Do Planaria sp. eventually pass?

[A_Lee]

So I have some Planaria sp. flat worms (or something similar) in my tank smaller tank. Probably hitch hiked in on a frag
So far their population hasn't really boomed, though they are around. But anyways - I have some airline tubing with a piece of rigid airline on it, and I simply siphon what I see out two times a week. Is there anything else I should, or can do to eradicate them? Flatworm eXit is out because I have invertebrates in the tank, and I caught drift that the two mix like oil and water. Will their population eventually crash/decline?

 

[zepplock]

I killed planaria in my main tank and didnt have any losses. I have snails, crabs, anemone, etc.
Just need to syphon out dead ones fast and run some carbon.
Corals and fish looked stressed for a day though.

 

[A_Lee]

I only have 15g of water to work with, and I don't know if it is a chance I want to take
Though if it comes to it, I may ...
How quickly did Flatworm eXit take effect?
Did you do a water change after? How large?

 

[Thales]

I never had a problem with FWE in full reef tanks - just follow the instructions and run the carbon actively instead of passively.

That said, I just ignore fw's now.

 

[sfsuphysics]

If you're going to run FWE do so when you think your populations are relatively low, if they get too high you can make your water quite a bit toxic as those buggers die, even if you do siphon/fish them out as they're dying. I found out the hard way and lost too fish I loved very much (in a platonic way).

I also found them in my inline frag tank, luckily they didn't make it to the main tank, so I took it off line (it was only 10g or so) and treated them never to see them again. However the time I treated the other tank that had them they did come back.

While their population might ebb I doubt it'll completely crash unless you do something very radical in your coral care habits.

But do like Rich says, have some fresh carbon ready to go, treat as instructed, and all should go well.

 

[A_Lee]

Mike-
I have an AquaClear 20 or 30 HOB filter ... if I load it up with carbon, do you think I will be okay?
I will have 8g of pre-mixed salt water on hand if I should come to it.

Rich-
I am trying to ignore them, but it is an eye sore

How long does it normally take the FWE to take affect? An hour?

 

[Thales]

The FEW treatment is 6 hours. You start to see them dying after 45 min.

Active carbon, just in case you don't know, is carbon run through a canister or similar so the water is forced through the carbon as opposed to passive - a bag sitting in the sump.

 

[patchin]

I had a bad problem. Sucked up as many as I could. Eventually they have pretty much disappeared. I bought FWE and never used it.

 

[tuberider]

I had an outbreak of them about a year ago, lately I haven't seen too many of them, just a couple here and there.

 

[A_Lee]

[quote author=Thales link=topic=5732.msg71858#msg71858 date=1230573450]
The FEW treatment is 6 hours. You start to see them dying after 45 min.

Active carbon, just in case you don't know, is carbon run through a canister or similar so the water is forced through the carbon as opposed to passive - a bag sitting in the sump.
[/quote]

Thanks Rich, I definitely don't have a canister lying around -will the AC be sufficient?
With FWE, you don't run the carbon right after administering the drops to your tank right? You wait until they start dying, and until you're done siphoning them out?

 

[Thales]

Borrow a canister or use a carbon reactor. I would be uncomfortable with just an AC. You could also build something out of PVC and feed it with a powerhead.

You do a big water change add the carbon and restart the skimming after the treatment has ended - 6 hours.

 

[A_Lee]

Thanks Rich

 

[GreshamH]

Red Planaria are also a symptom, not just a problem. Solve the problem they are a symptom of (higher DOC, nutrients, etc) and you won't see them. I've had them introduced into my system a few times and they have never taken hold.

 

[A_Lee]

I'll try throwing a small chunk of chaeto in there and see if anything happens
Thanks!