Oh No

[GreenPuffers]

I think I have flatworms in my tank. Im pretty sure, saw a pic and it looked the same as mine. what do I do?? And what is so bad about them??

[reefkoi]

are they red or brown?
FW exit works great.

[GreenPuffers]

they are brown, how will that effect my tank...and do i need to be worried when i dose it??

[lfduty]

Fw's are ok but they will take over your tank FAST thay will eat algae but thay are not to pritty get a 6-line it will help with FW's good luck

[reefkoi]

From what I hear most fish will keep them in check but will never get rid of them completely, and they will continue to mulitiply
I had some in my 10, I pulled out all my clams and corals and dipped them in FW exit for half hour then into a 15 minute bath of Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure.
Then I soaked the tank in a triple dose of FW exit and then rinsed it.
I haven't seen any more FW's.
I don't know if that is practical for you or not. The key with FW exit is to do it soon, if you wait then you'll have thousands of them and the FW exit killing them will polute and possibly crash the tank, so I'd research it and make a descision soon!

Chris

[GreenPuffers]

Taking everything isnt really an option, and I cant put a 6 line in, too small of a tank. So as long as I can dose with the tank in tack I should be good. Where do i get the stuff??

[Deuce67]

I got some FWE at Seascape before. They usually dont have them on display and you have to ask for it. If you do FWE, call me prior for you dosing.

[GreenPuffers]

No prob. I gotta get stuff for a water change anyway.

[clowninaround74]

well i have them........ unfortunately but i have to say i have never once had to worry about algae on my rocks and my tank stays very clean. I tried a 3x dosage of FWE and it didnt do ****! i just siphon out as many as possible during a WC and other than that they are just there cleaning away.

[Thurge]

In my limited experience with Flat worms they have there pluses and minuses. The minus is they look horible when the population really gets going. The Plus is as Clowninaround alluded to, they can really keep a tank clean and algae free. I had them in a mantis tank and it looked Pristine with them (exclusing the FW everywhere) and its been a hair algae mess ever since I got rid of them. In an odd sort of way I have been debating reinocculating the tank with tnem.

If you are going to use flat Worm Exit I wold recommend starting with a 5x dose. Using as directed is a joke. Just don't forget to have LOTS of carbon on hand to run when they start dying.

[reefkoi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9961649#post9961649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GreenPuffers
Taking everything isnt really an option, and I cant put a 6 line in, too small of a tank. So as long as I can dose with the tank in tack I should be good. Where do i get the stuff??

Well you have a 20 gallon tank, and it's fairly new so I don't think disrupting it will be any problem. I think you should consider it as an option. You can setup some trash cans and buckets, do a 3-5x's dosage and let all the rocks, corals and sand sit for half an hour, then scrub the tank and put it all back. I know it will be a pain, but you are going to hate the look of these when you have millions of them. I know a couple guys are enjoying the algae eating benefits of them, but honestly there are much better ways to control algae without seeing brown slugs covering all the rocks and they will cover mushrooms as well.

Chris

[fuzzyt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9970267#post9970267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thurge
In an odd sort of way I have been debating reinocculating the tank with tnem.

Wow, now I'm starting to want some! :D

[GreenPuffers]

Reefkoi, I live at home and my small measly corner I am permitted is all I can use here, everything else could only happen when H*** freezes over!!!

[reefkoi]

ok fair enough! I just seem to hear that when they die from FW exit the tank can crash, so I would want to avoid that.
Maybe you should research this on the internet some more and make a decision.
It's possible that people let them hit plague like proportions, then hit the tank with FW exit and then it becomes too toxic for the corals and fish? Hard to say but that is my guess.

Chris

[lfduty]

I have been reserching FW's and it's not good. If they die they will put and nasty Toxin in you'r tank the toxin is Iodine and some will say that's a good thing but it's NOT good at all 1bug can kill you'r 29g tank befor you can mix a W/C .
I know that I was one that told you that thay are OK for algae and thay are. After doing a research on them to me they are BAD and to get them out ASAPP. I know I am.

[GreenPuffers]

Im gonna try to find some kind of fish to keep them in check, dont want to crash my tank.

[reefkoi]

I would look into the nudis for control, I did a bit of research and most said that wrasse, mandarins are not guaranteed to eat them, it's hit or miss.
I was at Reef 'n' pond in Denver and he had the FW's in a system and the next time I went up there the FW's were gone and i saw a bunch of black/bluse nudis and he said they ate them all.

That would be the route I'd go. I know Scott can get the nudis for you at cheaper than internet pricing I found.

[GreenPuffers]

Awesome, well I will look in to nudis then, I would love to have a mandarine,but I guess it would need a long time food supply, and I don't how long it would take to deplete the supply.

[Deuce67]

The flatworm eating nudis are actually kinda neat looking. Here is a pic. Linky (http://www.philippine-sea-slugs.com/CEPHALASPIDEA/Chelidonura_varians.htm)

[lfduty]

I like the nudis and they work good

[GreenPuffers]

Well I got the manderain, and i havent seen any worms today, hes really picking at the glass!! im going to get some tigger-pods to keep the supply in the tank up so he doesnt starve. Yea. its working