AEFW microscope pics

[tektite]

Couple quick microscope pics of an adult AEFW. I apologize for the weird white balance, my microscope's camera sucks.

Full shot, this is the bottom of the AEFW. It was hanging out on the surface of the water. A bit retracted, it wasn't happy with the microscope slide:


Close-up of the bottom of the flatworm. I wonder if those little black dots are its last meal.


Close-up of the flatworm's back:

 

[peequin]

cool!

 

[slapshot]

Uglier in up close that they are normal. I hate those things.

 

[trueblackpercula]

Very interesting pest.....no if we can only find something that kills them that would be great.

 

[tektite]

Easy to kill them, its their eggs that are the hard part.

 

[dadummy]

nice pics, thanks...last pic looks to me like it is full of eggs, unless it is bringing back the nightmare of seeing the eggs on the base of the corals..

 

[trueblackpercula]

I wonder if sps keepers around here can see if the sps they are keeping that have a host crab has AEFW? We always are told to remove them and maybe theses little acro crabs are the key to eating the eggs?
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone tried to put a sps crab in a controlled environment with AEFW to see if eAt them and the eggs?

 

[slapshot]

I wonder if sps keepers around here can see if the sps they are keeping that have a host crab has AEFW? We always are told to remove them and maybe theses little acro crabs are the key to eating the eggs?
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone tried to put a sps crab in a controlled environment with AEFW to see if eAt them and the eggs?

Have not but it makes sense. They protect their coral from all intrusions. It would be a cool experiment!

 

[Allmost]

I wonder if sps keepers around here can see if the sps they are keeping that have a host crab has AEFW? We always are told to remove them and maybe theses little acro crabs are the key to eating the eggs?
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone tried to put a sps crab in a controlled environment with AEFW to see if eAt them and the eggs?

could back up the reports of AEFW number increase after using interceptor to treat red bugs ! interceptor kills the crabs.

I think you may be into something here .... my acros with acro crab do have AEFW on them from time to time, but no real damage to base of coral ... no evidence or anything here to proove it, just thinking.

 

[tektite]

Who says to remove acro crabs? As long as they're really acro crabs and not other hitchhikers like gorilla crabs, they're fine to keep.

Since I already have AEFW I might as well make the most of it, lol. I would be curious to intentionally infest an acro with AEFW, add an acro crab and see what happens. I also want to see exactly how long it would take large adult AEFW to die with no access to acropora.

 

[rlpardue]

I would be curious to intentionally infest an acro with AEFW, add an acro crab and see what happens. I also want to see exactly how long it would take large adult AEFW to die with no access to acropora.

Both would be interesting experiments. I think the second one would get some serious attention.

Have you seen any tissue necrosis on your acros? (I am most likely the one who gave the poor OP the AEFW; I'll feel better if some good comes out of these experiments)

The pictures are awesome btw! The little boogers didn't know what they were in for when they made the mistake of entering your tank

 

[ptreef]

cool pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tektite]

Both would be interesting experiments. I think the second one would get some serious attention.

Have you seen any tissue necrosis on your acros? (I am most likely the one who gave the poor OP the AEFW; I'll feel better if some good comes out of these experiments)

Nothing but a few bite marks visible right now, I also haven't found any more eggs yet as they haven't been in the tank for very long.

Another experiment I'd like to do is isolate an acro with eggs but no adults, record when they hatch and see how long it takes for them to be old enough to lay eggs themselves.

This whole thing has peaked my scientific curiousity Other than the fact that they're munching my coral, they're quite interesting little creatures.

 

[rlpardue]

I have a spare 30g tank, skimmer and a bit of live rock to donate to the project if you want to pursue it.

 

[trueblackpercula]

It would be very nice if someone could take this to another level. Can someone with AEFW and a sps with an acro crab step up and try this? I don't have any AEFW thank god and do to me dipping everything I don't have an acro crabs either. It would be very cool to set up a pole and see if sps with acro crabs have AEFW as well. Let's hope this is a step in the right direction with finding a preditor that will eat them and the eggs.

Anyone up to the challenge ?

 

[tektite]

Lol, I just said I was going to try it...

 

[Allmost]

I think he is asking for an AEFW sample lol PM me address Ill post you one

 

[Allmost]

no but in a system, they always attack the weakest corals, OR their attack shows most signs on weak corals ...

 

[trueblackpercula]

Lol

 

[MammothReefer]

no but in a system, they always attack the weakest corals, OR their attack shows most signs on weak corals ...

I used to think this as well. However they seem to always got for specific types in my tank over say the health of the coral. My Efflo for example can be full recovered properly coloured looking great, and it's always one of the first ones to get hit even if I have some deep water corals just a couple inches away that are struggling for whatever reason.