Help me beat AEFW

[Jon_Hewett_85]

After beating the red begs it seems I now have the dreaded AEFW. This all came about after ending up with the contents of another reefers tank and not having the capacity to QT everything. I can't happer this point home enough...QUARANTINE EVERYTHING.

Now for some system info: There are two tanks connected to a common sump. a 20H display and a 40B display. I have only discovered flatworms in the 40B and have not seen any evidence in the 20B. For now the 40B has been valved off from the rest of the system.

I was peering into the tank the other day and I noticed that a fresh frag was looking very bad, almost looking like part of it had been chewed, when it was in great shape the day before. Looking around some more I noticed a grey spot on a millie that had been lacking some polyp extension lately. Well I dipped it in revive and sure enough a few flatworms flew off. These are definetly not you're run of the mill red planeria and are much larger. Also found some on a tabling acro that had suddenly started recessing. I immediately dipped all of the frags I could removed and put them into my QT tank. So here is my plan:

Tonight I plan to scorch the earth in the 40. Chisel the colonies off of the rocks and use epoxy/superglue to smother/kill any remaining Acropora sp. tissue left. With no food source for a couple of months the little devils should die out. While the frags are in QT I plan to dip them in revive on a weekly basis. A whole tank treatment with levamisole or betadine may be in order for the QT, but I don't think I need to cross that bridge just yet.

With the two tanks connected I am praying that they have not made it into the 20g (which is where all of my favorites are). I have not seen any evidence of these yet in the 20 so for now I am going to be watching it like a hawk.

At this point I think I have a pretty solid plan to beat these. Any advice or input from anyone who has successfully beaten these would be much appreciated.

 

[blakers82]

Sorry to hear of your FW infiltration. It sounds like you are on the right track. I don't have experience with levamisole so can't help there, but I was able to save a few corals (lost many to AEFW). I'd keep a close eye on the QT and dip your colonies periodically if signs of worm life persist. I don't have a specific number of days regimen, but perhaps once a week depending on the dip. Just keep an eye on everything and use that patience power. The situation is salvageable. (Pats on back)

 

[blakers82]

Oh. And find those eggs and get'em outta there. Destroy the eggs! I think it correlates to the brains of a zombie...or something like that.

 

[gofor100]

I've beat AEFW... and the key (I think) to my success was weekly dipping of ALL Acro's for about 8 weeks...

Also, any eggs you find in the meantime, definitely scrape off or get rid of the piece altogether.

I've never used Levamisole, so maybe you won't have to dip this frequently, but it definitely won't hurt.

Good luck! It seems like you're well on your way to a AEFW-free system.

-Chad

 

[RRaider]

I think your 20H is probably safe. AEFW are not free swimmers so that decreases the chance they made it to the other tank. No guarantee however.

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

Thanks for the resposne guys! So far I have not found any eggs. I think 8 weeks acro free in the 40 should be sufficient for any flatworms present to starve out. The revive seems to work well as a dip, the flatworms dropped off the infected corals within seconds. Right now I've been dipping at 4 min. Does anyone have any experience with using the revive.

I am nervous about the 20 as a few things have gone from the 40 into the 20, however this was only 2 frags and these were fresh cut well before I noticed any AEFW signs in the 40. They have since grown and encrusted. There is a chance that there are flatworms in the 20 and I haven't seen anything yet. I think my best course of action for the 20 is careful observation. I am NOT prepared to start dumping chemicals into the displays.

One other thing that concerns me is being able to sustain these in the QT as it is currently. The tank is a 20L with an MJ1200 (seems to be plenty of flow to the point of having to redirect it to prevent frags from blowing around) and a 65w PC. I know this isn't enough so I am debating between adding a second 65w (6500KK) PC or getting a used halide bulb and trying to rig up a spare 250w over it. I am expecting to lose some pieces. Thankfully I have frags of almost everything in the 20.

 

[MammothReefer]

I've done well with Just blasting/basting, don't need to setup another QT. Only dip if a piece is new or really is showing signs (and I know it's not sensitive). Otherwise I just take my turkey baster, or MJ1200 and blast all my corals a couple times a week. (Once a week w/the mj1200). I also have a couple wrasses that are actively hunting all the time.

I haven't seen them in a while I even added a piece I knew was infected a couple weeks ago. I just dipped it first and have been basting/blasting the past 3 weeks.

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

I thought about it, and after seeing the damage these can do to frags in such a short amount of time, I decided these must be completely eradicated. That said, my research that there are 2 types, one much more destructive than the other. I don't have any of my favorite pieces in the 40 (just some very small frags of other stuff) and none of it is super-expensive-LE-name-brand. I'm operating under the assumption that I'm going to lose some stuff, which out of the 40 won't break my heart. An outbreak of these in the 20 would make me want to cry. Anyone got any input on my QT lighting situation?

 

[Piper27]

I use revive and its worked really good. Make sure to rinse your dipped pieces in a non dip tank water bucket to make sure they all fall off. DO NOT skip any dips or go extra days without dipping. Make sure to inspect every single piece for eggs each and every time you dip. I am on my last dip and I can't wait til I put that last coral in the tank. I would not put everything in a qt, I dunno how many pieces you have but I dip a heavily stocked 210 every 6 days and its well worth not worrying about how everything is doing in a qt tank. I tried it and everything went down hill. And I would dip everything in the other tank as well, I think thats how I messed up the first time. Trust me you want to kill them while you can. Being through and making sure you have your dip before hand is best. (I couldn't find any revive the day before my dip and skipped a week and found out that a couple eggs were layed and hatched so I had to start all over. Seems like this time I have been dipping for around 3 freaking months... Good luck to you!

 

[Piper27]

The only time I ever lost anything was when I tried setting up a new qt and that didn't go well.

Also I dip everything except deepwater acros in revive for 15 min. Deepwaters go in for 8 or so.

Did you find a lot of eggs?

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

Unfortunatley a lot of stuff is firmly glued down in the 20, so pulling stuff from this tank is something I definately do NOT want to do. I will probably put a filter sock on the drain from the 40 to ensure nothing makes it through and bring it back online. I have no problem chiseling stuff off in the 40 B/c it's only a few pieces that require it. Not the case in the 20. I will if I am forced to...but definately not until I am out of other viable options. Everything is growing well and is quite happy.

 

[joao junior]

hi guys,how the dose of revive yours are using??yours use the new revive formula??thanks.

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

I'm using it at the dosage prescribed on the bottle. I believe it's 1 capful / quart.

 

[blakers82]

I use revive too. I follow instructions on bottle. I dip enough to baste, inspect, shake, baste, inspect, shake until I'm comfortable. 5-7 mins maybe. And another good shake or two in a tank water only container before back into the QT.

 

[LifeAquatic]

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I think your 20H is probably safe. AEFW are not free swimmers so that decreases the chance they made it to the other tank. No guarantee however.

Not always true. I have personally seen an AEFW swim from the coral to the glass in my tank. They can and do swim if they have to. I can say this was a rare occurance.

 

[MammothReefer]

I only dip as a last resort. I've lost more pieces from dipping then I have from the AEFW themselves.

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

To really have this problem beat I believe total eradication is the answer here. Otherwise I feel like even a small population could take hold and run amuck if something else stressed corals such as an alk, salinity swing, etc. Especially since I have a chance, not really having a lot of large grown in nice colonies in the 40.

I agree there is a possibility of contamination in the 20. If there is it was probably a direct introduction as opposed to through the overflow. It would be a long improbable ride for a flatworm. Although, not impossible. Only time will tell this one for sure. I have eagle eyes on every frag in the 20, especially the ones I know they have a taste for.

At this point, I feel lucky that I caught the situation before it got out of hand.

Also, I'm glad the had already been up and running for a little over a month (had a fish that just moved into the display after a 4 week stint in QT. As far as the corals go, no outright losses yet. Most of the frags in QT are exhibiting PE. I did not have time to chisel the remaining colonies out of the display. Hopefully I will get to this tomorrow. Once I have all of the acros out of the 40, I feel it's a waiting game. Try to keep my water quality as high as possible, and cary on with weekly dips and egg inspections for 8 weeks. Oh yea, and pray for no AEFW in the 20.Any thoughts on lighting requirements for the QT?

Side note: I don't think a very long dip is required to get to get the flatworms off acros. The onces I saw drop off did so within seconds of being in the dip. I also use a straw to pipette out some of the FW that dropped off into a bowl of clean SW at intervals after being in the dip. NONE recovered.

 

[Piper27]

Not trying to discourage you but hoping they are not in the 20 is risky. These pests will do whatever they can to make your life hell, underestimating them will lead to a longer more painful battle. It might not be fun but dipping the 20 would be best in the end and also relieve your mind of the "what if".

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

I can't tell you where exactly I went wrong but here's my horrror story. I set up a new qt, a sumpless 36gal. I chiseled colonies off, and moved to qt. Two days later I did my first dip. Within 5 days they all rtn'd.

So here's where I believe I went wrong. The chiseling off the rock greatly stressed them. Then I moved to a newly established qt that didn't have a skimmer. Then I dipped them after only two days. The combo was too much stress and the tank crashed. Take that FWIW, but if I were to do it over again my qt would have filtration. My qt would be established(I used tank water to fill the qt, but this wasn't enough). I would wait a week or two before dipping after cutting off rocks.

Good luck.

 

[Jon_Hewett_85]

Well, I did lose a couple of the frags that already looked bad. Did another water change today on the QT. I still have not had a chance to chisel the remaining acros off of the rock.