Flatworm Exit Fail

I have had a small visible population (never more than a small handful) of flatworms almost since the beginning of my tank's existence almost a year ago. They have never been out of control population wise - we run a clean system without too much excess nutrients available.

We wanted to eradicate the little buggers so that we can sell back some frags to our LFS and not be giving them flatworms.

I read into Salifert and decided to try Flatworm Exit based on the universal acceptance seemingly received by it's users.

I had 3 lbs of carbon ready (1 lb to 50 gallons - I have a 150 gallon system).

I syphoned as many of the flatworms that were visible as possible (again not that many). Blew off the rocks with a powerhead/forced flow and did a small water change to remove all of the flatworms and detritis in the water column.

Next, we dosed. I dosed at the recommended rate on the instructions and waited. Within a few minutes some of the flatworms were looking like the Flatworm Exit was doing the trick. As soon as I saw visible flatworms I began running carbon with tons of forced flow as we siphoned off more of the dead/dieing ones.

After about an hour some of the worms looks unaffected so I added 50% more Flatworm Exit. Again, more of them died but there were still some alive.

After 3 hours I added the remainder of the dropper which was supposed to have been sufficient to treat 300 gallons.

After 6 hours and some cloudy water, we performed at 30% water change and all inverts/fish/corals are happy and unaffected - but sadly so are a small number of flatworms.

Do I have some mutant treatment-resistant strain of FW??? Did I get a bad batch of FW Exit? Did I do something wrong with my dosing?

Anyone had a similar experience?

I am contemplating whether I should go after Salifert for a replacement and to get them to pay for the 3 lbs of carbon I potentially wasted.

I have read through the threads on ppls experience with treating that maybe I missed something really simple.

To round out the rest of the info here are the stats on the system otherwise:

nearly 1 year old 120 DT, 40 Gallon sump, 20 Gallon refugium/protein skimmer sump. 1 250 MH, 1 MU135 BoostLED. Reeflo Dart Return pump. 3 Koralia Evo 1400's for flow. 3" DSB. About 120lbs LR, ReefOcto NWB-250 skimmer, no ozone RX. Two part dosing from BRS for water params.

We do weekly water changes of roughly 20 gallons. (this week was more with the FW Exit Treatment)

 

I have used Flatworm Exit and these are my observations.

If you did not see your population of micro brittle stars, other starfish, hermit crabs and such struggling and looking stressed within an hour of initiating treatment than the dose was not sufficient. Most inverts will look very stressed and take some time to recover.

There are reports of resistant strains of FW. I had the Red Planaria, which seem to be the most treatable, although doing 3 treatments is not unheard of.

Sounds like a nightmare to do on your size of tank. I hope you can find another remedy.

Good luck.

 

Ah - that's one thing I DID notice is that a few of the micro brittles in the tank were bugging out - forgot to mention that.

But still it sounds as though the dosage was not sufficient regardless! I also did notice several different looking species of the FW's - some where cartioid/lancelot in shape while the others which have seemed to survive are the smaller, tan colored with a rounded "front" and a "swallow-tail" back.

I sure as heck would not want to do 3 treatments on that size tank. That's over $100 just in carbon!!!!!

 

I am actually surprised with your population of fish that none of them are actively keeping the population in check.

Problem with me, is that even if a pest is not doing obvious harm or unsightly, it still must go. Just the thought of pest in my tank keeps me up at night. lol

 

And I believe that's exactly where I am.

There were never so many of them that anyone who ever has come to look at the tank has ever asked - oooh - what's that on the glass there!?!?

The sixline wrasse must be fed too well to want to try the FWs. I believe the population is "in check" but like you just the thought of the pest in there makes me want to get rid of them.

Is there any considerable risk/harm in not continuing to eradicate them if they continue to exist in small numbers?

They have existed in small numbers and had only recently decreased with the addition of a large protein skimmer and fuge in January.

Is it possible they will slowly be starved out?

I wonder if vitamin C/carbon dosing would bring down the available nutrients to a point where most or all of them would die?

That may be worth a shot right there!!!

 

I have heard of treating them with a black out as well, because many are to some degree photosynthetic, I have heard mixed reviews on that approach. I would google that approach.

Directing a flash light beam at the tank at night and allowing to gather after a couple hours and then siphoning them off. I used this method and it worked well. But it does not seem to work with all types of FW.

If the numbers become large and they begin to cover corals like euphillyias, mushrooms, lps they can deprive that coral of O2 by inhibiting circulation and gas exchange around that coral and decreasing penetration of light.

It really all depends on which type of flatworms you have.

 

Can you add another wrasse? I had some in my lower tank, mostly on one of my leather corals and some candy cane corals. I didn't want to treat the tank, so I took out the corals and dipped them in coral RX (which definitely killed them good ). I also added a McCosker's flasher wrasse (although technically they are not supposed to eat them). It has been over a month now and I have not seen anymore. Of course sometimes the populations crash on their own, so it could just be coincidental....

 

Did some quick google reading . . .

Seems like the major threat was correctly identified by corailline - light blockage/gas exchange.

I also seem to have observed that if the population is in check (which it is) and the system is stable (nearly a year old - so close to stable at least!) that they are only a food source for the fish and not necessarily a pest.

I guess this may be another area of the hobby - like polychete worms - where the organisims may have a bad rap based on a specific species within the genus. Some flatworms are worse than others and as long as I do not see them all over my corals and LR and glass - I guess I am not going to panic . . . .

Thanks for the advice tho Corailline!!! Your insight is priceless!

 

I love the wrasses - only thing is I have an open top system and do not plan on changing that - so Wrasses being known jumpers(with a few noted exceptions) are off of my stocking list.

 

I had the little tan ones like yours, after adding 2 mandarins they are gone! Perhaps you can get one or borrow one or as previously stated some wrasses will eat them as well.

Good luck.