Kimberly63 Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I'm going to order some FWE but I heard several people say that if you turn the lights off and shine a flashlight on the sandbed, all the flatworms will migrate to the spot and you can siphon them out. I'd really like to try this before I use chemicals in my tank and because the flatworm toxins are so bad. Was just curious if anyone has tried it before. Link to comment
abe Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I'm going to order some FWE but I heard several people say that if you turn the lights off and shine a flashlight on the sandbed, all the flatworms will migrate to the spot and you can siphon them out. I'd really like to try this before I use chemicals in my tank and because the flatworm toxins are so bad. Was just curious if anyone has tried it before. i thought that was what you needed to do to collect clownfish fry. Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 i thought that was what you needed to do to collect clownfish fry. lol. not sure! I guess flatworms stick to the brightest spots in the tank and that's why they attach to corals and compete with them for light. I might try it tonight Link to comment
Phixion Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Maeda has done this with success. Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Maeda has done this with success. Thanks Matt! I'll go ahead and give it a shot. Link to comment
lilredneckman Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I have done it too and it worked wonders. Link to comment
filefish949 Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 interesting, tagging along Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 I have done it too and it worked wonders. Awesome! Glad it worked out for ya! I'm not embarrassed to admit that I don't own a flashlight so tomorrow I'm gonna go to the store and get one. I was gonna go tonight but didn't make it out. Link to comment
abe Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Awesome! Glad it worked out for ya! I'm not embarrassed to admit that I don't own a flashlight so tomorrow I'm gonna go to the store and get one. I was gonna go tonight but didn't make it out. oh... wow. tell us if it worked. Link to comment
hazmat Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I have the clear flatworms in my tank. Even tho they are supposidly harmless I don't want them in my tank. At night I find a few on my glass and/or rocks. I do use the flashlight to find them but I do not see them gravitating to the light. I just find them and suck them up with a turkey baster. I also ordered some FWE but mainly to dip corals. I might go ahead and treat my tank. It doesn't seem like I have very many and I'm always weary of putting chemicals in the tank. Ever feel like you have every kind of pest out there in SW land?? Cyno, bubble algae, flatworms, diatoms, hair algae. It never ends!!! Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Ever feel like you have every kind of pest out there in SW land?? Cyno, bubble algae, flatworms, diatoms, hair algae. It never ends!!! Lol. I hear ya! Dealing with all those things along with aiptasia and nudis Link to comment
reefdan Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 it does work! i've done it (with the little white flatworms)! it works even better if you cut off your flow. they'll rise to the surface and you can skim them off with a cup. i use my very bright fuge light Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Okay, I'm trying this out as we speak, and I set up the flashlight about 5-10 minutes ago. Although I don't see any on the sandbed where the light is shining yet, they are migrating to the glass where the light is shining through! I see about a dozen so far! I figure in about another 15 minutes I'll siphon out what I can see and keep doing it the rest of the evening since I have nothing better to do. I haven't shut my flow off in the tank yet - I'll probably do that last and see what happens. Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Check them out! A bunch migrated to the glass! YAY! Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Okay I siphoned about 4 times and by the last time I didn't see anymore flatworms on the glass and for my sandbed, I took a larger hose and siphoned the sand where the light was shining. I probably got a few dozen siphoned out of my tank but now after I turned my lights on, I don't see not one flatworm. I'm sure I'll see some in the future since I probably didn't get every one out, but this little trick saved me a lot of aggrivation. Link to comment
Phixion Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Glad it worked out for you Kimberly! Great pics of the action too!! Link to comment
hazmat Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 So glad that worked for you!! Link to comment
Sexy Shrimp Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 This thread should be stickied in the beginners section. Brilliant. We should have a section for useful hints and tips that have been proven where the mods could move posts like this... Link to comment
jennifro Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 This thread should be stickied in the beginners section. Brilliant. We should have a section for useful hints and tips that have been proven where the mods could move posts like this... That is a great idea! As I am a newb and didn't have a clue what to do about my flat worms this was really helpful to me! Thanks Kimberly and good idea L34NN3! Link to comment
Kimberly63 Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 This thread should be stickied in the beginners section. Brilliant. We should have a section for useful hints and tips that have been proven where the mods could move posts like this... Thanks L34NN3! If it wasn't for Phixion, Maeda, and Speppers69, I wouldn't have even known about it! I haven't been home all day, but I've noticed a few on my tank glass when I got home. I figured if I keep doing it every evening or so, I'd eventually get them all. Link to comment
ksrinlv Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I can hardly wait to go home and try this!!! Link to comment
fsu1dolfan Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Doesnt anything actually eat flatworms? Link to comment
stratosphere Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Some folks have said their six-line wrasses have a taste for flatworms but that seems very hit or miss. Link to comment
ksrinlv Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 I can hardly wait to go home and try this!!! I've never seen another flatworm since adding a six line wrasse to one of my tanks. Another smaller tank had a few flatworms just in one area that I'd siphon out every now and then but have never seen them again since adding a small skunk clown! Perhaps it helps he's not over fed?! Have flatworms in an aquapod with a blue stripe pipefish that I don't want to add a fish or use FW Exit so am definitely going to try the flashlight! Link to comment
fsu1dolfan Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Some folks have said their six-line wrasses have a taste for flatworms but that seems very hit or miss. Tried the flashlight thing this weekend....and i guess my sixline has a taste for them since i didnt see any.... The only thing i notice in my tank from time to time are tiny little clear/white worms sticking out from the sand....not so sure what those are but i have a decent amount of those Link to comment
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