AEFW..... Predators is it any ?

[reefman77]

Ive read that some nudibranches eat flatworms. I dont know what type of flatworms they eat but it may work for AEFW

 

[Leopardshark]

Ok guys,
IÃ"šÃ‚´m really interested in this thread but IÃ"šÃ‚´m kindda lost.
First of all what are AEFW? I mean what is the translation of this?
Are you saying that everyone who has treated with interceptor their tank has suddenly got a flatworm infestation?
Can those flatworms be treated with flatworm exit? are those flatworms the red ones that usually take over entire tanks?
Will mandarin or sixline wrasse eat them?
IÃ"šÃ‚´m getting really worried because IÃ"šÃ‚´m about to treat with interceptor and I have never ever read this AEFW before.
Thanks
Marco

 

[Zoom]

Marco .
AEFW----- are-----Acro Eating Flat Worms.
Travis........... can you post some pictures of the AEFW? for Marco to see.

 

[Leopardshark]

Ohh I see.
And how does this fwÃ"šÃ‚´s relate to treating with interceptor??
Man, IÃ"šÃ‚´m so bummed :-(

 

[clkwrk]

AEFW's

 

[clkwrk]

 

[Leopardshark]

I guess therÃ"šÃ‚´re not the pink dots are they?
I suppose the are the "coffee grain" shape shadows?

 

[Leopardshark]

And how can you see them with a bare eye?
And most important: how do you get rid of them?

 

[clkwrk]

pink/red dots.......those are red bugs....

 

[clkwrk]

Here is the AEFW intial damage

Look at the bite like marks on the left

 

[MSHUR]

clk,
thankx for great pic...
i tell ya......red bug, aefw,nudies....what next(((

 

[clkwrk]

Remember you said it

Here is another pest that eats corals like zoanthids and yes sps.

luckily the TMPCC kills them also

 

[MrPike]

Anyone try the Halichoeres chrysus with these AEFW's? Apparently, these wrasses are exceptional at eating the normal red planaria and pyramid snails, maybe they could help out here as well.

MrPike

 

[Travis]

Some more AEFW pics. IME, there are 2 different FW's that prey on acropora. One type is small and brown and the other is large and clear. The small brown type is not easy to see on the coral but a lot easier to see than the large clear type. The large clear type blends in to the coral very well and is next to impossible to see on the coral even when you know it is there.

Here is pic of a coral that was infested really bad with the little brown AEFW's. Notice the huge clutch of eggs consisting of well over 1,000 eggs. This coral had around 30-40 AEFW's on it. You can see a few of them. The easiest one to see is on the top right branch.
<img src=http://www.notlehs.com/travis/AEFW/AEFW%20on%20valida%204-7-06.jpg>

Here is a picture of a bunch of the larger AEFW's in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. These FW's are more "oval" shaped than the common red planaria that people usually see in their tanks.
<img src=http://www.notlehs.com/travis/AEFW/142_4224.JPG>

Here is a pic of one of the larger clear AEFW's on a frag. This pic shows how hard it can be to see them. The FW is in the middle are of the frag right where the 3 branches come together.
<img src=http://sio.midco.net/cdshelton/website/SPS-Eating-Flatworms/123_2396.JPG>
This particular frag was already bleached from the dip I did on it making it much easier to see the FW. On a healthy coral these things are extremely hard to see.

Another:
<img src=http://sio.midco.net/cdshelton/website/SPS-Eating-Flatworms/123_2400.JPG>

clkwrk posted a picture that shows an excellent representation of what type of damage these FW's cause. They seem to make "bite marks" on the coral making the coral look "blotchy". IME, the two different types of FW's cause different types of damage to the coral. The smaller brown ones cause the "blotchy" "bite marks". The larger clear ones cause what looks like "STN".

Here is a pic of the colony from the frag I posted above that was housing some of the large clear AEFW's. This was after I fragged it up. Notice the white superglue gel I had applied a few weeks earlier. I originally thought the coral was STN'ing and applied the glue to try to stop the STN. It turned out to be FW's. I think this is probably the case with a lot of acros that we think are STN'ing. This is the type of damage that the large clear AEFW's cause.
<img src=http://sio.midco.net/cdshelton/website/SPS-Eating-Flatworms/124_2403.JPG>

 

[gflat65]

Marco,

There's not been any direct link to the interceptor treatment/AEFW emergence, but there is coincidental evidence. We don't fully understand the pest, yet. I had the clear AEFW's... Nice shots everyone.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7218422#post7218422 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrPike
Anyone try the Halichoeres chrysus with these AEFW's? Apparently, these wrasses are exceptional at eating the normal red planaria and pyramid snails, maybe they could help out here as well.

MrPike

I think MrPike is referring to this wrasse.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1872&articleid=1929

 

[MSHUR]

steve,
i have the same wrasse in my tank....no luck((

mike

 

[Chrisrush]

I have an acro that has an acro crab and it still has AEFW, therefore I tend to believe that the crab either doesn't realize there is a pest on the acro or they aren't natural enemies.

I did do 2 RB treatments, and I removed the acro crab before each treatment in hopes of keeping him alive.

So far, I've noticed my Christmas Wrasse picking at the rocks and glass, but nothing on the corals yet. Then again, I've only had him since Sat.

Chris

 

[Chrisrush]

Here's a couple in tank pictures of the damage that they can do.

Notice the left side of this acro:

If you are looking for the damage, it looks bite marks like everyone else has stated.

 

[gflat65]

I've read that a few people have had luck with Hawaiian Christmas wrasses and AEFW.