Cyanobacteria + Re-Fresh = Dead Flatworms?

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143MPCo

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Please understand that this is only an observation and nothing else, I'm not claiming this is a cure/treatment or that you should run out and try this to resolve issues with flatworms.

I have a small (new tank) cyanobacteria issue and have in the past treated it with Dr Tim's Re-Fresh as I'm no fan of treating cyanobacteria with traditional antibiotics or algaecides and re-fresh claims it's fighting it with bacteria isolated... on Saturday I dosed the recommend amount to my tank turning off the skimmer, etc... This was at 9:00 a.m. and headed out to get a Starbucks coffee with my wife; normal Saturday. I came back in about an hour later to check in on things and quickly noticed a few large clear flatworms floating in the water doing the dance of death; excellent news right... now the only thing that changed was turning off the skimmer and dosing Re-Fresh so I scooped a few of them into a clean plastic cup and just to see if it was related to what I had dosed, add a few drops of re-fresh and left it for a bit, when I returned the flatworm had literally disintegrated.

To say I was surprised was an understatement until I recalled reading not to over-dose as the packaging states "beware that high doses of Re-Fresh may harm snails and shrimp".

I've been searching and trying to find any remaining flatworms but have had no luck, I'm not due to re-dose the tank again until Tuesday this week so will be interested to see if it dislodges any more or if this was a fluke.

BTW, the cyanobacteria has all but disappeared and am left with just a few very small patches.
 
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Update: 2nd dose two days ago and noticed again a few flatworms doing the dance of death; far less this time around. I've been trying to see if I can visually catch any remaining flatworms but have had no luck. I have two more doses left but this seems odds that they have reacted in this way to something that is just suppose to be a bacteria.

Has anyone else noticed this that has used the product?
 

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