Just found AEFW. Now what?

[preef]

In a previous thread about Red Bugs the topic of AEFW came up. Decided to pull out a frag that hasn't been doing well and found them.

I discarded the frag. I also pulled out two millepora frags I bought about the same time and looked at those. One of them had STNd and one of them has had to polyp extension for months. I few suspicious things came off of those but I couldn't find any eggs. Since milleporas are not smooth I was afraid they were just too hard to see and tossed them as well. IME they wouldn't have made it long term. I didn't want to risk reintroducing them.

All of my other corals look great. I even have what I think is a tricolor that is close enough to the glass that I can inspect it with my naked eye. No eggs. No bite marks. That tricolor is encrusting my rock at a rapid rate too.

So do I leave things be assuming that they haven't spread or do I pull out what I can and dip in Revive?

Anybody have experience with finding them on only one piece and never causing a problem on any other corals or am I being naively optimistic?

 

[Logzor]

You will need to remove all of the acropora and put them into a separate system then dip weekly for at least 6 weeks.

Do you have a lot of nice colonies or frags? This will take a decent amount of time, energy, and money to get rid of them so you need to ask yourself if it is worth it trying to treat your corals or toss them.

 

[preef]

Just ordered a halichoeres cosmetus (Adorned Wrasse) which is reported to eat the buggers.

 

[joker295]

yup.... its a long journey... I just got over aefw and was dipping for two months....good luck

 

[joker295]

I know melanarus wrasse is a aefw eatter

 

[preef]

You will need to remove all of the acropora and put them into a separate system then dip weekly for at least 6 weeks.

Do you have a lot of nice colonies or frags? This will take a decent amount of time, energy, and money to get rid of them so you need to ask yourself if it is worth it trying to treat your corals or toss them.

Most are still frags. Some are encrusted colonies that can't be removed.

I don't have a separate system I can just transfer everything into. Can I just pull them out of the DT, dip them and put them back over the six week period?

 

[joker295]

that's what I did.. instead of six weeks I did 10 weeks to make sure I kill them and bought a melanarus to clean during the process... eggs are the hardest bc dipping wont kill them...that why the process is six weeks long to let the eggs hatch and dip to kill the babies

 

[coralreefhq]

Flat worms are definitely worse than Red Bugs.

Time to start treating that tank with a high dose of flatworm exit.
You'd have to do that for a week or 2, so that once eggs hatch it'll kill them and eradicate their population.

 

[Tony B (UK)]

Make sure you get a halichores cosmetus.

Get a few dancing shrimp, they are proven aefw predators.

There are some reports of dancing shrimp eating coral polyps but imho this is over stated I have one in my sps system now (as insurance) and he's not eating corals.

Good luck,

Tony

 

[coralreefhq]

Dancing shrimp or sexy shrimp?

That's news to me!

 

[preef]

Time to start treating that tank with a high dose of flatworm exit.

I didn't think Flatworm Exit worked with AEFWs, just Planeria FWs.

Make sure you get a halichores cosmetus.

Get a few dancing shrimp, they are proven aefw predators.

halichoeres cosmetus is on order. I already have a Radiant Wrasse.

I think the dancing shrimp are camelback shrimp. I've heard of them eating corals too. The picture isn't showing up for me.

 

[coralreefhq]

Shoot, how do you deal with those AEFW then?

Advice would be great!

 

[Tony B (UK)]

I think the dancing shrimp are camelback shrimp. I've heard of them eating corals too. The picture isn't showing up for me.

Yep that's another common name. Latin name is Rhynchocinetes durbanensis

Look here: http://www.korallen-zucht.de/en/service/flatworm-and-monti-snail-eaters/

 

[coralreefhq]

Shoot, how do you deal with those AEFW then?

Advice would be great!

 

[fishguy597]

will the aefw eat birdnests or monti caps? or is it strictly acros?

 

[preef]

will the aefw eat birdnests or monti caps? or is it strictly acros?

No. Just acros.

 

[fishguy597]

thanks preef. im glad you put those pics on. i pulled out a coral that was starting to rtn and dipped it in some seachem coral dip. i noticed some little brown worms floating around. i inspected the frag and found some eggs.(thanks to your pics)so ill be tagging along and dipping colonies /frags tonight

 

[preef]

thanks preef. im glad you put those pics on. i pulled out a coral that was starting to rtn and dipped it in some seachem coral dip. i noticed some little brown worms floating around. i inspected the frag and found some eggs.(thanks to your pics)so ill be tagging along and dipping colonies /frags tonight

I'm glad the pics helped. Hope everything turns out ok for you.

 

[fishguy597]

hey preef how is your treatment going?what have you been using for treatment? ive been using an iodine based dip. i know its a little harsh so i ordered some coral rx today. the kicker is it wont get here till monday. i have a nice red planet thats starting to rtn and im starting to worry. should i dip it in the seachem i have or wait the 4 or maybe 5 days to get the coral rx?

 

[reefsic]

Sorry to hear about the AEFW.

What I did when I caught it on a few of my colonies is...obviously dip all that were not already encrusted. I also dusted SPS dialy and added a Melanarus wrasse. This kicked the AEFW, but unfortunately just went thru RB's about 2 wks ago Quickly solved that with some Interceptor!!! :thumbsup:

GL