordia and Discosoma families) are common host for these type of flatworms.

Here are a few pictures of flatworms I have had over the years.

Regards,
Kevin

Aha! Mine look like the ones in your first pic. If they just host on corals without harming them, now I feel bad for taking them out and sticking them in a jar . I wondered about the fact that the rics are happy and healthy despite having those worms all over them...

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I don't know what threat they pose, but I know Mike said they screwed up all his zoanthids.

I had a few for many months and didn't think much of it until started losing zoas as they shrank to very small or dissapeared in good water. They destroyed a lot of my pocilapora and zoas plus were bothering many others. They pester the corals to make them slime (mucus) which apparently is a desirable food for these leeches. They work the corals to death. Immediatly after irracication, ALL my corals looked a lot better. No other changes made, just irradication of the planaria...

 

[kevinpo]

There are flatworms that feed on corals causing death. The recent US invasion of the Acropora eating flatworms is an example

Regards,
Kevin

 

[aquarookie]

Here are mine in a jar. Aren't they cute?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

red planaria, AKA acro eating flatworms

 

[aquarookie]

red planaria, AKA acro eating flatworms

Come on Mike, just tell me they are cute. Just this once

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I hate to lie. They have given me too much grief and losses to even joke about them. Some have lost prized expensive corals in short order. They are a much bigger problem than Red Bugs and monti eating nudis combined...