I have a battle which is not ending and turning into an all out war! Algae! Dare I say it out loud in fear it will awaken some mighty giant I have not seen yet or amass more of the same army which has been overrunning my veiled attempts. We all face this foe one time or another. Mine follows the same story…poor nutrient exporting leading to explosion of algae and not just one variety. I have nice red slime, gorgeous filamentous, and some wonderful bryopsis for which I would probably receive awards if that was the prized possession. I know without a microscopic analysis and knowledge beyond what I have today, I will never know exactly what I am fighting and am sure why my little battle has turned into an all out war.

Here is my story which I am sure you have heard before. May be different steps but you know how it goes. I have to admit I feel I am fighting this war like the first little piggy in the Three Little Pigs kid’s tale.

For the first line of defense, I have been using ZEOvit bacterial system to export both phosphates and nitrates for about six months without seeing the ultra low nutrients. This was after using the other bacteria system, Vodka Dosing, which was my first failed attempt. Is it me? Is it my tank? I will keep plugging away with my research now focused on a sulfur denitrifier which I am reluctant to use as I have also battled low pH due to a closed home with high indoor CO2 levels. That is another battle which I have seemed to have won and another story to tell. I will drag my feet on trying anything else in hopes I am not being patient and will one day see the nutrients drop as all others talk about. Is it a mirage? A myth? Am I going to make it? Is this the holy grail which alludes me?

Second line of defense is old fashion brushing with a tooth brush. Spend any time doing it, you will know how much I love this task. To top it off, it seems like all I am doing is encouraging it to find a new place to grow, a new place to take hold. “Brush, Brush, Brush” is what my daughter says as she walks by eyeing me buried in the tank. I think she is laughing as she knows how the story goes.

Third line of defense, upgrade my equipment thinking that is the problem and a viable strategy. Started with trying to have better circulation, more reactors, better lighting, and now a “better skimmer.” I can say all I have accomplished is parting with my money with minimal impact on my tank. Am I believing all the hype of what I read or am I failing with the equipment I chose? Do I try another? Will MACNA have the next greatest thing which is the cure all and I should wait?

Fourth line of defense and new warfare tactic for me, using chemicals! I feel like I now have weapon I can use like my S&W MP 15 and Glock 23. Granted, chemicals can be as dangerous as the afore mentioned weapons with some innocent victims falling along the way even if I am careful. It makes me feel powerful against this mighty foe as I sit back and smile the sinister grin. Die! Die! Die! Will this be the weapon I have been missing? Will I finally prevail?

So far, I am losing the war with thoughts from time to time to give up and nuke the whole thing. That would be the empirical thing to do. Luckily, common sense kicks in and I trudge away in the every day battle watching casualties fall along the way with hope I will prevail one day. I will win, I say! Maybe one day or maybe I will lose my mind along the way!?!

I noticed some little red blobs on my glass. Upon further inspection and a quick search on the internet, I realized these blobs were flatworms. These are reddish-brown “ghosts” appearing as small flecks on the glass. My infestation appears to be a variety which feeds on algae versus Acropora coral. With my Nitrates at 17.6 ppm and Phosphate fluctuating between 0.01 and 0.09 ppm, they have erupted as I have been providing them nutrients.

The Plan

To reduce the population, I first need to export the nutrients before I use a good remedy, Salifert Flatworm Exit. If I suddenly kill a large population off with Flatworm Exit, the dying flatworms will emit a toxin which will kill all tank inhabitants. If I do not treat the population eruption, when the algae is completely consumed, they will die off all at once which would also be lethal to my tank inhabitants.

Based on my type of flatworm, I need to reduce the nutrients in my system to effectively reduce the population. I have been disappointed with my Vodka dosing as I am up to 5 ml/day dosing with little impact on Nitrates and Phosphates. I should be only dosing 1 ml/day and seeing results. Therefor, I am trying a new regime as suggested by my LFS. I am using the ZeoVit system to increase beneficial bacteria colony which I was trying to attempt with the Vodka dosing. I am using ZeoVit ZeoStart2 (0.2 ml/day) and ZeoVit ZeoBak (1 drop – Wed & Sun).

Once I see a reduction in the flatworm population, I will want to employ the use of siphoning to remove as many flatworms as possible to reduce the risk of toxic release by the dying flatworms. Once I am sure I have removed every visible flatworm, I will then use the Flatworm Exit which is reef safe to all inhabitants to totally eradicate the flatworms. The instructions for Flatworm Exit indicate I need to add 20 drops (4 drops/5 gallons). Once employed, I need to ensure I observe my tank for signs the flatworms are dying off about 30 minutes after dosage. If I do not see this, I will need to add 50% more (10 drops).

Once the flatworms start to die, I will use preventative maintenance to export the lethal toxins produced by the dying flatworms using GAC (1 lbs fresh carbon/50 gallons), partial 20% water change(s), and physical removing the flatworms. I will repeat procedure in one week to eradicate any which may have survived first treatment.

Going forward, I will need to ensure I use Flatworm Exit as part of my dipping routine to introduce new inhabitants.

My Experience Using Flatworm Exit

• 4/12 at 7:30a: Determined I have removed all the flatworms I could see, turned carbon reactor off, and then added 20 drops of Flatworm Exit.
• 4/12 at 8:00a: Surprised as tank looks like it is snowing from the dead flatworms.
• 4/12 at 8:01a: Turn carbon (2 cups) reactor on to start filtering toxins emitted from dying flatworms. Placed filter pad to manually remove flatworms. Notice my Tenuis Acro is starting to appear stressed.
• 4/12 at 9:00a: Observe all corals except frogspawn and toadstool are stressed, withdrawn polyps, and omitting defenses.
• 4/12 at 9:01a: Turn on second reactor containing Carbon (2 cups).
• 4/12 at 9:10a: Begin 20% water change.
• 4/12 at 9:32a: Complete water change and changed filter pad while tossing the old pad.
• 4/12 at 9:46a: Observe corals and still stressed. Now I am stressed.
• 4/12 at 11:11a: Observe corals and still stressed but a few polyp extensions.
• 4/12 at 4:46p: All the corals seem to be returning to normal with decent polyp extension.
• 4/12 at 5:15p: Observed more live flatworms on front glass. Do not want them to erupt again.
• 4/12 at 5:30p: Turned carbon reactors off and then added 20 drops of Flatworm Exit to repeat process.
• 4/12 at 6:15p: Turned both carbon reactors on. Corals looking much better this round.
• 4/13 at 6:33a: Corals look good. Will repeat process this weekend. Still need to get nutrients in check as Nitrates at 17.6 ppm and Phosphates at 0.05 ppm.
• 4/17 at 7:47p: Still observe number of flatworms on front glass. Bit disappointed with Flatworm Exit at this point but giving it benefit of the doubt these were from new generation and will retreat this weekend.
• 5/5 at 11:21a: I have been putting off treating again based on the number of flatworm I saw and impact I had the first time with the Flatworm Exit treatment. I have been focused on decreasing the nutrients to naturally decrease the flatworm population before treating again to totally eradicate them. So far I have had success decreasing population. I have had this luxury as my type of flatworm is not directly detrimental to coral health.
• 5/22: Introduced Yellow Coris Wrasse which at time did not know would impact my experience with Flatworm Exit.

Conclusion

Ironically, the introduction of a Coris Wrasse eliminated all Flatworms better than the Flatworm Exit. Flatworm Exit did reduce numbers to manageable level but the Wrasse finished the elimination of all remaining flatworms.

DISCLAIMER: Your results may very as each system is very different from another. For my tank parameters and environment, this was my observations and conclusion. This was not a controlled experiment so there is a potential for very large margin of error.

References

Levenson, Marc. “Flatworms (Red Planaria): How to eliminate them from your reef.” Melev’s Reef. http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html. Accessed 11 April 2009 .

Lynford M.S., Andrew H. “Evaluation of Chemical Eradication Methods of Acoels (Acoelomorpha) From Marine Aquaria.” Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine. April 2009. Advanced Aquarist. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/4/aafeature2/view?searchterm=flatworms. Accessed 07 June 2009.

Raabe, Charles & Linda. “The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Reefs – Worms.” Chucks Addiction. http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html. Accessed 11 April 2009.

Shannon III, Thomas. “Identification of Convolutriloba species.” http://macropyga.googlepages.com/identification. Accessed 11 April 2009.

I noticed I had some tiny white dots appearing on my back area of my reef tank a couple days ago and thought it was some sand blowing up. Noticed tonight a lot more and some are bigger (~3 mm). Looking closer, I realized they are spiral shaped and a lot of them.

Doing a quick search, I found they are Spirorbid Worms (Spirorbis sp.). This worm builds a calcerous tube and filter feeds. These are tiny, coiled tube worms that can form on live rock and the tank glass. They are very small, usually only a few millimeters in diameter. These are harmless filter feeders, and are most often found in new tanks with high nutrients. They usually disappear, or decline in numbers, once tanks mature, and water conditions improve.

The Plan

Really nothing I can do besides scrape them off what ever they attach themselves to in the tank, reduce nutrients, and be patient for tank to mature.

Observations and Information

• 01/05/2009 — Identified pest as Spirorbid Worms and began scraping process
• 04/19/2009 — Observed population is declining

Conclusion

Based on information I have read, reduction of nutrients, scraping, and patience is only you can do to reduce their population. This is what I have observed.

DISCLAIMER: Your results may very as each system is very different from another. For my tank parameters and environment, this was my observations and conclusion. This was not a controlled experiment so there is a potential for a very large margin of error.

References

Levenson , Marc. “Spirorbid Worms.” Melev’s Reef. hhttp://www.melevsreef.com/id/spirorbid_worms.html. Accessed 01 Jan 2009.

Masterson, J. “Spirorbis spp.” Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce. 01 Oct 2008. Smithsonian Marine Station. http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLSpec/Spirorbis_spp.htm. Accessed 05 Jan 2009.