AEFW...I think???

[jbanks]

Thank you for the replies. I think I've settled on dipping and basting the corals for now. The ones that are still on frag racks are going to stay there, as that will make them easier to work with, and the others will get dipped rock and all.

Another question if I may. I've been reading about flatworm treatment and prevention and I keep seeing references to wrasse's. Any recommendations on fish that are know to prey on these buggers? I've been thinking of getting a wrasse for the new tank now that I've got so much room because most are quite striking and very active and this seems like the perfect excuse to buy one. "Honey, I had to buy it to save my corals!" You get the picture.

Thanks,
Mike

some say a melanurus works. pretty fish besides. from a vendors site here:

One of the best kept secrets in the hobby, the Melanurus Wrasse is one of the best problem solvers for Planaria flatworms in reef aquariums. Forget medications that can harm or damage your delicate motile invertebrates! The Melanurus Wrasse will consume flatworms and you will see the difference within a matter of a couple of days. Once the flatworms are gone you have an attractive, friendly fish that will readily adjust to a captive diet and frequent the water column with activity. There are definate differences in the sexes as the female has a spot on it's tail and the male lacks that spot.

I think a multi-pronged aporach is best.. Not everyone has the ability to set-up a quarantine tank and for some with many colonies, QT just may not work for them. A local Aquarium with a 15,000 gallon reef blasts their colonies reqularly with ro/di watter and the fish eagerly consume the AEFWs.. Since they started doing this, very few are noticed any longer in that system. Melanaurus and any other wrasses from the "Halichoeres" family are a great addition to your reef when it comes to controlling pests. The basting method works really good over time as well as using a MJ1200. From what I've read, AEFWs don't start munching on corals until they become adults.. if you baste at least twice a week, you will have fewer and fewer adults present over time.. So, in the end, no one may want to trade with you, but in my humble oppinion, I couldnt care less as long as people are honest.. It doesn't matter whose tank I get a coral from, it goes through a dipping regime first.. Will you miss something occasionally, probably so, but then again our glass boxes are a bit different than the vast oceans that our reef inhabitants originate..

 

[LifeAquatic]

Originally Posted by LifeAquatic
I agree that some people have probably beatin AEFW with the basting method. Thats what they want you to think so you still trade coral with them ; ). But there are lots of variables that factor into this. Not all AEFW strains are the same. They come from different parts of the world. If you have the starin that I did..Good luck! Any type of basting regimine and predatory fish will not cure the problem.It is only a band aid. I had battled AEFW for atleast 6 months. I picked them up from maricultured coral out of indonnesia. They were extremly fecund and not picky to certain acros. They attacked all types. Not pulling all colonies sooner only prolonged me from having a nice tank. Any other method besides QT is not worth the risk with AEFW. Today Im happy to say I beat AEFW! knock on wood. AEFW

Do you have any info to back up your statements?

First off, Im not a scientist. Any AEFW information I give is from personal research and experiment. Fortunatley I have been able to work with polyclad expert Dr. Kate Rawlinson on the particular AEFW that I had. As of now there is not much documented research on AEFW accept for the reef keepers that have lost corals to them.

What statement are you questioning? That I had AEFW? Or there are different strains of AEFW?

There are millions of polyclad flat worms in the ocean. Most are still unidentified. I think there is definatley more then one type of AEFW. I base that on AEFW research that I have done. Reading many firsthand accounts from reefers that have/had AEFW. Like I said.. Im no scientist, but I can say with resonable certany that there is more then one type of AEFW. Just my opinion at this point.

I challenge anyone to infest their tank with the AEFW that I have and see if you can beat it with any other method then taking all acropora out of the system. I still have plenty of live AEFW in my control tank. Some of those little bastards are up to 1/2" long. Yes I have a control tank used for none other then AEFW observation and testing. Thats how much dedication I have to finding a viable cure to this problem. AEFW is a serious threat to our hobby. I can post pictures of my AEFW and numerous destroyed colonies if anyone is interested.

 

[tuberider]

I ask because there is so little info out there regarding AEFW and if you had anything to share by all means do so, but it seems that is not the case, I'm not questioning your experiences, however, you know how info is spread around forums....

 

[mcoomer]

I don't have any pics because I'm a bit too lazy to go steal my camera back from my niece but I've been dipping what's left of that coral and I haven't seen anything on it or any of my other frags since the first few days of dipping. I'm going to continue to dip the coral and then I'm going to frag off the three remaining tips that look viable. There is also a good ring of growth around the base of the stalk where the coral was beginning to encrust the plug so I think I'll break the stalk off just above that and see if it will regrow from the base up.

I'm not claiming victory yet and I'll continue to dip but it looks like I might get off pretty easy here.

Mike

 

[mcoomer]

Just over a month into the treatment and I don't see eggs on the coral or anything in the water after I dip it. I'm going to continue to dip it for a few more weeks but I think I'm going to get lucky and only lose the one coral. I still plan on fragging the few remaining tips and letting the base regrow but for now I'm going leave the coral as it is. I figure that if it's happy right now I'll let those tips grow out before I frag them. I had a few tips that were broken off so I put them on frag plugs and they're doing well. I may end up with 6 or 7 frags out of this.

Mike

 

[mcoomer]

I've passed the advice in this thread to a couple other folks in the last few days. Hopefully it will work for them as well as it worked for me. I ended up with two very nice frags that are coloring up and growing very nicely.

Mike