Acro Eating Flatworms - CSA

[jnfallon]

Hey All,

Community Service Announcement.

I am having my first run-in with acro-eating flatworms, and let me tell you, the buggers are brutal.

Without going into it too much, I just want to urge you all to dip any and all corals going into your tank regardless of where they come from. Imagine having to take out all your acros (including the tiny encrusted bits on the rocks), dip and qt them for 6 weeks, and you'll get a sense of what awaits you if one of these invisible millimeter long pests sneak in.

AEFW and Redbugs are extremely prevalent right now, and I would estimate that a vast majority of tanks have one or both without knowing it. I havent gotten any new corals in over a year, and after having a few pieces continually struggle I did a test dip. Trust me, you wont be able to see AEFW even with a magnifying glass, I had literally thousands of them, and couldn't see one.

Anyway, save yourself a lot of hassle and heartache and dip your corals. The dip I used was 1 fluke tab per 1.25 gallon sw for 20 minutes with a very small powerhead. It worked like a charm. You need to use interceptor for redbugs (I dont have them).

[fishome25]

good to know, thanks for the heads up.

[Spracklcat]

did you see the lecture by Fernando Nostrapour about those guys? Few months ago--was amazing. He had video, and even when you KNEW exactly where they were you couldn't see them.

:( Sorry Justin.

[pyro383]

what is a fluke tab and where can you get them?

[eboonaman]

they are used in mostly for freshwater to rid fish of gill worms..
every LFS has them usually in stock.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/5762/cid/1571

[Neurotech]

FYI FWIW : aquahut has a nudibranch in stock that eats the flatworms.

[teen]

ive go the redbugs right now. think im gunna go talk to the local vet and see if i can get the presecription for interceptor. pretty sure im free of AEFW.

[jnfallon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9874777#post9874777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Neurotech
FYI FWIW : aquahut has a nudibranch in stock that eats the flatworms.

I didnt think there was such a thing. Do you have genus/species or any more info?

Eric (and others) fluke tabs are cheap (like $29 bux for 100) and to dip you simply crush pill(s) , and mix with correct amount of tank water. Use a small ph (very small, like 100gph) and lightly blow off the coral for the duration. SOme will come off immediately, but the bigger ones seem to hang one for longer.

An interceptor dip takes a little longer, I think the duration is 6-10 hrs, and as teen mentioned you need a precription to get them. Redbugs can be treated in tank, whereas aefw cannot as yet.

[jnfallon]

Christine, I did not see that, nor have I heard about it until now. ANy more info?

[shyland83]

Does anyone remember Palettas talk at NERAC? i vaguely remember him talking about trining his fish to eat flat worms. He quarantined them with a coral that had flatworms and blew them off with a turkey baster until the fish learned to pick them off the corals. Once they were trained he added them to the display. I don't remember the types of fish he used if anyone remembers. I'm pretty sure it was AEFW he was talking about but my memory is fuzzy.

[jnfallon]

those are red planaria. As far as I know, planaria are a nuisance (and can be treated in tank with flatworm exit), aefw are deadly.

[JB NY]

The talk at MACNA was only about the AEFW. No information at all about how to get rid of them. :(

Justin, Get them early. Here are some of the corals I lost to the bugers before I knew I had them.

http://www.cnidarianreef.com/images/dscn_new/DSCN1334.jpg

[jnfallon]

yeah. Apparently I have the grandchildren of yours. :)

I have a pile about as big so far.

It's surprising how little info/discussion there is about them considering how prevalent they seem to be, and how destructive they are.

[JB NY]

There has been tons of discussion in the SPS forum.

[fishome25]

joe what kind of snail is on that tray. i have some, don't know where they came from. thought a whelk maybe?

[JB NY]

No snails on the tray :confused:

[DgenR8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9880058#post9880058 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JB NY
No snails on the tray :confused:


On the lip of the tray, near the cup.

[teen]

why'd you take that green cap out if there ACRO eating flatworms?

[JB NY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9880219#post9880219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DgenR8
On the lip of the tray, near the cup.

Ahh missed that. A cerith snail.

The cap was collateral damage.

[Neurotech]

[QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9875253#post9875253 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnfallon
[B]I didnt think there was such a thing. Do you have genus/species or any more info?

No, I don't. There is a new guy working at Aquahut - seems to know what he is talking about - used to work for ORA. He is the one that mentioned that to me about the branch.

[fishome25]

he prob has blue velvet nudis. for a different flatworm

[Neurotech]

yup. They were blue velvet. Sorry. Damn picky nudi's.