Using freshwater dips to control flatworms

[robinjay]

I've got a lovely Elegance Coral that's unfortunately got a bad case of flatworms. My green Coris Wrasse has been doing a great job of keeping them under control everywhere else in the tank, but for some reason, it just won't touch the ones on the Elegance. I'm really not a fan of using chemicals, so I'm looking for alternative solutions.

Would a freshwater dip be safe for my coral, or would it cause more harm than good? I've read that it only takes around 10-15 seconds for the flatworms to lose their grip and drop off - is that correct? Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[felinxo]

I'm not familiar with FW dips, but I think it's worth trying a dip in a product like FW Exit. If there are eggs present, I'd recommend multiple dips spaced 6 days apart to disrupt their breeding cycle.

[zenoxa]

I've done a freshwater dip on an elegance coral before, and it worked out just fine. The flatworms literally fell off as soon as the coral hit the fresh water. I used a small container, just held it up to the rim of the tank, and within 10 seconds the coral was back in the DT. It was surprisingly easy, and I didn't notice any adverse effects on the coral.

[robinjay]

I've done a freshwater dip on an elegance coral before, and it worked out just fine. The flatworms literally fell off as soon as the coral hit the fresh water. I used a small container, just held it up to the rim of the tank, and within 10 seconds the coral was back in the DT. It was surprisingly easy, and I didn't notice any adverse effects on the coral.

Glad to hear that zenoxa had a good experience with it. I was also planning on doing the same, just wanted to double-check with some other folks who've dealt with this issue before. My LFS said it should be fine, but I appreciate the reassurance. I'll definitely post an update on how it goes.

[nixora]

If you've got a mature system, you might consider bringing in a spotted mandarin. I know a guy who did this to tackle his flatworm issue, and it worked out great - the mandarin took care of the problem, then even started eating frozen foods during the cleanup process.

[anglerkid]

I've done numerous freshwater dips on various corals without issue. The key thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is to ensure the temp of the dip water matches your tank's temp.