Cheap / no-cost methods for killing flatworms
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Topic: Cheap / no-cost methods for killing flatworms
Posted By: peiji
Subject: Cheap / no-cost methods for killing flatworms
Date Posted: September 16 2015 at 3:49pm
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Let me clarify, there's no livestock or coral in the tank anymore but I would like to keep the live rock and sand active without killing all the bacteria. Any suggestions? Anything besides the expensive Flatworm Exit? I'll use that as a last resort. ------------- Jared Page Highland, UT Graphic Designer |
Replies:
Posted By: redleader
Date Posted: September 16 2015 at 4:37pm
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Ask someone on the forum for some flatworm exit... Turn off the lights and point your powerheads at them... Introduce a blue velvet Nudibranch. Use a small hose and suck them out, search and destroy. I have read that using an acclimation size 1/4 inch or less will allow you to suck out a lot without moving a lot of water. Flatworms if I remember emit a toxin when they die, so you need to watch out for that. Good luck. ------------- Everything in life is possible. You just have to dream big, and act bigger. 150 G Reef |
Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: September 16 2015 at 4:56pm
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Thanks. I do have a flatworm exit solution as a backup plan but it's quite expensive so wondering what other methods there are since I don't have to worry about livestock. Sucking them out will never eradicate the problem. Nudibranchs are also expensive and hard to get and keep alive. Keep the ideas flowing though. ------------- Jared Page Highland, UT Graphic Designer |
Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: September 17 2015 at 8:51am
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Lots of us have suffered through this and it seems like Flatworm Exit is about the only solution I heard about that works. I dosed my 120 about a year ago and then did it about five days later. That knocked them down for a while, but they came back. Once I clean up my frag tank and sump I'm dosing again. Fat |
Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: September 17 2015 at 9:04am
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Roger that. I've successfully eradicated thousands of flatworms in a fully stocked 50g tank. I have another tank that unfortunately, got invested somehow but there's no livestock whatsoever. I was just wondering if raising or lowering the temperature, pH, salinity, etc. to extremes or something would kill the flatworms but leave the live rock functional. ------------- Jared Page Highland, UT Graphic Designer |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 19 2015 at 8:23am
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Nope. Any of those things will also severely compromise the LR, LS and Algae. Instead of expensive Flatworm Exit, I use Levamisol in small doses interchanged with Activated Carbon to clean up the released toxins. Works perfectly, costs much less and takes less effort. I have some Levamisol if you want to use it. See the Reefkeeping Tips, linked below, to see the method. Aloha, Mark  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Aquarium Creations
Date Posted: October 13 2015 at 10:12am
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you can try using febendozole as well as levaminsol is almost impossible to find last time i checked ------------- Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected] |
Posted By: A Reef Oasis
Date Posted: October 13 2015 at 11:18am
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Melanurus wrasse, or springer dottyback. ------------- "oh crap where am I going to put that!" bstuver |
Posted By: Summertop
Date Posted: October 13 2015 at 6:00pm
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if there is no livestock/coral... Fresh water kills the FAST...I pulled my live rock out and did a fresh water dip for 5-10 seconds. Actually, I used 3 x 5g buckets because as the flatworms die the water gets NASTY quick. Dip in the first, then rinse in the second, then rinse in the 3rd, then back in the tank...all 3 were fresh water. Once the live rock was cleaned off, that was most of the problem. Then I did one flatworm exit treatment...No more flat worms. ------------- =========== Shawn Winterbottom |