Some of my acros

[gflat65]

It's been a while since I've posted many shots of the tanks (aside from frags). The AEFW incident wreaked some serious havoc, but things are looking up now.
Tricolor A cerealis-supposed to be a sensitive acro, but it made it through the treatments.

Blue mille-also made it through the treatments.

Bali tricolor (valida or azurea?)-this one also made it through the treatment. There were a few more, but these are the most colorful acros.

Some newer additions (last five months or so).
Green bottlebrush acro

Blue formosa? Casey gave me this one to see if it would color up. It's getting there.

ORA Torquise stag from fishdoc. It's colored up nicely after the QT, too.

 

[platax88]

That Bali tricolor is awesome!

What does AEFW stand for?

Nice shots Gary, thanks for sharing

Jack

 

[ocd_mariner]

Acro Eating FlatWorm.


I need more posts for an avatar

 

[gflat65]

AEFW's are a scurge. I found them back in March. They probably came in from something from the frag swap. I was only worried about red bugs, didn't even think about AEFW's. I lost most of my colonies and frags (but fishdoc helped me build them back up). It justified a QT tank in addition to the frag tank for Jenn. I dip everything that goes in any tank in TMPCC (except the orange tree sponge for danieljames and the gorgonian from the frag swap) and QT them for weeks before letting them into my tanks. There is still no guarantee that something won't slip through, but I feel a lot better for trying...

 

[platax88]

wow ... sps are a new world for me. I had no idea that there where such parasites and that QT was necessary.

Are you guys aware of any parasites that might affect lps and softies? i never QT any corals

 

[gflat65]

There are softie eating flat worms and LPS eating flatworms. Most only eat one genus or a small group of genus and you don't hear about them too often. Seems like I saw a thread about some sort of softie flatworm recently. These are different than the planaria flatworms. For zoas, there are spider, nudi's, worms, and a few other things. Check out zoaid.com for some predator pictures. All of the submitted named zoas can be found there, too.

I dip everything primarily for the chance that an AEFW or nudi of some sort was trekking across the coral when it was removed from the tank and bagged. I don't typically worry as much about softies and LPS parasite, but dip them anyway. Paranoia, but after my troubles earlier this year, no one will convince me it is unnecessary. They're out to get me man...

 

[ct_vol]

Gary~ What did you do to treat the AEFW's??? I'm worried about a frag that may be obtained from an infested tank in the somewhat near future... Any recomendations??? Beyond not putting it in my tank??? lol

 

[fishdoc11]

Looking good Mr. Flatness :thumbsup:

 

[gflat65]

Thanks Chris

Randy,

I did four levamisole treatments. You don't want to have to do this... It's a five hour treatment, then you get to have fun. At the end of the five hour treatment, you remove each coral (all acros and tissue having already been removed from the display and placed in a QT tank for four to five weeks-oh, did I forget that step?) and swish it around and blast with powerheads to dislodge any stunned AEFW's. Then you drain the tank and under vinegar and hot water rinse all pieces of equipment and the tank, then return everything back to the display. 3-4am were the earliest I could expect to get to bed on treatment nights and was completely worn out afterward. Repeat three more times... Main tank must go acroless for at least a month for all AEFW's to die, their eggs to hatch, and then starve.

What you want to do is find some Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. I have been dipping everything I get before putting it into a QT. Then I prophilactically dip weekly for four weeks. I typically overdose acros and follow the rules on softies. It is made for acros, though. I've dipped Acan echinata, Acan lord, Fungia sp., Psammacora sp., Monti's (digi's, caps, danae's), Leptastrea pruinosa, Mycedium, Goniopora (stuchburyi?), Micromussa amak, and zoas. I haven't lost anything yet. Use at own caution on anything besides acros, sine it is made for acros, but I'd had luck. I haven't seen any new pests and have acquired quite a few things since all of the problems.

 

[ct_vol]

Gary~ Thanks for the info... I'm not really sure this is going to be worth it... I'll try and find the Tropic Marine though...

Oh, btw I got distracted and forgot to say nice pics!!! lol LMK when your Bali Tri is ready to frag...

 

[greystreet41]

dude, that formosa has really colored up....come get the other brown acros that are suppose to be purple!

 

[DMBillies]

It's nice to see that at least a few of the acro colonies made it through. I'm sure that was a nightmare.

That turquoise stag is awesome.

 

[gflat65]

Casey,

How's tomorrow? I might have to put them on layaway cause I still owe Jenn's savings a little bit on the 90 (aside from the $90 I owe, it was all paid for with reef money). Do you take stamps?lol