Flat Worms

[labnjab]

We've started to notice some flatworms in our newer reef (29 gallon). It looks like their Convolutriloba Retrogemma (http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?id=5836) From what I've read they don't eat corals but can multiply fast. What would be the best and safest way to eliminate them while causing the least damage to anything in the reef. Seems like they showed up over night and there's a large number of them.

I've been debating on tearing down the tank and scrubbing and boiling all the rock. I really don't want to but the thoughts been coming up on occasion. The hitchhiker soft corals are growing out of control and I can't seem to get rid of them. The only thing keeping me from breaking it down is the 3 fish we have, which would be killed by our hawkfish if we temporarily place them in our other tank. The few sps we can place in our other tank and would only suffer some color loss due to the lesser lighting.

Thank you for any help

[tim k]

Flatworm exit is what most use just follow the directions closely , also I have read the best thing to do is vacume out as many as possible before treating the tank because they release a toxin when they start dying off.

Good luck.
Tim

[Miltonic]

I used to have flatworms but I didn't go as far as treating my tank with anything, what I did was got mysef a yellow wrasse, a sixline wrasse also works to help control them and I vacuumed some with every water change. Also a very experienced reefer adviced to leave them alone until they die out after they eat all the pods in the tank and starve to death all you need is patience. It's been a few months since I first discovered them and now I see no traces of them.

[labnjab]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'd like to go the chemical free route as long as possible, I've read to many horror stories of people using flatworm exit and it causing tank crashes, even when used properly. I'll try to siphon all of them out over the next several weeks and if that doesn't work I'll hire a wrasse to eat them