Flatworms: Free Gift From Walt Smith

[Tanzy]

Those who bought Walt Smith corals have better check their pieces. Found a few of our good friends, brown flatworms.

I sucked quite a few out but I'm sure there are still many lurking around.

[Morgan]

I have them too but could not determine from where they came from. Don't think mine came from the above mention.

[woonming]

Wei i got the solution !!

i got the flatworm exit ... u need them ?

[Tanzy]

Thanks but that won't be necessary at the moment.

[flubberina13]

I sucked quite a few out but I'm sure there are still many lurking around.

Sucked? How did you do that?

[ReeF_LoVeR]

just wonder how you guys purchase it from W.S ?

[Tanzy]

Sucked? How did you do that?

50mL syringe.

[Mellow]

can try six line wrasse to get rid of them too

[Tanzy]

can try six line wrasse to get rid of them too

There has never been any scientific proof that any wrasse or mandarin having a significant impact on flatworm population or even ingesting them. It's all anecdoctal.

[Morgan]

From my experience both the mandarin and six line will not eat the flatworm. IMO it a waste of money buying these fishes to control this problem unless you love them.

[IanJ]

Several years ago i had lots of flatworms over some of my soft corals.

I used a large syringe filled with cold freshwater, held the tip on top of the flatworm and emptied the contents over the worm.

Seemed to work well, over a period of a few days i was able to eliminate all the flatworms. None came back

[SpiderOne]

Since u already have a syringe why dont u suck them out instead

[Achilles Tang]

Several years ago i had lots of flatworms over some of my soft corals.

I used a large syringe filled with cold freshwater, held the tip on top of the flatworm and emptied the contents over the worm.

Seemed to work well, over a period of a few days i was able to eliminate all the flatworms. None came back

Surprised this method would even work at all!

Hyposalinity treatments involve soaking the organism in water of a much lower sg.... and affecting their osmoregulation functions.

A squirt of FW should have zero effect on them as it would have gotten diluted by the surrounding SW.

[IanJ]

Spiderone - the syringe had too small a nozzel to suck them out easilly.

AT - thinking back the syringe method removed them from the coral but not always killed them.

I moved up a gear and used a large plastic water bottle, and emptied the contents quickly by squeezing the bottle over the flatworm. This saturates the worm with sufficient fresh water to kill it.

I have successfully used a similar method to kill brown jelly infections on soft corals under water.

Try it next time, you might be surprised.

[Achilles Tang]

Interesting...

[Joe_P]

I use hotwater.....

Flatworms totally annihilated.... so did the monti that they were found on....

[Tanzy]

I use hotwater.....

Flatworms totally annihilated.... so did the monti that they were found on....

This should go up for poll to be the 'Most idiotic idea of the year'.

[Hon]

hah.a.h..Joe_p ... your brain got fried by your MH ar??

Might as well you use the natural sunlight to bake them...

[Joe_P]

This should go up for poll to be the 'Most idiotic idea of the year'.

[williammuk]

Pardon me ... what's Walt Smith?

I have a little bit of brown flatworm problem in my refugium. It's been going on for months already. Fortunately, it has not spread to my main tank yet.

At one time, it was so bad that it was on the refugium glass and rocks. No matter how many I remove, I'll find more the next day. Spent every night after work crouching in front of the refugium searching and removing flatworms!

After doing that constantly, the flatworm population has greatly reduced. Once in a while, I still do see one or two baby ones on the glass -- which I'll swiftly remove by wiping them off using a tissue paper.

I had thought of trying Flatworm Exit but decided against it after reading about it on RC.

Would be great if there's a creature that preys on brown flatworms.

[Achilles Tang]

I use hotwater.....

Flatworms totally annihilated.... so did the monti that they were found on....

THAT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA FOR CURING ANY FORM OF PARASITES... POUR BOILING WATER INTO YOUR TANK!!!

[Tanzy]

Walt Smith is a collector and supplier of corals and other marine stuff.

[Joe_P]

THAT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA FOR CURING ANY FORM OF PARASITES... POUR BOILING WATER INTO YOUR TANK!!!

Well, its does sound a little idiotic, but it is definitely one sure way of removing encrusting corals….

Use a 10 ml syringe filled with hot water and target the offensive area… slowly administer the liquid to the area… you be amazed of how fast the coral reacts to the liquid….. dead instantly…… IMO, very effectively…. Especially with encrusting SPS….

Pouring Boiling water in ???? think only idiots do that….!!!!

[spade]

alternatively, u can boil it using 1600w or more

[IanJ]

Got to back up Joe_P on that one. Have used boiling water in a syringe myself, very effective