flatworm cure

[MO]

Question for anyone? I had flatworms, no big deal once you learn to manage them with predators. When I first got them I paniced and nuked my system with flatworm exit--twice.. This droped the population but did not remove them. After several different cures I have learned to manage them. Today they all lie in the bottom of my system DEAD, why?
Salinity 1.024--temp 79--dKH 11.2--phospate .05--iodide & iodate .05?--
nitrite 25--.. All my other pets seem to be fine..my sand worms & spagettiworms are ok. No new chems added. Any ideas?

[returnofsid]

I doubt the Salifert Flatworm Exit is what nuked your system. When Flatworms die, their bodies become very toxic. Before treatment, it's very important to try to remove as many flatworms from the system as you can. Then, after treatment, it's very important to remove as many of the dead bodies as possible. It's also important that they dead bodies are removed quickly.

Normally, when people think they've nuked their tanks with Salifert FWE, it's actually the toxins from the dead flat worms that have done the damage.

Have you made any changes in flow or nutrient export? Flatworms don't handle high flow very well at all. They'll usually congregate in low flow areas. Also, if you've been maintaining your tank better lately, they may have run out of food and simply starved off. Though with your nitrate reading, I don't think that's the cause. I would try to suck up all the dead bodies though.

As you said, Red Planarea aren't the huge problem that some people make them out to be, as long as you control their population.

[tehfeer]

Melevsreef has some good information on flatworms. He treated his tank with flatworm exit and has not had any issues with flatworms after that point. Here is a link to his page about flatworms Melevsreef.com - Flatworms | How to eliminate them! he also shows the device he used to suck the flatworms out of the tank.

[DevonM]

Jim (Mo) nuked his system with Salifert FWE a year ago and hasn't really messed with it since. He just got used to the fact that he had flat worms in the tank.

It now appears, for no reason, his flatworms have drop dead. Could it be a flatworm virus? None of his other tank mates seem to be affected.

I haven't heard of this happening before. He has like around 900 gallons all hooked together flowing through like 6 tanks (reef, fuge, predator, etc.).

[MO]

As Devon said this was a mass Red Planarea suicide in all tanks at the same time. Everthing else seems to be ok right now. Will watch and let you all know what happens.

[Sarmo]

when you figure it out, pass it my way like you, i've decided to just live with them and suck out as many as possible w/ water changes. i am still looking for the perfect predator to get rid of them though.......

[MO]

I have 1 Fairy Wrasse (Longfin) & 1 Arrow crab out of 3 that did. I have 4 different Fairy Wrasses but can only confirm 1 will eat them. I have also got 3 Spotted Mandarins, & a Snyder Weaver that I believe helped.

[returnofsid]

I love having 6 Lined Wrasse in my tanks, for just this purpose!!

[MO]

Just wanted to let everyone know that as of friday 6-12 my little pets came back to life. It must have been a chemical reaction that knocked them on their butts for a couple of days. Was using some AZNO3, and a phosphate remover, and about half a beer. Figure I will wait a week and try it again, let you all know what happens.

[DevonM]