Flatworm exit to remove predatory worm?

[TimT]

Originally Posted by vancity

I'd leave it out overnight or take more drastic measures like that but I want to put the rock back in and not kill off everything as the tank may not be large enough to handle a mass die off of all bacteria, algaes etc.

Since you soaked it in RODI water when you tried to electrocute it that will kill the algaes and bacteria. I would suspect the rock will cause a mini cycle from the die off.
Since you have already nuked the life on the rock then you can try soaking it in 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% tankwater for an hour or more.
The easiest method is to just leave it out in the rain for a week or more. Then cycle it in a bucket for a month or so. The coralline etc will grow back.

Originally Posted by vancity

The electrocution method was done in RODI water (didn't want to add current to salt water)

It is the minerals in the water that conduct electricity and not the water itself. RO/DI water is non conductive, ie conductivity or TDS = 0. I have seen people put computers(motherboard etc) in RO/DI water and run them. NEVER MIX ELECTRICITY AND SALTWATER!!!

Glad your still alive.

Cheers,
Tim

[GoFish]

Originally Posted by TimT

It is the minerals in the water that conduct electricity and not the water itself. RO/DI water is non conductive, ie conductivity or TDS = 0. I have seen people put computers(motherboard etc) in RO/DI water and run them. NEVER MIX ELECTRICITY AND SALTWATER!!!

Ahhh, guess that's why the current readout on the charger didn't change a bit. A motherboard running in water?! Crazy! Just taught me something, thanks!

Didn't see it last night, may give it a few days back in the tank. Will then try to flush the holes out with a syringe to see if dead worm slime comes out, if not it may still be alive. Next step will be flatworm exit, and if that doesn't work, then the rock is coming out for a while...

[christyf5]

flatworm exit or any flatworm remover will likely not kill your worm. flatworms have a very thin skin and they easily transmit the FWE across their skin and into their systems, killing them. The worm you have is armored and very thick skinned. I had one of these worms in my system about 8 years ago and it was 2 feet long. My method was removal of the rock it lived in and then chiseling the rock apart to get the worm out (broke the rock into 3 pieces, it was annoying but then so was losing fish/corals to the stupid worm). Letting the rock dry out will take forever as if the rock is quite porous there will still be a lot of moisture in it for the worm to survive. I'd say the hydrogen peroxide/water mix method may be your best bet but if the worm is really holed up in there you will have to wait quite awhile to cycle the rock with the decomposing worm in it before you can return it to your tank.