My own AEFW (Acro Eating Flatworms) images

[melev]

Stoney, a couple of guys in Austin tried to save their corals from these pests and lost a TON of corals. It was a real shame. Maybe you can add a few of your thoughts as to what might have gone wrong? Here's where things got started, and then you'll have about 60 posts to read:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=8405517#post8405517

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8516608#post8516608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stoney Mahony
Im still AEFW free, Havent seen a single one since my first Fluke tab dip which I believe was around 3 months ago. My corals have been out of QT and back in the display for around a month now and still no AEFW. I am positive that they are gone b/c I have seen the damage they do when you have them and my corals are not being attacked at all now. Glad to be AEFW free. I have heard some say that you can never be completely sure if you have them, just if you have had them or have not. I completely disagree with this b/c for anyone who has had them, they don't just hide out and wait...they eat your corals. Now if you have some gigantic 500gal tank and can't actually inspect each coral then yes, you have a chance of having them with out knowing but if your tanks small enough that you can inspect each coral daily, you can easily spot the signs of AEFW. They must eat to survive and reproduce so if you have them, it should be apparent. Melve only had a couple corals get attacked but he still noticed it out of his big ol tank, and it sounds like he was able to fend off the AEFW with targeted dips, not an entire tank QT which is awesome.

I just wanted to add my own experience. I too thought I had rid my tank of AEFWs. About 3-4 months later I noticed them starting to reappear. I have notices other have had the same experience. I believe the AEFWs can actually have a fairly low reproduction rate and not be noticed for many many months. I'll cross my fingers that you have gotton rid of them, but from my experience it is very possible they might come back. Keep us posted!

 

[ikatobiko]

I have started to stock my 300 gal display again. Right now U have a 10 gallon QT filled with acro frags. I have treated all of them with interceptor and this weekend will be the 2nd Fluke Tab treatment. Next weekend, I'll do one last Fluke Tab Dip before placing them in my display.

So far I see no AEFWs, although I don't think I got any to begin with when I got the frags. However, I still treated them, as I will ANY coral before it is placed in my system.

I'm doing a 3 week QT with 1 initial interceptor treatment and 3 Fluke Tab treatments (1 per week). I did the first Fluke Tab treatment in a 5 gallon bucket, but i think I'll do the next 2 in the QT.

 

[wentreefgirl]

Is this an effective dip for when frags come in?????How long to dip?And is it effective on red planaria.

 

[Lo0seR]

Ya I saw those pict's of those guys in Texas and all there loss, and in those pict's were a bunch of monti caps. So is it safe to say that monti's are subjected to these AEFW as well?

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8525163#post8525163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lo0seR
Ya I saw those pict's of those guys in Texas and all there loss, and in those pict's were a bunch of monti caps. So is it safe to say that monti's are subjected to these AEFW as well?

No, montiporas are not affected by the AEFWs.

 

[fishypets]

Those guys from Texas really lost a ton of coral.

Although I did not see eggs or AEFW on the caps I did notice eggs on my digis. At this point assume nothing is safe from the AEFW. I assumed I was safe and lost 95% of my sps. I hope everyone reading this thread will do everything to prevent such losses.

 

[OoNickoC]

Been reading the thread for a while......Ive seen these and dealt with them....ended up 86ing the corals infested. The thought of them makes me cringe.

 

[Znut Reefer]

I have been following this thread also. I was so sorry to hear of your loss fishypets. Do you think it was the in tank treatment that triggered the RTN?
I'm sure your next setup will be even more awesome! Let me know when you need frags.

 

[THEKIDSTA1]

OK COULD SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW TO QUARENTINE AN ACRO?? ADD HOW MUCH LUGOS SOLUTION ECT...

 

[gflat65]

I'd like to see some picture of AEFW bite marks or the actual animals on Monti's. I think there is a reason they are called Acro eating flatworms. I'll need pics to prove otherwise in my head. Are you sure you aren't seeing nudi's or nudi eggs? This is the first time I've heard several people state that the AEFW's are eating their Monti's, too... Pics please.

THEKIDSTA1,

I use a TMPCC dip on everything coming in and an extended QT period. That helps control any popultaions you might be putting in the QT, while giving a chance to obersve/treat more as needed. You really can't get by in this hobby without a QT tank anymore (unless you don't mind the occasional complete tear down and replacement of corals and rock). There is so much out there and most don't know they have them...

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Here are some pics of my corals in the diplay I took yesterday. They are getting back some good color and starting to get settled in:

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Here are a few pics of my Azurea colony which was HEAVILY infected. I was so close to chopping this puppy up but it's totally healed up and starting to get back it's purple tips(only 1 or 2 but it's a start ):

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Last but not least, here are some pics of the QT tank which I have changed around a little bit. I have a 150w HQI pendant w/ 20k bulb, no skimmer and a ball of cheatomorpha(on the left in the first pic). I have to wipe brown diatomic algae once a week but it's not to bad. I also have a few stometella's and a turbo which keep the frag plugs pretty clean. The 400w was alot brighter but my power bill is getting out of hand so I had to switch it out. Also the skimmer was keeping the water to clean for me and alot of my colors were fading. Now it seems to be just right.

Here is a digi getting good color in the QT:

Here are the original Valida frags from the colony I chopped up(12 or more frags). Some have not grown much and some have encrusted well but they are all starting to grow and are definately healthy .

I did not have any attack's on my digi's or caps and I did not treat them for AEFW's. They are all healthy and growing good. I would also like to see some pics of them on digi's, eggs on digi's. and also eggs hidden in crevaces of rockwork as others have reported. I don't doubt that it has happened b/c fishypets and dudester have no reason to make up crap and they are posting soley for the purpose of helping others but pics speak a thousand words for people that have not been following along the whole time and gained trust in your reportings .

 

[Stoney Mahony]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8518768#post8518768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisaggie
I just wanted to add my own experience. I too thought I had rid my tank of AEFWs. About 3-4 months later I noticed them starting to reappear. I have notices other have had the same experience. I believe the AEFWs can actually have a fairly low reproduction rate and not be noticed for many many months. I'll cross my fingers that you have gotton rid of them, but from my experience it is very possible they might come back. Keep us posted!

Thanks for reporting I am hoping not to have any future outbreaks and I will definately report them if I do. I look at the corals closely all the time and I know what to be looking for as far as eggs and bite marks so I think if I have any, they will reveal themselves over time. It's only a 55 so it's pretty easy to inspect all corals . I don't plan on adding any new corals until I upgrade so it should be very apparent if the treatment was a 100% success. If they come back we will know that it didn't work.

 

[Dudester]

Sorry all, I haven't been keeping up with this thread as diligently as I should have been. I can answer a lot of the questions posed above. First of all, Melev, thanks for enlisting the help of others regarding our problems here in Austin/Cedar Park. It's great to get opinions from as many people as possible.

chrisaggie and gflat65 - I will vouch for the fact that Clint (fishypets) had a colony of montipora digitata that was loaded with AEFW eggs. He saw them after his first treatment, and honestly I was skeptical and didn't want to remove the digis from my tank for treatment. So I posted a thread in the SPS forum and others confirmed finding AEFW on digis. I definitely know what the AEFW eggs look like, since I found them on one of my millepora frags, pictured here.

Having said that, I realize that the proof's in the pudding, and in this case, the "pudding" would be a photo of a digi with eggs. Unfortunately, during our treatment and scraping off procedure, we did not take a picture of the infected digi, so I ask that you take my word on this one. Regarding the nomenclature of these pests, perhaps when others confirm what we saw with photos, the name might have to be changed?

Stoney - Your corals are looking great! So nice to see.

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Thanks Dude! I know what you mean about not thinking about taking a picture. I would have taken a million more if I would have been thinking about it but I was kind of in panic mode and all I was thinking about was saving my corals.

 

[chrisaggie]

I don't think that AEFW on a digi would prove they are eating it. Would an AEFW on a rock prove it was eating the rock?

 

[Dudester]

Good point, Chris (I assume that's your name), but when you see accompanying bite marks, it's convincing enough for this guy to go ahead and treat them.

 

[chrisaggie]

Have we seen bite marks on a monti? Anyone have pics? I think it's a fine idea to go ahead and treat the montis, but jumping to assume they eat them might be a little premature.