Acoelomate Flatworms in QT with SPS... now what.

[Ross Petersen]

Hey all,

I have a dozen SPS frags, a few euphylia, sand-sifting starfish and a few trochus snails in a 20 gallon QT tank. Everything has been in the tank for 6 weeks of watchful waiting.

Initial Revive dips pulled off a few acoelomate flatworms (from the Waminoa genus). These are more benign than other flatworms (from my research) but I want to eradicate them as they can get out of hand quickly (see Jake Adam's new video on this!).

What's your thought on best approach to eradicate these from the QT tank? I'm thinking repeat dipping of the corals with scraping of the frags is not sufficient because the flatworms love the glass - and they are surely in the sponge filter, PVC, etc.

100% water change with a bleach one-over of the tank? Or is this limiting too as any eggs on the plugs etc. won't be dealt with?!

Many thanks,
Ross

 

[BaysEndReef]

I watched Jake's video of the flatworms on his euphylia. They were EVERYWHERE!! It seems to me that the only way to beat them back with any success will be to constantly dip and use some sort of tank transfer method. If they continue to stay in the same tank after being dipped, the flatworms will just continue to eat and multiply. Take away their source of food and it seems like they would starve. Just my $.02. I'm no expert. Worth a shot though. Happy Reefing!

 

[KrisReef]

PraziPro worked in my DT.

Some folk have been using Lanthanum Chloride.

I hope you win!

 

[Ross Petersen]

I watched Jake's video of the flatworms on his euphylia. They were EVERYWHERE!! It seems to me that the only way to beat them back with any success will be to constantly dip and use some sort of tank transfer method. If they continue to stay in the same tank after being dipped, the flatworms will just continue to eat and multiply. Take away their source of food and it seems like they would starve. Just my $.02. I'm no expert. Worth a shot though. Happy Reefing!

Seems logical, thanks - I was leaning towards a laboriously fun 100% water change, bleach scrub, and dipping of corals. Might save some energy though and trial a Prazipro treatment. One drop annihilated a flatworm in a beaker this morning.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Cool will check out Lanthanum chloride. Thanks

PraziPro worked in my DT.

Some folk have been using Lanthanum Chloride.

I hope you win!

 

[LOVEROCK]

Are they egg layers

 

[Ross Petersen]

Are they egg layers

I've been inspecting all coral plugs (new ones - I always rip off the old ones) and have not seen anything. TBD though...

 

[LOVEROCK]

How do you get off sps off frag plugs ? and also do you worry about the left over glue( chances of it having eggs or pest on it )on the frag it self

 

[Ross Petersen]

How do you get off sps off frag plugs ? and also do you worry about the left over glue( chances of it having eggs or pest on it )on the frag it self

When I get a new SPS frag, even if it is encrusted to the frag plug, I still use some large bone cutters and cut the coral and glue to a new plug.

Unless the SPS frag is say >$100... then I take the risk and keep the old plug after scrubbing it with a toothbrush dipped in hydrogen peroxide. I'm a bit OCD...

 

[vetteguy53081]

That is a planaria flatworm not acoel. You will have to go to battle and these out of the tank quickly.
Best defense is to siphon them up and then add a wrasse: 6 lined, lunare, yellow coris or melanurus). Inspect all your SPS mainly at the base for presence f eggs which are really tiny. They will have to scraped off.

Other option is Salifert Flatworm stop which works great but you will have to siphon dead one daily which can release toxins. THIS STUFF DOES NOT KILL EGGS.

 

[Ross Petersen]

That is a planaria flatworm not acoel. You will have to go to battle and these out of the tank quickly.
Best defense is to siphon them up and then add a wrasse: 6 lined, lunare, yellow coris or melanurus). Inspect all your SPS mainly at the base for presence f eggs which are really tiny. They will have to scraped off.

Other option is Salifert Flatworm stop which works great but you will have to siphon dead one daily which can release toxins. THIS STUFF DOES NOT KILL EGGS.

They are from the genus Waminoa according to a researcher I contacted from a university in Australia.

There are discordant views on how dangerous these are to corals - they can smother them a bit and apparently extract the zooxanthellae. Nowhere near as bad as red planarians - at least I’m informed.

I suspect many reefs have these small brown flatworms.

Going to nuke them with FWE and hope for the best with toxins. I think the population in my coral QT tank is very small right now.

I’ll keep everyone in the loop as to how it goes

 

[Ross Petersen]

PS - I’m debating Prazipro vs FWE to treat the QT water. Prazipro nuked one so I know it works.

What would you go with friends?

 

[vetteguy53081]

They are from the genus Waminoa according to a researcher I contacted from a university in Australia.

There are discordant views on how dangerous these are to corals - they can smother them a bit and apparently extract the zooxanthellae. Nowhere near as bad as red planarians - at least I’m informed.

I suspect many reefs have these small brown flatworms.

Going to nuke them with FWE and hope for the best with toxins. I think the population in my coral QT tank is very small right now.

I’ll keep everyone in the loop as to how it goes

They extract and block the food source and building blocks to coral