Flatworm genocide?

[laezur]

I have flatworms multiplying on my glass, which is also collecting algae.

I’m looking to do a glass cleaning with my scraper, I’m worried abo it scraping all of these off and committing a genocide and crashing my tank.

Is that a realistic worry? Should I just go ahead and scrape the glass? I’d turkey baster them up but they’re stuck on there pretty hard and that will lose a lot of water ( I don’t have any more saltwater made up at the moment to replace)

 

[ScubaFish802]

When/If they die they release a toxin into the water from my understanding.

A lot of them dying = a lot of toxin in the tank.

If you are able to siphon them out while scraping the glass that would really help (something like this but replace the spoon with your preferred cleaner)

If your levels are really up there, adding carbon and having water pre-made and at the ready for a water change is a safe bet.

(photo credit to revhtree)

 

[Kellie in CA]

I'm guessing they will just scrape off and go floating around the tank until they attach to something else.

 

[laezur]

When/If they die they release a toxin into the water from my understanding.

A lot of them dying = a lot of toxin in the tank.

If you are able to siphon them out while scraping the glass that would really help (something like this but replace the spoon with your preferred cleaner)

If your levels are really up there, adding carbon and having water pre-made and at the ready for a water change is a safe bet.

(photo credit to revhtree)

I was a bit of an idiot and accidentally bundled my gravel vac in with a freshwater tank I sold recently by mistake lol. I have carbon running so I may just scrape them off and do a water change with a bucket and a jug by hand and that should dilute some toxin. Unfortunately won’t be able to get the bodies out though.

Ugh these little jerks are a nuisance. Came in on some mushrooms. Wish they’d just go live on the sand or something instead of the glass lol