Red Planaria

[Subsea]

This 55G is with Red Planaria flatworms. While the ecosystem is healthy with numerous filter feeders including several types of ornamental sponges, the flatworms are an eyesore that prevents me from using the red macroalgaes that dominate this tank. My goal is to use ornamental red macro algae’s and ornamental sponges of different colors to build designer live rock.

Before I can transfer desirables, I need a protocol that removes flatworms from surfaces of desirables. It is my intention to completly disassemble and sanitize the tank and substrate and to recover ornamental seaweeds first, then corals and sponges last.

No need to recommend FlatwormX. They have developed an immunity.

I have numerous 1G containers to quarantine and observe after a treatment protocol.
A. Seaweed protocol in order of least invasive
1. Fresh water soak; 10 minute minimum to 1 hour max
2. Salt water soak with 10ppm of Cu.


Note: I have not given this a lot of thought and I am hoping to get Red Planaria advice from knowledgable hobbiest/scientist.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I’ve had success over the years with multiple doses of flatworm exit. A single dose will not kill the eggs.

 

[Subsea]

I’ve had success over the years with multiple doses of flatworm exit. A single dose will not kill the eggs.

Yes, I know that.

So after three treatments at quadrupled dose every 10 days, I had hoped to kill eggs. Instead these flatworms built up an immunity.

 

[Subsea]

So much for eggs, considering asexual reproduction.

Red planaria" is the common name for Convolutriloba retrogemma, a species of small, reddish-brown, free-living flatworms that are a common and potentially problematic pest in saltwater aquariums and reef tanks. They are not a true planarian (which are typically freshwater or land-based), but are a type of acoel flatworm.

Description and Behavior

• Appearance: They are generally small, about 1-3 mm (1/8th of an inch) in length, and have a rust or orange-brown color. They possess three lobes at their tail end.
• Reproduction: They reproduce asexually and very rapidly, meaning a small initial population can quickly become a large infestation.
• Diet: These flatworms get energy from endosymbiotic algae (making them photosynthetic) and also consume small invertebrates like copepods and rotifers, which are beneficial for the aquarium ecosystem.
• Toxicity: When stressed or killed in large numbers, they release a potent toxin that can be lethal to fish and corals in a closed aquarium system if not managed properly

PS: Planarians have a neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, that can be hazardous. This toxin, the same found in most pufferfish and some salamanders, can't enter the body through skin. However, exposure on a cut or by touching your eyes or mouth is possible.

 

[Kmst80]

Have you considered dip x from red sea, common coral dip. I have an infestation of some kind of flatworm too and when I dip the infected corals the worms fall off. I don't think they are red planaria though.

 

[nickng]

How about getting blue velvet nudibranch? Those eat planarias?

 

[Subsea]

Have you considered dip x from red sea, common coral dip. I have an infestation of some kind of flatworm too and when I dip the infected corals the worms fall off. I don't think they are red planaria though

Coral dips are an option for all three that I want to rescue from this system.

Peroxide is an option as a coral dip but not for seaweeds or sponges.

“How about getting blue velvet nudibranch? Those eat planarias?“

Not interested in using slugs. I am not interested in cleaning up the system. I want to transfer desirables, then disassemble and sanitize tank.

 

[bradreef]

Possum wrasse?

 

[Subsea]

Possum wrasse?

Not interested in using Possum Wrasse or any other fish. I am not interested in cleaning up the system. I want to transfer desirables, then disassemble and sanitize tank.

Did your read first post second paragraph?

“Before I can transfer desirables, I need a protocol that removes flatworms from surfaces of desirables. It is my intention to completly disassemble and sanitize the tank and substrate and to recover ornamental seaweeds first, then corals and sponges last.“

 

[Subsea]

First step will be to use a red macroalgae in HOB isolation chamber that I used as a mini refugium with an easy to view window into the chamber.

Last month when I viewed this window, I explained to a visiting relative the problem of Red Planaria. As we viewed into their world, we saw: numerous amphipods, copepods, snails, aptasia, flat worms and smaller things not able to identify.

This morning when I removed red macro algae bush, I was shocked to see no visible flatworms. This happened after flushing off seaweed with fresh water numerous times. I then soaked red seaweed in my tap water which comes directly from Middle Trinity at 900’. Last year, I identified a black cynobnacteria in aquifer water that contaminated phytoplankton culture. I now use uv sterilizers on my drinking water.

Red seaweed soaked in fresh water for 10 minutes then I used water from 120G mature display tank with numerous ornamental seaweeds.

 

[Subsea]

And my take away from this is something in this HOB refugium eat Red Planaria. Likely candidates are large amphipods, aptasia anemone, spaghetti worms and other squgglies, that I can’t identify.

Whatever eat the flat worms is also in the 55G tank. So there is hope that flat worm plague may have some predator/prey solutions. However, I will proceed with the “here & now” of salvaging desirables from this system.

 

[Subsea]

Once I have observed red macro algae for 10 days, I will move it to 15G tank to combine with live rock from another 150G system as a final disignation: designer live rock.

 

[Subsea]

2 days in isolation on 12 hour light cycle. All good.

 

[Alexander1312]

Hi there - is there any update to this? Specifically clarifying what natural predators could be effective? I like the idea of amphipods eating them. But maybe just wishful thinking.

 

[Subsea]

Hi there - is there any update to this? Specifically clarifying what natural predators could be effective? I like the idea of amphipods eating them. But maybe just wishful thinking.

Some of the squiggles had heads on both ends, probably isopods. Not really sure what smaller predators eliminated Red Planaria in observbation chamber.
For my purposes to transfer good things and eliminate bad things, I have settled on potassium chloride dosing: 2 tablespoons of KCl in 1G of tank water for 10 minutes. When I dosed a 6G AIO tank, peppermint shrimp immediately tried to jump out of tank and required rescue. All flat worms and pods eradicated.