A Splash of Color

[Acronic]

It's obvious Andrew has a new genetically mutated pest! .... the dreaded ZINC WORM!!! Dun dun dahhhhh

 

[martinphillip03]

I know, I was trying to lure him out. LMAO

Marty

I thought Andrew already said that he did not have any heavy problem problem. Just check out the post (ref: post no 2310).

 

[slavetonet]

Get off your *** right now Andrew.

See that's how Aussie speaks to each other. Cut the bullshit out.

 

[naecO.rM]

Just dropping in quickly Andrew mate. Tank is looking well despite any potential AEFW problem - Im gutted for you and Dom...AEFW are like one of the worst things that can happen to an SPS tank. But all is not that bad...they can be beat easily with a bit of hard work.

Hi Sahin, could you share that recipe of that hard work, what exactly we need to do against AEFW, please?

 

[reefmutt]

I think I had zinc worms once. Took many rounds of antibiotics and then I had to travel to Norway and dip myself in a hot spring. Not sure I'm fully cured.

 

[Piper27]

The topic of high metals is very interesting considering the acro supplier you use keeps zinc at very high levels successfully. I would agree that more than one acro would show any signs. Also aefw can be very sneaky but as already said a turkey baster will discover any in the tank quickly. No need to dip anything to find them. Plus random basting is good for acros. In my experience aefw come from other people's tanks more often than from wild acros. Although wild and mariculture corals do have a much wider range of pests you have to look for.
I can't wait til your acros start growing really well, that scape will grow in beautifully! What all are you dosing these days?

 

[Rakie]

The topic of high metals is very interesting considering the acro supplier you use keeps zinc at very high levels successfully. I would agree that more than one acro would show any signs. Also aefw can be very sneaky but as already said a turkey baster will discover any in the tank quickly. No need to dip anything to find them. Plus random basting is good for acros. In my experience aefw come from other people's tanks more often than from wild acros. Although wild and mariculture corals do have a much wider range of pests you have to look for.
I can't wait til your acros start growing really well, that scape will grow in beautifully! What all are you dosing these days?

The guy with the 20k gallon 21 year old reef used to blast his Acros with a FW hose, he said it would literally kill off everything but the eggs. His wrasse loved 'em.

 

[Acronic]

I think I had zinc worms once. Took many rounds of antibiotics and then I had to travel to Norway and dip myself in a hot spring. Not sure I'm fully cured.

Oh man... that was YOU in that hot spring!?!?! Don't tell my wife I was there. She thinks I was at a seven steps to becoming a better husband seminar in Colorado.

 

[biggles]

I was resting on the couch Sunday lunchtime just relaxing when i get a text from Dave. No 'hi' or 'how's it going' just a pic and these words......

Greenish tan base
Pink ends
Blue tips
Possible red polyps

It's spath but not. Milli but not. I got no clue. Pretty tho.

- That's because it's A. prostrata Dave...............

- and yes, you have no clue........

 

[biggles]

Hey there Andrew, corals are lookin' good. I hope you do not find any space worms, if you do I think it mandates laser weapons be deployed. I am sure you know this but those blue cloves can easily be eradicated if you want. I had them in my last tank, became a pain in the a__. Used to be Fluke tabs but now there are other substitutes. A quick search will get you the protocol and product name. Good luck with that pesky left side.

Thanks for the info Scott, i looked into that but my snails mean too much to me and i quite like mowing the lawn with boiling RO when the mood takes me anyway.

I do find it troubling that you were the only one to actually suggest a viable solution........... pretty sure some of you knew but kept the info to yourselves..........

You can sit up front in the ALWAYS pressurized flight cabin with Dom and I when you fly Biggle Air Scotty.

Don't like you being on page two Andrew so thought I say hi and post a bit of acro porn as yours is lacking of late. Oh and I bloody well found a uk distributor of christens acros so will be using him From now on :inlove:and the best bit is he is only an hour away from me. But only planning on getting 4 shipments a year . So will have to arrange something with him so I can have the pick of the litter. ( I wish)
What do you think of this bud.

The pink piece looks very pretty, i think it would be more saturated if you dropped it 2" - 3" lower though as the sheltered tips are much more rich in pigment and the tips right down low at the bottom have the purple polyp highlights visible whereas they're being washed out up top in the bright light areas. If it's just because of the overexposed pic ignore me

I like that little blue and green frag, i have a small frag of something that looks a bit similar :thumbsup:

Thanks for visiting today! We are planning on getting many more than 4 shipments a year as we are selling and distributing more and more :dance:

When i was at my LFS today i heard two SPS customers ask Dave - ' are these from Christian ? ' prior to buying acros........... he has a good eye for colors as i'm sure you'll discover if you keep stealing my acros........ :mad2:

test

Still here Marty

I've been lurking this thread a while now, I just wanted to say I HATE you.......nah, I love your tank and acros too much too hate you.

Enjoy some pics, learn a little bit, laugh a lot thanks to your sense of humor....this thread is awesome.

Thanks very much mate

Just dropping in quickly Andrew mate. Tank is looking well despite any potential AEFW problem - Im gutted for you and Dom...AEFW are like one of the worst things that can happen to an SPS tank. But all is not that bad...they can be beat easily with a bit of hard work.

Thanks buddy, i think the acro space station is space worm free thank goodness !

Beautiful reef!

Thanks a lot mate.

I thought Andrew already said that he did not have any heavy problem problem. Just check out the post (ref: post no 2310).

That's just Marty stirring Bulent......... bloody stirrer............ :reading:

 

[biggles]

Andrew AEFW can be tested for in your tank with a simple turkey baster, just hit the acros you think might be infected and see if any of the flatworms blow off. I did this every week for a few years a long time ago to control my AEFW populations. My yellow coris wrasses would pick off any AEFW that got dislodged from the turkey baster.

Thanks Joe, that's pretty much all i would do if i found them lol.

It's obvious Andrew has a new genetically mutated pest! .... the dreaded ZINC WORM!!! Dun dun dahhhhh

I hadn't considered the genetic mutation zinc might be causing Kevin.............. not that i have done this but if i was to taste the zinc numerous times do you think i might mutate...... not that i taste everyting i dose, just a 'what if' out of left field.......... :reading:

Better give me your opinion on Cobalt mutation too mate........ the stuff that looks, but does not taste, like pink lemonade.........

Get off your *** right now Andrew.

See that's how Aussie speaks to each other. Cut the bullshit out.

I got off my arse after i got that text Kevin......

Hi Sahin, could you share that recipe of that hard work, what exactly we need to do against AEFW, please?

There's no way it won't involve his magnetic stirrer so you might as well order one of those now mate............

I think I had zinc worms once. Took many rounds of antibiotics and then I had to travel to Norway and dip myself in a hot spring. Not sure I'm fully cured.

You bloody liar Matt - Canadians melt in hot water !

The topic of high metals is very interesting considering the acro supplier you use keeps zinc at very high levels successfully. I would agree that more than one acro would show any signs. Also aefw can be very sneaky but as already said a turkey baster will discover any in the tank quickly. No need to dip anything to find them. Plus random basting is good for acros. In my experience aefw come from other people's tanks more often than from wild acros. Although wild and mariculture corals do have a much wider range of pests you have to look for.
I can't wait til your acros start growing really well, that scape will grow in beautifully! What all are you dosing these days?

Never seen a single worm on a single acro out of the thousands i've seen from the GBR. Dom got them from a frag he bought - what a bloody surprise.

I dose 1.2ml of koralcolor and 0.4ml of zinc a day over the lights on period. I add 3 drops of lugols each morning.

Oh man... that was YOU in that hot spring!?!?! Don't tell my wife I was there. She thinks I was at a seven steps to becoming a better husband seminar in Colorado.

I was on my way to one of those seminars many years ago Kevin but on the way i decided to just keep driving...............

 

[Piper27]

What pests have you seen or heard of coming in from the gbr? I have been getting some wilds from figi and they have all come in looking very clean. Mariculture stuff tends to have lots of pest snails you have to watch out for. I have seen some acro eating nudis come from an Aussie shipment before but they could have been from one of the holding systems they sat in along the way here, hard to tell.
How many acro crabs do you see on these acros you pic from? What are the percentages of good vs bad? The figi stuff is covered in crabs, not sure why but sometimes they are all good and sometimes there will be a bunch of bad ones mixed in. I don't remember seeing a lot of crabs in the Aussie pieces.

 

[tripdad]

"Thanks for the info Scott, i looked into that but my snails mean too much to me and i quite like mowing the lawn with boiling RO when the mood takes me anyway."
No problem Andrew, I have learned far more from this discussion thread than I could ever return. To that point... I have also been following JB NY's thread, like you he is dosing zinc,and iodine daily along with manganese I believe. I find it interesting that two great tanks have that in common. Thanks for all the info.

 

[reefmutt]

I was resting on the couch Sunday lunchtime just relaxing when i get a text from Dave. No 'hi' or 'how's it going' just a pic and these words......

Greenish tan base
Pink ends
Blue tips
Possible red polyps

It's spath but not. Milli but not. I got no clue. Pretty tho.

- That's because it's A. prostrata Dave...............

- and yes, you have no clue........

Well, I assume this is already in your possession, Andrew?
Better bloody well be!!, to use a little Aussie alliteration.. I can't stop..
I think it's my zinc worm side effects.

 

[biggles]

What pests have you seen or heard of coming in from the gbr? I have been getting some wilds from figi and they have all come in looking very clean. Mariculture stuff tends to have lots of pest snails you have to watch out for. I have seen some acro eating nudis come from an Aussie shipment before but they could have been from one of the holding systems they sat in along the way here, hard to tell.
How many acro crabs do you see on these acros you pic from? What are the percentages of good vs bad? The figi stuff is covered in crabs, not sure why but sometimes they are all good and sometimes there will be a bunch of bad ones mixed in. I don't remember seeing a lot of crabs in the Aussie pieces.

The only pests i've encountered over the years from wild GBR acros are:

Cymo andreossyi - the hairy shiny eyed little maggot crab many of you have also encountered at one time or another.
There was one in an acro at Dave's shop on Sunday but he wouldn't let me kill it. I considered paying $20- for the green garbage just so i could take it out of the bag as soon as Dave handed it to me and kill the little bastard. Then i would drop the acro back in the tank and tell Dave to keep the $20- but Dave would think badly of me if i did that and believe it or not i respect Dave a lot and he's an awesome friend so i would never actually do such a thing.

I waited until he was serving someone in the next room and couldn't see the acro tank and called out

' Dave is it ok to pick up an acro, my arms are clean mate. '

# The most disrespectful thing you can do in a LFS is to put your hand in any tank without asking permission to do so. I have twice told guys to get their hands out of a tank at Dave's and i can assure you both Mark and Dave will leave you in no doubt that you did the wrong thing. I once saw a guy at Williamstown aquarium - excellent LFS imo btw, pick up some flubber and walk over to another holding tank and place it in there to see it under the bluer lighting.......... like seriously just cross contaminate the two separate holding tanks with who knows what. Chances are nothing bad would result but you don't know what the store is doing and they might have a reason for keeping things apart due to a pest or whatever.
Anyway the guy stormed right out the door after i quietly chided him and got in a tasty black merc and drove off. If i was to guess i would say it's unlikely you'll be troubled by that guy ever again Jack - given the car he drove i doubt he had any cash :thumbsup:

So......... Dave calls back ' yep '

In case any whale rollers are reading:

I picked up the green acro while Dave wasn't watching and while i was holding it out of the water a magpie flew into the shop, swooped down onto the acro and grabbed the hairy crab. It all happened so fast that i doubt anyone else even saw the bloody magpie but it was like watching one of Atty's doco shots live.

Long story short, it was as if mother nature was trying to get me in trouble with Dave. I didn't tell Dave what happened but knowing my luck i'll get the bloody blame as usual and i doubt he'll believe what really happened

White acro eating nudis - i have had three separate encounters with these little turds, they actively eat the acro tissue at night and lay still during lights on usually. They leave fresh white skeleton behind so it looks exactly like RTN, no bite marks etc - you won't miss the small bright white patch suddenly appearing on one acro base. They only consume about a square 1/4" of tissue each a night if i was to try and give you an idea of what damage they do, it's not dramatic but it will only get worse if left.
Creamy white about 1/8" long and always only 3 or 4 together in one spot. I have found the best way to kill them all in one easy step without risk of spreading them is to simply use a tube of super glue gel to squirt onto them and while doing so i swirl the tip around to sweep up everything all over the dead area in a super glue death ball :thumbsup:
Everything is either glued to the acro or stuck to the glue blob at the tube tip. A few times i tried to stab the previously mentioned hairy when discovered with no success. What never fails though is to just squirt super glue onto them while they hide buried deep in a colony. The acro soon encrusts over the glue - and the entombed crab :smokin:

Once only i found the two snails eating tissue at around twice the speed the nudis do.

I used to see many more acro crabs than i do now. Like one in at least every second piece for sale - a lot. A few times i have had pairs which is cool. Now days i might see maybe one in every ten pieces.

"Thanks for the info Scott, i looked into that but my snails mean too much to me and i quite like mowing the lawn with boiling RO when the mood takes me anyway."
No problem Andrew, I have learned far more from this discussion thread than I could ever return. To that point... I have also been following JB NY's thread, like you he is dosing zinc,and iodine daily along with manganese I believe. I find it interesting that two great tanks have that in common. Thanks for all the info.

I only tried zinc because i read Joe's journal and have a great deal of respect for his acro keeping skills - i pinched the zinc dosing from Joe

Well, I assume this is already in your possession, Andrew?
Better bloody well be!!, to use a little Aussie alliteration.. I can't stop..
I think it's my zinc worm side effects.

I came home from work today and it looks much greener, zero reddish hue near the tips, barely blue tips and still no PE as in the pic even after 24 hours. I am not amused..............

I have the day off tomorrow so i'll take some pics of the stupid sulky thing. I just got up and put a torch on it, 4 hours after lights out it has good PE - all good so tomorrow i will slice and dice it. John was at the shop so i gave him a frag before it was bagged up but i will make one for Dom and Ken tomorrow just in case it turns out to be stunning multicolor - that's quite likely given it's a prostrata and not a milli.

 

[Pife]

When I have an acro going green I scream at it. I mean I really let it know that I'm upset with the poor decisions it made. I let it know that making bad decisions can cost one it's life. Then I pull it out of the tank put it in a nice crystal pitcher (so it feels prettier) and show it the beautiful pictures of colored up acros throughout the threads here and explain how much more I would care for it if it was shiny and pretty too. It has a 99 percent success rate. Hope it works for you mate.

 

[wheelman76]

When I have an acro going green I scream at it. I mean I really let it know that I'm upset with the poor decisions it made. I let it know that making bad decisions can cost one it's life. Then I pull it out of the tank put it in a nice crystal pitcher (so it feels prettier) and show it the beautiful pictures of colored up acros throughout the threads here and explain how much more I would care for it if it was shiny and pretty too. It has a 99 percent success rate. Hope it works for you mate.

lmfao!!!

 

[kevlow]

When I have an acro going green I scream at it. I mean I really let it know that I'm upset with the poor decisions it made. I let it know that making bad decisions can cost one it's life. Then I pull it out of the tank put it in a nice crystal pitcher (so it feels prettier) and show it the beautiful pictures of colored up acros throughout the threads here and explain how much more I would care for it if it was shiny and pretty too. It has a 99 percent success rate. Hope it works for you mate.

This is awesome. Like a tough love intervention for acros! Still laughing here.

 

[biggles]

When I have an acro going green I scream at it. I mean I really let it know that I'm upset with the poor decisions it made. I let it know that making bad decisions can cost one it's life. Then I pull it out of the tank put it in a nice crystal pitcher (so it feels prettier) and show it the beautiful pictures of colored up acros throughout the threads here and explain how much more I would care for it if it was shiny and pretty too. It has a 99 percent success rate. Hope it works for you mate.

I do it in the tank mate

 

[Rakie]

I thought you put that little poop coral on a soda bottle cap for a moment to teach it a lesson for not being amazing