AEFW taxonomy

[easttn]

I think I have finally ID'ed the simple life form that is wiping many of us out. BTW, I am only a hobbyist. If you find FACTS please assist. I don't want to rehash Levamisole or Interceptor please.

The lineage is as follows:
Eukaryota > Metazoa > Eumetazoa > Bilateria > Acoelomata > Platyhelminthes > Turbellaria > Acoelomorpha > Acoela > Convolutiade > Waminoa > Brickneri. Actually the genus and species (the last two) are best guesses based on research. There are over 3000 types of Acoela, but the one I listed is very suspect.

Its a Wami Brick .

There are two disturbing issues with this thing that I had not seen before.

1. There is a planktonic phase, known as Muller's Larva, so QT won't help unless you get your UV bulbs back online during QT.
2. It will avoid detection and or killing the host, at least until reproduction has been achieved, then the gloves are off. These things make rabbits look monogamous.

All the sites I found on the WEB are vocal about the classification, life stages, reproduction, and predation habits, but I found none that helped with eradication.

There are two avenues in my mind (one really); what microbiocide will interrupt the lifecycle to the point of eradication in a captive environment (no). What are the natural predators that we have somehow damaged. These three may help someone, Tardigrada, Nematodes, and Arthropods.

Here is a link to get some folks interested. I know it says Red Sea but these bugs are all over the planet.

I'm only trying to help, please don't blast me if you know more. Assist.

 

[ChickenCannoneer]

Still talking to friends who are vets about possible treatment. Thanks for you hard work, Tim

 

[Zaphod]

Nice work sounds like a step in the right direction.

 

[easttn]

Found a good description of these creatures. Hope I can use reproductive gland words on this forum.

A thesis abstract from Maxina Vyaboze Ogunlana,

Wurninoa "brickneri" n. sp. can infest corals in high numbers, often forming clusters in non-overlapping arrays, and it appears to feed on mucus secreted by the coral. It is bronze-colored, owing to the presence of two types of dinoflagellate endosymbionts, and speckled white with small, scattered pigment spots. Its body is disc-shaped, highly flattened and circular in profile except for a small notch at the posterior margin where the reproductive organs lie. The male copulatory organ is poorly differentiated, but comprises a seminal vesicle weakly walled by concentrically layered muscles, and a small penis papilla with serous glands at its juncture with the male pore. The female system comprises a separate female pore, ciliated vagina, seminal bursa, a pair of weakly sclerotized nozzles, and paired ovaries. Similarities with Haplodiscus spp. as well as features characteristic of the Convolutidae, including similarity in 18s rDNA sequence, warrant reassigning Waminon to the Convolutidae.

This is our bug. Still no luck finding treatment without removing the coral from our tanks. I don't think that does much anyway, the worm is in its last stage of its life by the time you see it. The larva are throughout the system by that time. I have not found anything indicating UV eradicating the ctenophores (ten o fores). There is also data to support that there is only a short time peroid that these things are water borne.

Yea I'm bored guys.

 

[marinelife]

Eric Borneman is looking for live AEFWs for research, so you may want to contact him

 

[easttn]

A little more info. These worms have a strong requirement for lipids in order to synthesize and maintain their body structure and membrane systems. The unfortunate circumstance we find ourselves in revolves around the worms inability to synthesize fatty acids and must acquire lipids from the cells in a host, our SPS. The zoothanthelle in our corals are the fuel that drives these bugs.

In a nutshell, the worms process the fatty acids in the zoo, and that in turn starves the coral to death.

 

[Kent E]

:thumbsup: great work!

 

[Stoney Mahony]

I have experimented and found fluke tabs to be an awesome treatment as a dip. I will soon be setting up a research tank in which I will experiment with doses for an in tank treatment. I hope Borneman is experimenting with fluke tabs or anything containing mebendazole and trichlorfon b/c they seem to be an ULTRA effective means of erratication. Good research easttn!

 

[clkwrk]

If they feed off of Lipids and such then I would believe that rb's could do the same considering they don"t have teeth or jaws just a scoop for a mouth.

Good info on the worms.

 

[easttn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8161036#post8161036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
If they feed off of Lipids and such then I would believe that rb's could do the same considering they don"t have teeth or jaws just a scoop for a mouth.

Good info on the worms.

clkwrk,

I suspect that's true, but there is a major difference in the two parasite's affect on the coral.

RB's are much more mobile and are more of an irritant to the coral in that the zoo can still respire and survive the attack. The zoo can still convert light energy to fuel as it is not blocked from the MH during the attack.

The AEFWs on the other hand completely block the light to the zoo where they eat. The zoo dies as the worm slowly consumes the fatty acids it requires to survive. The coral cannot survive the onslaught, the worm strips the skin and starves the coral. The worms do not like the light, so the process begins at the base usually.

Something of interest, the worms typically live in a shallow substrate, there is no light and a massive amount of food. BB does not help our chances.

 

[clkwrk]

I agree.


That would also explain why I found eggs away from the corals on rock near the acro or on frag plugs always away from light.

There has to be some correlation between all of these pests unless in the wild they aren't living in the same areas.

I am just glad I am thru that mess and I can learn more about them now instead of battling them.

 

[Lunchbucket]

holy cows!! how did you figure all this out??

i'm sure this thread is gonna get huge and have some great info in it

Lunchbucket