help please.

wilsonreefs · 03/22/2021, 04:14 PM

My daughter has started a couple of 20 gallon nano's. she's had them going for almost a year now and has several good looking corals. about 2 months ago she found the dreaded flatworm. (came in as a hitch hiker I'm sure).. She's been dosing as the instructions says and has killed out the flat worm adults. They came back, but I'm thinking that was the young growing. She treated again. Each time doing so by the instructions with the carbon and water changes afterwards. Last Friday she noticed one and dosed the tank again (it had been about 2 weeks since the last dosing). Again, doing so by the book, using Salifert flat worm exit. Soon after dosing this last time all the corals started receding, even her green star polyps. Her tank perimeters are the same as they were before she noticed the flat worms.
The fish on the other hand seem to be fine, as well as the shrimp, crabs etc. Just taking a toll on the corals. She's freaking out because as everyone knows corals are expensive and she's got quite a few.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks

RBU1 · 03/22/2021, 04:19 PM

Get a fish that eats them.

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Oldreeferman · 03/22/2021, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RBU1

Get a fish that eats them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ill second that, let nature take care of the issue not chemicals.

wilsonreefs · 03/23/2021, 08:13 AM

Right now I'm more worried about the corals surviving. She does have a small six line wrasse, is there another fish that eats them?

Vinny Kreyling · 03/23/2021, 10:05 AM

Most Wrasses will eat them.
Beware of that 6 line, they are known to have a bad temper with new fish.
Many of us keep away.

Sk8r · 03/23/2021, 03:19 PM

yOU don't mention coral type: softies can throw furious snits of chemical nature. You might try putting a little carbon into the flow for 2 weeks and seeing how that goes. Also, a 30% water change might help, after running the carbon.

wilsonreefs · 03/30/2021, 09:44 AM

Yeah, she's done the carbon after each treatment of Flat Worm Exit, followed by a 20% water change. It seems that the last treatment was the one that did the corals in. They are mostly mushrooms and other softies. The last two water changes have been 50% done at two week intervals. They are looking somewhat better but not as good as they were. They were really growing, splitting and looking very good until the start of the treatment. She has a six line but it's a small one, might look into getting another fish or a nudibranch. The only thing about the nudibranch once the foods gone so is it. Unless we can find someone else that might could use it.

Sk8r · 03/30/2021, 07:45 PM

At a certain point the best treatment to apply is Time and Stability, ie, restore good conditions, wait and don't make any more changes or additions. Let it heal if it can, and intervene only if you see it heading in a bad direction.

wilsonreefs · 04/08/2021, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

At a certain point the best treatment to apply is Time and Stability, ie, restore good conditions, wait and don't make any more changes or additions. Let it heal if it can, and intervene only if you see it heading in a bad direction.

ok, that's what were doing. Things are looking up somewhat. Getting a little hair algae at this point. Thanks for the help

outssider · 04/09/2021, 04:28 PM

that 6 line should eat the flatworms....

reefteaser · 04/13/2021, 09:00 PM

I’ve had a six line and it did dine on the flat worms, but it harassed other docile fish so much I removed it. I added a possum wrasse that spends most of the day poking through the rocks and I think it may eat them as well. Doesn’t bother any other fish or coral and is very interesting to watch.

03/22/2021, 04:14 PM	#1
wilsonreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jonesboro, Ar Posts: 284	help please. My daughter has started a couple of 20 gallon nano's. she's had them going for almost a year now and has several good looking corals. about 2 months ago she found the dreaded flatworm. (came in as a hitch hiker I'm sure).. She's been dosing as the instructions says and has killed out the flat worm adults. They came back, but I'm thinking that was the young growing. She treated again. Each time doing so by the instructions with the carbon and water changes afterwards. Last Friday she noticed one and dosed the tank again (it had been about 2 weeks since the last dosing). Again, doing so by the book, using Salifert flat worm exit. Soon after dosing this last time all the corals started receding, even her green star polyps. Her tank perimeters are the same as they were before she noticed the flat worms. The fish on the other hand seem to be fine, as well as the shrimp, crabs etc. Just taking a toll on the corals. She's freaking out because as everyone knows corals are expensive and she's got quite a few. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

03/23/2021, 10:05 AM	#5
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Most Wrasses will eat them. Beware of that 6 line, they are known to have a bad temper with new fish. Many of us keep away. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

03/23/2021, 03:19 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	yOU don't mention coral type: softies can throw furious snits of chemical nature. You might try putting a little carbon into the flow for 2 weeks and seeing how that goes. Also, a 30% water change might help, after running the carbon. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/30/2021, 07:45 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	At a certain point the best treatment to apply is Time and Stability, ie, restore good conditions, wait and don't make any more changes or additions. Let it heal if it can, and intervene only if you see it heading in a bad direction. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/09/2021, 04:28 PM	#10
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	that 6 line should eat the flatworms.... __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

03/22/2021, 04:19 PM	#2
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,167	Get a fish that eats them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/23/2021, 08:13 AM	#4
wilsonreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jonesboro, Ar Posts: 284	Right now I'm more worried about the corals surviving. She does have a small six line wrasse, is there another fish that eats them?

03/30/2021, 09:44 AM	#7
wilsonreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jonesboro, Ar Posts: 284	Yeah, she's done the carbon after each treatment of Flat Worm Exit, followed by a 20% water change. It seems that the last treatment was the one that did the corals in. They are mostly mushrooms and other softies. The last two water changes have been 50% done at two week intervals. They are looking somewhat better but not as good as they were. They were really growing, splitting and looking very good until the start of the treatment. She has a six line but it's a small one, might look into getting another fish or a nudibranch. The only thing about the nudibranch once the foods gone so is it. Unless we can find someone else that might could use it.

04/13/2021, 09:00 PM	#11
reefteaser Convince'em or confuse'em Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: S FL Posts: 341	I’ve had a six line and it did dine on the flat worms, but it harassed other docile fish so much I removed it. I added a possum wrasse that spends most of the day poking through the rocks and I think it may eat them as well. Doesn’t bother any other fish or coral and is very interesting to watch.