Lanthanum Chloride Kills Flatworms?!

stacksoner

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I just read this super interesting article about the brief history of chemical treatments for flatworm infestations in reef tanks.

"...they make no claims about the product having any biocide capability, but in many cases aquarists who used it found that a side effect of lanthanum treatment was quick eradication of flatworms of the genera Waminoa and Convolutriloba.

Flatworms of both genera disappear completely at the dosage of 1.0 ml/100 L of aquarium water recommended by the manufacturer. On the basis of observations to date, damage to fishes or corals is unlikely, provided the treatment is carried out as prescribed. You can also repeat this treatment regularly to lower phosphate concentration.

What could be happening? Why are flatworms being killed while corals, fishes, and other animals are unharmed?

Dr. Samuel Nietzer, coral biology researcher at the University of Oldenburg and frequent CORAL contributor, says that the toxic effect of lanthanum on flatworms has been known and utilized for a while. “I have personally used Elimi-Phos Rapid to kill off the orange Convolutriloba retrogemma (red ‘planaria’ or rust flatworms), which worked great,”

Link below for full article. What does R2R think about this??

 

KrisReef

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I've been thinking about this and wondering if I should use LC in a coral QT or dip before putting the coral in the DT. I hope it works!
 

dvgyfresh

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Interesting , I used lanthium and had some flatworms last week. But then I used flatworm exit soo lol
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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FWIW, I do not recall seeing anyone use this method against flatworms.

As with any "toxin", my concern is selectivity. It's extraordinarily difficult to find chemicals that kill only one organism and leave others untouched. Hence the difficulty with antibiotic resistant bacteria, etc.
 
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stacksoner

stacksoner

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FWIW, I do not recall seeing anyone use this method against flatworms.

As with any "toxin", my concern is selectivity. It's extraordinarily difficult to find chemicals that kill only one organism and leave others untouched. Hence the difficulty with antibiotic resistant bacteria, etc.
The article references a formal research study supposedly supporting these facts, conducted by a Dr. Wayne Briner, Ashford University, 2008.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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The article references a formal research study supposedly supporting these facts, conducted by a Dr. Wayne Briner, Ashford University, 2008.

Great. I hope it is not among the large fraction of published studies that are wrong. lol
 

ScottB

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I posted a thread about this also. I didn't get a ton of feedback either way.

From personal experience I can tell you with certainty that one or two LCl doses at recommended levels did NOT eliminate aefw. I cannot confirm whether or not it had any effect at all really as I did not have a proper census before/after. But I had plenty of large adult worms make it through two treatments.

Could be my imagination, but it might have had an effect on the juvenile worms. But that could have just been a result of repeated dips killing off the adults.

For me, Purge, AEFW-X, KZ flatworm Stop had no discernable effect other than making me feel better that at least I was doing something about the problem. Only Rip and Dip worked for me -- as painful as that was/is.

 

bishoptf

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I posted a thread about this also. I didn't get a ton of feedback either way.

From personal experience I can tell you with certainty that one or two LCl doses at recommended levels did NOT eliminate aefw. I cannot confirm whether or not it had any effect at all really as I did not have a proper census before/after. But I had plenty of large adult worms make it through two treatments.

Could be my imagination, but it might have had an effect on the juvenile worms. But that could have just been a result of repeated dips killing off the adults.

For me, Purge, AEFW-X, KZ flatworm Stop had no discernable effect other than making me feel better that at least I was doing something about the problem. Only Rip and Dip worked for me -- as painful as that was/is.

I know I am bumping an old thread and @ScottB I read through the other thread, I do not have aefw but the other non bad ones, I only see them on glass but still would like to get rid of them.

I cam across this paper, maybe there is another thread but it's interesting - https://www.int-res.com/articles/aei2020/12/q012p061.pdf

anyone seen this and is there any discussion about it...I have a coral, invert qt tank and thought this may be something to try...
 

ScottB

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I know I am bumping an old thread and @ScottB I read through the other thread, I do not have aefw but the other non bad ones, I only see them on glass but still would like to get rid of them.

I cam across this paper, maybe there is another thread but it's interesting - https://www.int-res.com/articles/aei2020/12/q012p061.pdf

anyone seen this and is there any discussion about it...I have a coral, invert qt tank and thought this may be something to try...
That was a good read thanks for sharing. I guess I learned about this predatory relationship via my LFS some time ago. He stocks a lot of both species, and he sells a lot of them. For some reason, I have trouble keeping either in my tanks. The only two that repeatedly end up on the floor.
 
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