Red bug and AEFW Egg Life cycle

[oscarslr]

Does any one know the life cycle for these pest?

Trying to set up a temp quarantine tank for any new SPS and was wondering what will kill the eggs or how long should they be in QT to completely deal with them.

Another question is what would you all treat the QT with to eliminate the two?

 

[dzhuo]

For red bug, it's about 3 to 5 days according to Eric Borneman:

Red Bugs (Tegastes acroporanus)

6. No Acropora should remain in or be placed back into the main display tank for five days. This is the longest period of time it has taken for any Tegastes acroporanus to survive without a host from observations to date. This assumes that there are no other surrogate hosts for this species, and that the observations of death from 3-5 days without a host are realistic of what would occur in a display tank.

Unfortunately, no one knows for AEFW. The first and only AEFW research paper was just published earlier this year in April. The paper is written by K. A. Rawlinson, , J. A. Gillis, R. E. Billings Jr. and E. H. Borneman and stated:

Taxonomy and life history of the Acropora-eating flatworm Amakusaplana acroporae nov. sp. (Polycladida: Prosthiostomidae)

It is not known how many egg batches an adult will lay in its lifetime. All egg batches observed were found on bare coral skeleton as opposed to live tissue. The number of egg capsules per batch ranged from 20–26 (n = 10), and within each capsule, there were 3–7 embryos (capsule n = 15). The length of embryonic development is approximately 21 days at 76–78°F (~25°C).

If you are setting up a QT, I would at least do 30 days on the safe side. As for dips, there are lots of info. Check the sticky at the top of this forum.

 

[oscarslr]

Good info, Thanks. Do you all keep your QT free standing???? meaning free of skimmer/sum etc....

 

[Reef Bass]

dzhuo, superb link to the taxonomy and life history of aefw. Thanks. Know your enemy!

 

[Bax]

That is a really great study on AEFWs. I've read it several times and every SPS keeper should read it. One thing I've not learned is once hatched, how long does an AEFW require to grow to a reproducing adult. And, once an adult, how long will one live?