What is attacking my Acro. Validas?

[spearperson]

So I had redbugs ...ugghh.. treated for those and they are gone but now my validas are going down hill fast. At first it was just a few little spots on the undersides of branches that looked like bites or places where the color had been sucked out. I keep inspecting the corals and can find no critters, even at night I cant find evidence of the culprit. The 3 most effected colonies are now quickly losing color and polyp extension is dwindling. My Ausi delicate has not been bothered, bali slimers are fine and all other SPS corals are fine. Can anyone identify the symptoms from the description or picture??

thanks, I would hate to lose these colonies as they are getting big.

 

[ming]

Aefw (acro eating flatworms)
If you take out the coral and dip it in coral revive, or an iodine solution (coral revive is probably less stressful) for 15 minutes, the flatworms will start peeling off. With iodine, you can see them easier IMO, but the bite marks on the acro clearly shows its AEFW

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/coral-farming/10263-acro-eating-flat-worms.html

 

[spearperson]

OK so it looks like AEFW - what is the best solution - I dont have room for QT tanks and my Acros are encrusted on the rock - does flat work exit really not work for these things? is the Levasimol the only way to go?

 

[ming]

flatworm exit does not work. you need break them off the rocks and dip. some people have had success with turkey basting their acro's to dislodge flatworms and have fish eat them, but you would need to do it routinely or they grow into plague proportions and your acro's will suffer.

 

[House of Laughter]

OK so it looks like AEFW - what is the best solution - I dont have room for QT tanks and my Acros are encrusted on the rock - does flat work exit really not work for these things? is the Levasimol the only way to go?

No, you need to follow Ming's recommendations and dip each coral in Tropic Marin, Lugols Iodine at a concentrated level or Revive to rid the coral of the worms and dip a second time or two for the eggs.

Unfortunately, this is the only way to rid them.

Many have tried natural (leopard wrasse, butterfly etc) but they don't always work.

Good luck

House

 

[finksmart]

Make sure to look for eggs and scrape them off too (See pics of the eggs here: http://www.melevsreef.com/aefw.html). They are usually on the underside of the acro's base. I'm willing to bet that you will find clutches of eggs on your piece. You need keep at it for a good 4-6 weeks, unless you leave your tank free of acros. Sorry to see this man AEFW is a dreadful sight to behold.

 

[jackson6745]

I would definitely do the Coral Revive dips. Iodine dips really stress the coral.

 

[Josh]

A melanarus wrasse may eat them as well.

 

[Mattl22]

Ime flatt worm exit works great but u have to follow instructions or the toxins the dead flatt worms secrete can kill your inverts maybe corals but I had them bad had to treat the tank 3 times a pain in the ... But no more flattworms

 

[ming]

Ime flatt worm exit works great but u have to follow instructions or the toxins the dead flatt worms secrete can kill your inverts maybe corals but I had them bad had to treat the tank 3 times a pain in the ... But no more flattworms

Let's clear some stuff up.
1) Flatworm Exit does not affect Acro Eating Flatworms at all.

2) No fish is known to reliably eat the flatworms or their eggs while on the colonies.

3) Pretty much all commonly kept fish will readily eat them if they are knocked of the colonies and into the water column.

4) If you are talking about Red Planaria flatworms, then both Flat Worm Exit and the melanauras wrasse are excellent choices for eradication.

:swim:

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

aefw sucks, good luck getting those guys
i seen to many people break down tanks b/c of them

 

[Mattl22]

My bad thought I had the other ones

 

[jackson6745]

Just wanted to add that if that particular coral is infected as badly as it looks, every acro in your tank will have them. Be sure to dip ALL corals.

 

[Chongpark27]

Just wanted to add that if that particular coral is infected as badly as it looks, every acro in your tank will have them. Be sure to dip ALL corals.

I agree with rich.

 

[rookie07]

no, you need to follow ming's recommendations and dip each coral in tropic marin, lugols iodine at a concentrated level or revive to rid the coral of the worms and dip a second time or two for the eggs.

Unfortunately, this is the only way to rid them.

Many have tried natural (leopard wrasse, butterfly etc) but they don't always work.

Good luck

house

+1

 

[Thales]

Here is my story with them:

http://www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/archives/vol_2/issue6/pages/issue_6-19.htm

Like Randy says, they are not a death sentence for your tank, and there is no need to rip it apart. Initial dips on corals with heavy infestations are a good idea, but then its pretty easy to get ahead of them by basting. Getting ahead of them with regular dips seems to be more difficult. Best advice I have heard about these guys - don't freak out!

 

[rickytsui]

dip all your coral once a week for about a month and for for EGGS and keep a very close eyes on them

 

[125reefer]

i read an article of a guy who had aefw in na 400 gallon system and what he did was tohook up a thin tube to a pump with fresh water in a 5 gallon bucket and sprayed his acros with the fresh water.the aefw started to fall off and he sucked them up with another hose.did it for a month an d they were gone

 

[Thales]

That seems to work too, though there is no definitive information regarding the freshwater helping more/doing more than just basting.

 

[Chraddam]

Ime flatt worm exit works great but u have to follow instructions or the toxins the dead flatt worms secrete can kill your inverts maybe corals but I had them bad had to treat the tank 3 times a pain in the ... But no more flattworms

+1 the toxins SUCK.