FW dip my Live Rock?

[wade2185]

I am battling the Acro eating flatworms in one of my tanks and it is going to drive me nuts! I am completley tearing my 120 down and starting over. My question is what do you guys think about me dipping all of my live rock from this tank in Fresh water in order to kill all of the worms, eggs, etc? What would happen if I killed everything on my "Live rock" and then put it back in? At this point I want to either kill all of the flat worms on my rock or I need to just get new rock. One way or another I need to just start from scratch again. Any advice?

[G.Alexander]

Wade, I fear the FW dip will not affect the eggs. You also will again introduce the eggs with the substrate which is attached to the corals. The eggs are so small, IMO it is not possible to find all of them

G.Alexander

[wade2185]

So what would you suggest? I am ready to throw in the towel! I am so frustrated! I thought that I would FW dip my rock and scrub it with a brush to get all of the eggs off. Any suggestions? What would you do if you were me? I really am at my wits end with this problem!

[Orion76]

Have you tried to treat the rock with Flatworm eXit?

[G.Alexander]

Wade, what have you done until now ?
How many of your total amount of Acroporas are affected ?

G.Alexander

[Aged Salt]

I believe Thomas Pohl uses povidon iodine at 11% conc. in a dip. Povidon iodine is available here, as "Betadine" over the counter[OTC] in a 7.5% solution. Maybe Alexander, or Gary[Ger] can help with the technique?? Bob

[wade2185]

Wade, what have you done until now ?
How many of your total amount of Acroporas are affected ?

G.Alexander

I have taken just about every Acro out of my tank and dipped them in an iodine solution. My problem is that I do not think that I am getting all of the eggs, etc. I have setup a 55 gallon tank that I am keeping all of my acros in. Tomorrow I am going to remove all of my rock, etc from my 120. I am going to frag all effected acros and put them all in my 55. Some how I need to clean my rock and put it back into my 120. Then I plan on keeping all of the Acros out for a while. Do you think that I can "starve" any exisiting flatworms that are left? I am also going to add some Wrasses to my 120. I have a six line and a leopard wrasse on hold for me at my LFS. What other types of wrasses would be good to get?

[G.Alexander]

Wade, your plan sounds good to me, but I like to add some additions.

Try to observe every corals base with a loupe for the eggs. Make sure you also observe the crevice between the base and the substrate. If you notice the eggs, frag the coral and throw away the base with the substrate.

I always noticed the eggs are near to the coral, so also observe the substrate around the corals base (about 5 cm – 2 inch).

If you notice eggs you have to scrub them with a knife. Please make also sure you remove a thin film of substrate or coral skeleton together with the eggs. A tooth-brush is to soft, you will not be able to remove all of them.

You can also use Lugol iodine (1 % ) solution for the dip. 2 ml for each liter seawater. Place the coral in the bucket you use for your dip around 5 minutes. Than start to jerk of the whole tissue with a bigger syringe or something similar to blow away the turbellaria. After about 5 further minutes take back the coral to the tank. Over here we use Betaisodona iodine, not sure if you can get it in the states. Renew the solution every 20 minutes, its effect gets lower. Do not dip the coral to long, this will damage the coral. IMO 10 minutes is fine.

Place the coral or the fragment in you new tank and repeat the dip three times every 2 weeks.

I also would add 5 further sixline wrasses in the new tank. Please make sure to add them all together with the old one to prevent harder fights. Do not feed them in the new tank.

I am not sure how long the eggs can be encapsulated and survive without a coral. To act save I would remove the live rock around the most infected corals also.

There are some corals which are predestinated for the turbellaria (Tricolor, Formosa, Muricata, Prostata, Millepora, Deep water).

In the past I decided by finding a new infection on these geniuses to remove the whole coral.

It also seems the turbellaria do not like current and strong light. Try to optimize both factors in the new tank. I had also good results to bring down the temperature in the tank for a longer period to 23 degrees C (73,4 F). This slows down the reproduction of the flatworms.

G.Alexander

[wade2185]

Thanks for all of you help and advice G. Alexander. I will now get to work!

[G.Alexander]

Wade, good luck & patience, this will be a hard fight, but finally I also was able to ban them – until now

G.Alexander

[Baboo]

anyone got picture of these Acro eating flatworm?

[G.Alexander]

Boboo, here you can find some:

http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthr...5&page=3&pp=10

G.Alexander

[Baboo]

ok thx!