I have a sudden outbreak of Red Planaria. I have done some research on reasons for the infestation and "treatments" but the information I am getting off the net seems to all be at least 5 years old. The "treatments" range from suctioning to treatment with "Concurat L.". Does anyone have current information on how to treat this infestation or should I just try to keep the water quality high and hope that they starve to death as was recommended by one source. Incidentally, they are easily blown off the LR and substrate and don't really seem to be posing a problem accept to annoy me by their presence.
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Red Planaria
- Thread starter carver
- Start date
Current trends for controlling pest organisms is via the use of natural predators of these pests. C.varians is a nudibranch that will consume flatworms. Additional info can be found at: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... /short.htm
A risky and ill-advised approach is to rapidly lower your salinty of the infested tank. A less risky but similar approach to remove flatworms is the blast local populations of flatworms with freshwater (for example, with a turkey baster). Of course, you can always resort to the laborious task of manually siphoning flatworms if they grow too dense.
The hard to find and now discontinued product, Oomed, has also had reported success in eradicating flatworms. I've never tried it myself, so can't endorse (or discredit) this method.
A risky and ill-advised approach is to rapidly lower your salinty of the infested tank. A less risky but similar approach to remove flatworms is the blast local populations of flatworms with freshwater (for example, with a turkey baster). Of course, you can always resort to the laborious task of manually siphoning flatworms if they grow too dense.
The hard to find and now discontinued product, Oomed, has also had reported success in eradicating flatworms. I've never tried it myself, so can't endorse (or discredit) this method.
If your coral are the ones that can tolerate 10 seconds of freshwater dip. Dipping LR and corals in freshwater of same temp and ph will help you ridding most of the planaria off the LR pieces. Swish the LR around in the bucket to expedite loosening of planaria.
The key is knowing which coral of yours can take the dip and make sure you match freshwater to your tank's ph and temp.
The key is knowing which coral of yours can take the dip and make sure you match freshwater to your tank's ph and temp.
Thanks Dan. From what I am seeing they aren't cheap either. I guess I'll stick with the fresh water blasts and I will try rinsing some of the surface LR in fresh water as you suggested, also. I don't like the idea of doing rinses on my corals unless I just swish them in a bucket of sea water that is the same temp and salinity as the tank. (actually, I don't particularly like that idea either) Problem is I hear that the flat worms are so prolific if I miss any they are likely to keep reproducing. I'll keep after them though. Thanks. Jim
Just a bit of information for you. Planaria are a fresh water worm, they aren't found in saltwater. What you are refering to is a flat worm that belongs to the Acoel family. You can probably find out much more information by doing a web search for acoels instead of planaria.
Planaria - http://ebiomedia.com/gall/classics/Plan/planaria.html
Acoels - http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... /short.htm
There is an article about the Varians nudibranch that feeds on acoel flatworms
Bryan
Planaria - http://ebiomedia.com/gall/classics/Plan/planaria.html
Acoels - http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... /short.htm
There is an article about the Varians nudibranch that feeds on acoel flatworms
Bryan
Check this out
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... c&start=40
About halfway down page 3 I detail the Greenex treatment. I also did a couple of follow up treatments with no ill effects.
I think you should only do it if you have big problems. If you have a localized outbreak, fresh water dips are the way to go.
Good luck,
RR
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... c&start=40
About halfway down page 3 I detail the Greenex treatment. I also did a couple of follow up treatments with no ill effects.
I think you should only do it if you have big problems. If you have a localized outbreak, fresh water dips are the way to go.
Good luck,
RR
Phil: Thanks for the suggestion but I have never been a big fan of damsels because of their agressive nature. Once in the tank, I would have a difficult time getting them back out without dismanteling the reef. Nice to hear from the "land down under".
Mitch: I agree with your feeling about diverstity. My flatworm population is relatively low also but from what I have read it is possible for them to get out of hand. I actually enjoy the challenge of maintaining a healthy well balanced reef where nothing takes over. Thanks for your comment.
I agree many damsels are quite agressive, but a group of Chromis will stick to themselves, and one OTB is not disturbing as well, I have them in every thank I set up and never had problems. Watch out for fresh water treatment, it's very tricky and can do more harm than good, same with nudibrachs, some are extremely toxic and release their toxins in your tank when they die with the possibility of killing all corals in the tank as these toxins are not biodegradable and only a maxi water change will get rid of them. The more colourfull the nudibranch, the more toxic it is. A friend and myself almost lost our tanks 2 weeks from each other because we had Chromodoris magnifica. Play it safe and choose the least "evil"!
Good luck, Phil.
Good luck, Phil.
carver":362fqjvm said:Thanks everyone for all the help and advice. Bryan thanks for mentioning that the proper name for these worms is acoel. I did learn that in my research but figured most people would recognize the old term "Planaria" as opposed to acoel.
Actually, planaria are acoelomate, just like the little nasties described in this thread. Acoel simply means they do not have a full or partially separated internal body cavity.
The most proper term for them seems to be Convilutriloba retrogemma if you want to be really picky.
-Brian
I wrote a fairly extensive column on dealing with these in the May 2002 issue of Aquarium Fish Magazine. For those of you who don't get it or don't read it (shame on you! :evil: ) here is the complete text:
I have a 90 gallon reef tank that has been up and running for several
years now. I have have been battling tiny (0.5-2 cm) reddish brown
(rust-colored) flatworms for about six months; they are taking over my
aquarium. Several months ago I took out every rock and coral and
dipped it in fresh water. The flatworms seemed to dissolve in the
fresh water, however, now they have returned and are quickly
reproducing. Is there anything I can do to rid my aquarium of these
worms, or at least keep them under control? Although you answered a
similar question in the January 2002 issue of AFM, I did not see any
information on what might eat these red ones. I have tried purple
nudibranchs, several camel shrimp, several peppermint shrimp, an arrow
crab, an elephant snail, a few _Astrea_ snails, lawn mower blenny,
green mandarin goby and a six-line wrasse; all with no real success. At
no point have I witnessed any of these worms being consumed by any of
these fish or invertebrates. The worms are starting to cover my plate
corals and my brain coral cutting off the light and thus killing the
corals. I have also tried siphoning and spotlighting them but they
came back strong after about a week. If they are feeding on coral
slime and surface tissue then and the only way to defeat them is to
let them run out of food then won't they kill all my corals before
they run out of food? Do you have any other ideas? Thank you for your
time.
Chris Brenner, via the Internet
Chris as I mentioned in the January issue of AFM there are some fish
that may feed on planaria such at _Anampses_ spp. and
_Macropharyngodon_ spp. wrasses, the yellow Coris wrasse (_Halichoeres
chrysus_), golden headed sleeper gobies (_Valenciennea strigatus_),
and the psychedelic mandarin fish (_Synchiropus picturatus_).
Invertebrate predators include the nudibranch _Chelidonura varians_
(it has to be this one for the red flatworms, they are very specific
in their feeding habits), and snails such as those in the genera
_Thais_ and _Nardoa_. The shrimp and snails you mentioned will do
nothing to the flatworms you have, as you experienced. You can also
physically remove the flatworms by siphoning or shining a light on a
small area in a darkened tank and then siphoning them out. I should
mention that you have to be persistent with siphoning out the
flatworms, it is not a one time deal, it's something you may have to
repeat as frequently as required until the population does not come
back. It could take months of diligent effort. There have also been
reports that increasing the size/efficiency of protein skimming helps
to eradicate flatworm infestations by presumably removing or reducing
their food supply (detritus, organics?). In addition to siphoning,
increasing the water flow can greatly diminish the flatworm
population. They seem to like low flow areas and by secreting a mucus
net above settled detritus they can all cling together. After
physically removing them, it would help to add what may be an
initially excessive amount of hermit crabs to constantly walk all over
the substrate to prevent them from settling back into the rockwork (J.
Yaiullo, pers. comm.).
In 1994 Julian Sprung and I detailed a number of possible treatments
in _The Reef Aquarium_ volume one, including raising or lowering
specific gravity and pH. We also documented the use of Tetra's Marine
Oomed in German aquariums that contained only _Sarcophyton_ soft
corals. This method has been discussed and used by dozens of hobbyists
on various Internet bulletin boards over the past year. Several
reported that repeated dosages eradicated red flatworms in reef tanks
with stony corals, without seriously harming any other inhabitants.
However, several others reported significant losses of fish and
invertebrates. Therefore, I would recommend that unless you are
completely at your wits end, you not try adding chemicals to your tank
since the results can be unpredictable. If you do decide to try Oomed,
be sure to shut off your protein skimmer, remove any activated carbon
and keep the lights low (otherwise it will be removed or deactivated
quickly). You should see an immediate reaction in the flatworms, they
will appear agitated and move quickly about the aquarium. By the next
day most will be gone if the treatment was effective. Turn on the
skimmer and lights, add a fresh batch of activated carbon and do as
large a water change as is feasible for you. This will not only
removed residual Oomed but also any toxins released by the dead
flatworms. Again, I emphasize that this treatment should not to be
undertaken unless all other methods have been exhausted, including
sustained, manual removal.
Recently a new drug treatment was relayed to me by Mitch Carl of
Omaha's Scott Aquarium that he has found to be extremely effective
in ridding a reef aquarium of flatworms within twenty minutes. The
drug used is called levamisole and is only available from a
veterinarian. The dosage is 0.3-0.4 grams per 100 liters of actual
tank volume. Do not use a larger dosage as this drug can also affect
bristleworms and perhaps fanworms, at higher levels. Once the
flatworms start dying (10-20 minutes) siphon them out as quickly as
possible while doing a water change of at least 50% and add a large
amount of fresh activated carbon. As with any drug treatment, it is
important to consult with a veterinarian on it's proper handling and
disposal. Lastly, before using any drug make sure to siphon out as
many of the flatworms as possible, this will lessen the risk of toxin
release from dying worms as well as any ammonia spike.
I wish to emphasize again, adding drugs to an invertebrate aquarium is
not without risk and should only be attempted as a last resort
measure. The recent increase in popularity of deep sand beds adds
another unknown to the equation as to what may or may not be affected
by these drug treatments.
I have a 90 gallon reef tank that has been up and running for several
years now. I have have been battling tiny (0.5-2 cm) reddish brown
(rust-colored) flatworms for about six months; they are taking over my
aquarium. Several months ago I took out every rock and coral and
dipped it in fresh water. The flatworms seemed to dissolve in the
fresh water, however, now they have returned and are quickly
reproducing. Is there anything I can do to rid my aquarium of these
worms, or at least keep them under control? Although you answered a
similar question in the January 2002 issue of AFM, I did not see any
information on what might eat these red ones. I have tried purple
nudibranchs, several camel shrimp, several peppermint shrimp, an arrow
crab, an elephant snail, a few _Astrea_ snails, lawn mower blenny,
green mandarin goby and a six-line wrasse; all with no real success. At
no point have I witnessed any of these worms being consumed by any of
these fish or invertebrates. The worms are starting to cover my plate
corals and my brain coral cutting off the light and thus killing the
corals. I have also tried siphoning and spotlighting them but they
came back strong after about a week. If they are feeding on coral
slime and surface tissue then and the only way to defeat them is to
let them run out of food then won't they kill all my corals before
they run out of food? Do you have any other ideas? Thank you for your
time.
Chris Brenner, via the Internet
Chris as I mentioned in the January issue of AFM there are some fish
that may feed on planaria such at _Anampses_ spp. and
_Macropharyngodon_ spp. wrasses, the yellow Coris wrasse (_Halichoeres
chrysus_), golden headed sleeper gobies (_Valenciennea strigatus_),
and the psychedelic mandarin fish (_Synchiropus picturatus_).
Invertebrate predators include the nudibranch _Chelidonura varians_
(it has to be this one for the red flatworms, they are very specific
in their feeding habits), and snails such as those in the genera
_Thais_ and _Nardoa_. The shrimp and snails you mentioned will do
nothing to the flatworms you have, as you experienced. You can also
physically remove the flatworms by siphoning or shining a light on a
small area in a darkened tank and then siphoning them out. I should
mention that you have to be persistent with siphoning out the
flatworms, it is not a one time deal, it's something you may have to
repeat as frequently as required until the population does not come
back. It could take months of diligent effort. There have also been
reports that increasing the size/efficiency of protein skimming helps
to eradicate flatworm infestations by presumably removing or reducing
their food supply (detritus, organics?). In addition to siphoning,
increasing the water flow can greatly diminish the flatworm
population. They seem to like low flow areas and by secreting a mucus
net above settled detritus they can all cling together. After
physically removing them, it would help to add what may be an
initially excessive amount of hermit crabs to constantly walk all over
the substrate to prevent them from settling back into the rockwork (J.
Yaiullo, pers. comm.).
In 1994 Julian Sprung and I detailed a number of possible treatments
in _The Reef Aquarium_ volume one, including raising or lowering
specific gravity and pH. We also documented the use of Tetra's Marine
Oomed in German aquariums that contained only _Sarcophyton_ soft
corals. This method has been discussed and used by dozens of hobbyists
on various Internet bulletin boards over the past year. Several
reported that repeated dosages eradicated red flatworms in reef tanks
with stony corals, without seriously harming any other inhabitants.
However, several others reported significant losses of fish and
invertebrates. Therefore, I would recommend that unless you are
completely at your wits end, you not try adding chemicals to your tank
since the results can be unpredictable. If you do decide to try Oomed,
be sure to shut off your protein skimmer, remove any activated carbon
and keep the lights low (otherwise it will be removed or deactivated
quickly). You should see an immediate reaction in the flatworms, they
will appear agitated and move quickly about the aquarium. By the next
day most will be gone if the treatment was effective. Turn on the
skimmer and lights, add a fresh batch of activated carbon and do as
large a water change as is feasible for you. This will not only
removed residual Oomed but also any toxins released by the dead
flatworms. Again, I emphasize that this treatment should not to be
undertaken unless all other methods have been exhausted, including
sustained, manual removal.
Recently a new drug treatment was relayed to me by Mitch Carl of
Omaha's Scott Aquarium that he has found to be extremely effective
in ridding a reef aquarium of flatworms within twenty minutes. The
drug used is called levamisole and is only available from a
veterinarian. The dosage is 0.3-0.4 grams per 100 liters of actual
tank volume. Do not use a larger dosage as this drug can also affect
bristleworms and perhaps fanworms, at higher levels. Once the
flatworms start dying (10-20 minutes) siphon them out as quickly as
possible while doing a water change of at least 50% and add a large
amount of fresh activated carbon. As with any drug treatment, it is
important to consult with a veterinarian on it's proper handling and
disposal. Lastly, before using any drug make sure to siphon out as
many of the flatworms as possible, this will lessen the risk of toxin
release from dying worms as well as any ammonia spike.
I wish to emphasize again, adding drugs to an invertebrate aquarium is
not without risk and should only be attempted as a last resort
measure. The recent increase in popularity of deep sand beds adds
another unknown to the equation as to what may or may not be affected
by these drug treatments.
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