Tip of the Day – 2/5/2013

Have a flatworm problem in your aquarium? Well, if the worms of the red Planarian variety, the solution to their demise is simple, though multifaceted. Manual removal of the worms is easy enough, as they don’t hold onto the substrate too well and can be vacuumed up with some ease. While sucking the worms out is highly effective, it won’t get them all. So, a predator may have to be recruited to polish off the last remaining flatworms. If the worms still persist, there are in-tank treatments that work particularly well, especially a Levamisole treatment. The levamisole, a powerful pig dewormer, is hard to come by as it was apparently pulled from the shelves by the FDA, but you can still find it and similar products at farm livestock stores. An in-tank treatment will kill off what the predators can’t get to, but be sure to use copious amounts of carbon after the treatment period to remove the flatworm toxins from the water. Large water changes will also help.