flatworms

[bobt2]

i have an outbreak of flatworms in my tank. the tank is softeys and bta'S only. no sps. now heres the rub. i havn't added anything to this tank in 2 years! last week i drained the tank for a few seconds to remove a fish but thats it. where could they have come from?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Macro algae, a piece of rock, Water introduced into your tank from someone else. Those are my top three guesses.

 

[bobt2]

none of the above! i mean nothing in 2 yrs.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Ok, how about a piece of equipment? The evidence is in front of you. You did introduce them into tank or they were in there but not visible.

If you do treat your tank to FWE be prepared. Make sure you have make up water ready with Carbon.
I would hate to see you lose anything due to toxins they produce when FW die.
I wish you the best of luck. I lost a lot due to not being prepared within the last year.

 

[dnjan]

You probably had them at low-enough levels to be un-noticed, and then WHAM, nutrients got above a critical value and they took off.

I had flatworms years ago (pretty sure they came in on an un-quarenteened mushroom rock early in the history of my tank).
I did not treat them, other than siphoning them and trying to control nutrients, and they gradually went away.

Do I believe there are absolutely no flatworms in my tank now - no. But am I worried - also no.

 

[bobt2]

i,m not too worried, my no3 is 2ppm and po4 is 0. everything looks fine. i'll treat the tank next week when my exit gets here. i guess it's all part of the hobby. i have 2 other tanks plus a frag tank and they show no signs of them.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Bob,
please prepare yourself. I treated twice and had no problems. The third time I lost about 15 colonies, almost all my fish, clams. I am still rebuilding from what I had previously. Please have a make up water ready and carbon. I can only ask.

 

[bradreef]

I researched treating years ago and decided it was a bad Idea. I did two things and I never saw any again. first I did regular water changes (twice as often) and lowered feeding. this made the nutrients stay low. (I do think you nitrates are high) then my good old six lined wrasse. this guy sucked to catch but he did his job. Keep in mind they aren't always good at eating them but many have had good results.

flatworm exit is just such a risk and will really setback the biological filtration months.

 

[bobt2]

they are low! tank is a 33 long with only 1 royal gramma.

 

[mytshall]

Do any fish eat these

 

[mytshall]

How do the medications work

 

[mytshall]

do these normally come in in live rock

 

[mytshall]

How can you avoid these

 

[mytshall]

I hope I never get flatworms

 

[SpecialTang]

How can you avoid these

Treat everything you put in your tank, Such as Live Rock, Frags and fish.

 

[pblutang]

What do you treat with?

 

[iroll253]

flat worm exit. Ive heard mixed reviews. Many ppl i know have used tripple its potency with out issues.

 

[Freya]

I am going through the same thing right now. Flatworms just appeared out of no where. I have decided against treating with flatworm exit, decided that the risk is just too great. Adding something that should eat them, such as a 6 line wrasse, has been the recomdation of everyone that I have, well my boyfriend, has talked to. that and feed less, water change more. I am also going to dip everything that I can to kill off as many as I can.

 

[capdippe]

Can you guys upload a picture of one? I think I knocked one off the glass and noticed it on my frogspawn 2 days later. I let it be thinking it is just part of the cycle.

 

[pblutang]

Here is a link that might be helpful.

http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html