FYI - My Flatworm Exit Experience

[harris51]

I have read all of the treads I could find on this other sites looking for more information than the standard - Use lots of Carbon and water changes to handle the toxic release on Flatworm death. What I didn't find was a lot of material on what to do after that initial treatment... should the flat worms persist... as mine did.

I began with a standard "by the directions" application. That was truly amazing and killed what could only be described as thousands! The toxic leftovers seemed to really annoy my mushrooms... but no other definable side effects. Unfortunately, some (dozens) of flatworms clearly survived.

Researching had lead to one other thread on a different site with the same problem... he ultimately used 300% of recommended to achieve what appeared to be "none left".

I waited 5 days in my tank and then dosed to 200% of the recommended... and wow..... hundreds more in that die off. I was very surprised how far I had underestimated how many had survived. At that level, I also saw the death of several small brittle stars, many large bristle worms (interesting), and even some larger copipods. However, no fish or corals seemed effected other than the clearly unhappy mushrooms.

I can no longer visualize any flatworms... although I am not at all confident they are gone.

But I learned a few things with this.... not so... scientific experiment.

1) Salifert's dosing is very, very conservative.
2) Despite much of the information available.... multiple dosing is likely required... and thus resistance to the toxin is likely to form.
3) The possabily exists that the LD50 for the Exit to truly be effective....to remove the possibility of another plague.... is so high that other life will clearly be effected.

I hope this little bite adds in some way to the collective knowledge.

[Reefland]

Thanks for sharing. I think the best option is to dose 100% 2-3 times. This should reduce the chance of a higher dose hurting anything, yet the multiple doses killing all flatworms.

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[Ninong]

The toxic leftovers seemed to really annoy my mushrooms... but no other definable side effects.

Yes, it's the toxic fluids that are released when the flatworms sort of explode that cause problems.

Unfortunately, some (dozens) of flatworms clearly survived.

This seems to be a common complaint.

Researching had lead to one other thread on a different site with the same problem... he ultimately used 300% of recommended to achieve what appeared to be "none left".

At this strength, he probably killed off a lot more than just the nuisance flatworms. He probably wiped out most of his copepods and probably a lot of polychaetes.

I waited 5 days in my tank and then dosed to 200% of the recommended... and wow..... hundreds more in that die off. I was very surprised how far I had underestimated how many had survived.

Maybe you didn't underestimate how many survived. You gave them five days to reproduce. If even a single flatworm survived, it can reproduce.

1) Salifert's dosing is very, very conservative.

Maybe. I'm sure they've tested it and are confident that it is sufficient to kill off the flatworms while not killing off other stuff.

2) Despite much of the information available.... multiple dosing is likely required... and thus resistance to the toxin is likely to form.

This is what I have read in several threads.

3) The possabily exists that the LD50 for the Exit to truly be effective....to remove the possibility of another plague.... is so high that other life will clearly be effected.

The product is supposed to be formulated to meet LD100 requirements. LD50 is absolutely no good whatsoever.

[harris51]

A few days later and....

Well, my copipod population is appears grossly unaffected.

The brittle stars and bristle worms that appeared dead.... recovered and wandered off after apparently recovering from the toxin.

And, I am sorry to say.... a few flatworms remain!

[kronos5]

Thanks for the info