Move Live Rock / Coral with flat worms.

Lucidbeam · 11/29/2010, 09:22 PM

I'm getting ready to take over a friends live rock, coral, and sump. The plan is to setup a new tank. What would be the best way to move rock and coral, and get ride of the flat worms.

Here is what I'm thinking, but have questions. Hopefully I'm on the right track.

Dip every piece of rock/coral. What do I dip it in? How long do i dip it for?

After everthing has been moved to the new tank I will use the old sump. Should I then use Salifert Flatworm Exit? Double dose? Should I dose right away after the dipping? How many days should i wait before I dose a second time?

89Foxbody · 11/29/2010, 09:45 PM

Why do you want to get rid of them?

Salamander · 11/29/2010, 11:29 PM

What kind of flatworms? I wouldn't be too worried about red planaria.....but if its AEFW then I wouldn't even try it. A freshwater dip may help a bit for red planaria, but you might see some later. They're no problem IMO. With good husbandry plus maybe a wrasse or other predator you won't even notice them. AEFW on the other hand......but I personally shy away from adding chemicals to the tank like FWE that may do more damage than the pest. Who knows what other unknown and potentially beneficial creatures it kills?

streak · 11/30/2010, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucidbeam

I'm getting ready to take over a friends live rock, coral, and sump. The plan is to setup a new tank. What would be the best way to move rock and coral, and get ride of the flat worms.

Here is what I'm thinking, but have questions. Hopefully I'm on the right track.

Dip every piece of rock/coral. What do I dip it in? How long do i dip it for?

After everthing has been moved to the new tank I will use the old sump. Should I then use Salifert Flatworm Exit? Double dose? Should I dose right away after the dipping? How many days should i wait before I dose a second time?

Im have not tried or experienced this problem yet but if your setting up a new tank and are going to be completely removing the live rock / corals from the old tank.. I would just set up some fresh saltwater buckets with some heaters and a power head and do the treatment in the buckets...

have maybe a big rubbermaid tub with 2-3 big power heads and fresh saltwater and a heater, let the live rock rinse for hour or 2.

With the corals take care if there on live rocks dip in individually so they dont break or smashed.. but if your setting up a new tank you might want to QT the corals anyhow..

Now before Steelhead77 nails me.. This is my opinion if you want to eradicate them fully..

one more thing your going to have to probbly nuke the sand in the microwave in fresh saltwater or buy all new.. again if you want them gone..
your probbly going to get some sorta cycle anyhow setting up a new tank.

Lucidbeam · 11/30/2010, 11:30 AM

I want get rid of them because the are on everything. The are flat red worms. There are too many for a wrasse to handle.

Agu · 11/30/2010, 01:24 PM

Personally I would do everything possible to eradicate them before setting up a new tank.

A short freshwater dip will kill 95% of the flatworms. By short I mean two or three seconds. You'll probably need three or four buckets of temperature corrected ro/di for the dips as the water will foul quickly. After that using the flatworm exit will eliminate any remaining flatworms. You can do this in a tub or in your display tank. The advantage of a tub is that you'll have lower water volume and you can move the livestock to clean fresh saltwater in the DT after the treatment.

BTW, I would never reuse sand from a tank move without thoroughly rinsing it in fresh water. Better yet just replace the sand.

Floowid · 11/30/2010, 03:06 PM

Rinse everything in fresh water as you make the move. Like others have suggested, give it all a freshwater bath in the moving process. Then treat with flatworm exit after you set it all up and are letting it cycle, or even after the cycle.

bertoni · 11/30/2010, 07:10 PM

I would start by treating the tank with Flatworm Exit after siphoning out as many flatworms as possible. Another treatment a few days later seems to be required. Be sure to have plenty of fresh carbon and saltwater for changes available.

The freshwater dip might do a fair amount, too, if you don't mind losing other organisms on the rock.

Lucidbeam · 11/30/2010, 08:11 PM

thanks all

bertoni · 12/01/2010, 02:47 PM

You're welcome!

11/29/2010, 09:22 PM	#1
Lucidbeam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 55	Move Live Rock / Coral with flat worms. I'm getting ready to take over a friends live rock, coral, and sump. The plan is to setup a new tank. What would be the best way to move rock and coral, and get ride of the flat worms. Here is what I'm thinking, but have questions. Hopefully I'm on the right track. Dip every piece of rock/coral. What do I dip it in? How long do i dip it for? After everthing has been moved to the new tank I will use the old sump. Should I then use Salifert Flatworm Exit? Double dose? Should I dose right away after the dipping? How many days should i wait before I dose a second time?

11/29/2010, 09:45 PM	#2
89Foxbody Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Norwich, CT Posts: 1,532	Why do you want to get rid of them? __________________ Red Sea Max 130D Mixed Reef: ReefKeeper2, Rapid-LED retrofit, MiniMaxx Reactor, Tunze 9001 Skimmer, 2x Jebao RW-4, 2x Maxi-Jet 600 returns, 2x Koralia Nano 425

11/29/2010, 11:29 PM	#3
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	What kind of flatworms? I wouldn't be too worried about red planaria.....but if its AEFW then I wouldn't even try it. A freshwater dip may help a bit for red planaria, but you might see some later. They're no problem IMO. With good husbandry plus maybe a wrasse or other predator you won't even notice them. AEFW on the other hand......but I personally shy away from adding chemicals to the tank like FWE that may do more damage than the pest. Who knows what other unknown and potentially beneficial creatures it kills? __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

11/30/2010, 01:24 PM	#6
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	Personally I would do everything possible to eradicate them before setting up a new tank. A short freshwater dip will kill 95% of the flatworms. By short I mean two or three seconds. You'll probably need three or four buckets of temperature corrected ro/di for the dips as the water will foul quickly. After that using the flatworm exit will eliminate any remaining flatworms. You can do this in a tub or in your display tank. The advantage of a tub is that you'll have lower water volume and you can move the livestock to clean fresh saltwater in the DT after the treatment. BTW, I would never reuse sand from a tank move without thoroughly rinsing it in fresh water. Better yet just replace the sand. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

11/30/2010, 03:06 PM	#7
Floowid Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Centerville, UT Posts: 712	Rinse everything in fresh water as you make the move. Like others have suggested, give it all a freshwater bath in the moving process. Then treat with flatworm exit after you set it all up and are letting it cycle, or even after the cycle. __________________ 75 gallon mixed reef

11/30/2010, 11:30 AM	#5
Lucidbeam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 55	I want get rid of them because the are on everything. The are flat red worms. There are too many for a wrasse to handle.

11/30/2010, 07:10 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I would start by treating the tank with Flatworm Exit after siphoning out as many flatworms as possible. Another treatment a few days later seems to be required. Be sure to have plenty of fresh carbon and saltwater for changes available. The freshwater dip might do a fair amount, too, if you don't mind losing other organisms on the rock. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/30/2010, 08:11 PM	#9
Lucidbeam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 55	thanks all

12/01/2010, 02:47 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

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