How to Prevent Pests like AEFW & LRB?

[KoleTang]

I am curious about how this should be done properly, as only dipping corals does not seem good enough and I don't exactly feel safe with dipping as the only practice.

I read an article on RHM. Here --> Reef Hobbyist Magazine Quarter 3 2011It basically says:

#1 Put corals into quarantine with interceptor bath for 12 hours. OK, sounds good.

#2 Rinse corals then dip in CoralRX. OK.

#3 Inspect corals. Look for Pest. Ya...

#4 Put in tank. Ummm.... what?

This seems like we are missing something. Does coral RX kill AEFW and AEFW eggs? I have not heard that it does.

Here is what I am thinking should be done... but please comment to help me get the perfect system here:

#1 Inspect Corals

#2 Cut base of SPS including any naked skeleton and frag plug. Scrub Plug of Zoas or LPS with a toothbrush. To remove any eggs.

#3 Rinse Corals then put in quarantine with interceptor for 12 hours

#4 Dip corals in dip that will kill AEFW or give corals 12 hour bath in medication that kills AEFW

#5 Rinse. Dip in CoralRX. Rinse.

#6 Final inspection, then add to tank.

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So My questions are:

- What dip/bath is proven to kill AEFW?

- If it is a coral bath, can it be mixed with interceptor or do I need to change out the QT water to remove interceptor before adding new flatworm killing med?

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Comments:

- I do not want to have corals in QT for weeks on end. Two 12 hour baths seem enough if frag plug is removed or scrubbed.

- The scrubbing/removing of frag plugs should keep out any nuisance algae.

- Too bad we can't just scrub fish to remove parasites. :wink:

 

[Reefer831]

That problem is there is no dip that kills AEFW's...a month in the QT is the only way to go ...I do like the other steps you are taking...they will help out a lot to prevent AEFW's...the main thing I like that you are doing is cutting the base off and remounting it...AEFW's dont like light so most of the time they are underneath the coral and laying eggs in or on the plug or base of the coral....the best way to be safe is QT everything!!!!...really it's the only smart way!!!...if there was a dip that killed AEFW's even it could fail sometimes...but not everyone has the cash or the space for a QT so I guess the steeps you are taking are the next best thing. Good luck!

 

[KoleTang]

So what should be done during the month of QT? Dips? Baths? Water Changes? The only pain about this is setting up another *stable* tank with lights and water quality that the corals can handle. :/

 

[KoleTang]

Coral Rx is effective in removing the following parasites:
- Acropora Eating Flatworms (AEFW)
- Montipora Eating Nudibranchs
- Bristleworms
- Zoanthid Eating Spiders
- Red Flatworms

Is this just misinformation or dose this *actually* get rid of AEFW?

 

[VegasRick]

THe dips will kill or at least stun the aefw but not the eggs. One month in quarantine with weekly dips

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Coral Rx will absolutely kill AEFW. I dip everything I get in, in coral rx before it goes into first stage qt and I have without a doubt seen acro eating flatworms killed by coral rx. Eggs no. Which I what I am guessing that reefer 831 meant to say. In fact if a colony comes in with eggs on it I will often just chuck it and keep a small frag. This is not to say you should toss your infected acros, just that I don't even feel it's worth knowingly putting potential eggs in my qt.

Regardless. I can say with certainty that coral rx at the recommended dosage will kill an aefw in about 9 or 10 minutes.

An sps qt can be as simple as a 10 gallon with an led and an a small hang on skimmer. Especially for just frags. If you have the room to set one up by all means do it. And follow the rules. As much as you may "know" that frag is clean, just go through the whole regimen and get used to it.

I know this is fantasy land but think, if everyone did this including vendors it's possible to see these things eliminated from the hobby all together.

 

[brahm]

You have to be carefull with the dips. They will kill some of the more delicate acroporas.

 

[Reefer831]

Coral Rx will absolutely kill AEFW. I dip everything I get in, in coral rx before it goes into first stage qt and I have without a doubt seen acro eating flatworms killed by coral rx. Eggs no. Which I what I am guessing that reefer 831 meant to say. In fact if a colony comes in with eggs on it I will often just chuck it and keep a small frag. This is not to say you should toss your infected acros, just that I don't even feel it's worth knowingly putting potential eggs in my qt.

Regardless. I can say with certainty that coral rx at the recommended dosage will kill an aefw in about 9 or 10 minutes.

An sps qt can be as simple as a 10 gallon with an led and an a small hang on skimmer. Especially for just frags. If you have the room to set one up by all means do it. And follow the rules. As much as you may "know" that frag is clean, just go through the whole regimen and get used to it.

I know this is fantasy land but think, if everyone did this including vendors it's possible to see these things eliminated from the hobby all together.

+1 lol I totally didn't mean to say they didn't kill the AEFW's I was talking about there eggs....sorry if I confused you.

 

[Reefer831]

You have to be carefull with the dips. They will kill some of the more delicate acroporas.

very true...most smooth skin acros like deep waters are very sensitive to the dips...as for some others I have forgot they were in the dip and came back 20 min later and they were still fine.

 

[StReNuOuS BiOmArKeR]

is this a ploy to get another tank?......it worked on my wife hahahahhaha

 

[Acrokeeper3729]

The echinatas and speciosas, as well as a few others do not tolerate the dips so well, but too bad, take your chances and dip anyway.The best thing to do is chop off the base and chuck it right off the bat. Inspect the coral under high light, I also use a large magnifying glass while I inspect the coral in a small container held under my tank lights. Look for bite marks. Then I hit it with a turkey baster a few times to see if anything comes off. Don't blast it too hard or tissue will get damaged. If it has flat worms, then chances are high that at least one will fly off when you hit it with the turkey baster. Then I do an intercepter bath, usually about 8 hours, then rinse, followed by a 15 minute bath in CoralRX, rinse again and in the tank it goes. If I see any flatworms or eggs at all, I chuck it, if its a real nice coral, I may take an inch frag from the highest branch and chuck the rest. I don't see how anyone can miss a coral that has flat worms or eggs on it if you dip and inspect it properly as I described above. Eggs are not that hard to spot, and flatworms fall off a frag after about 7 minutes into the dip, and you can see them in the bucket. If you did what I said above, and saw no flatworms, and no eggs, then your all set. If you want to be certain you will not get these pests, then if you do see any in the bucket or on the coral, just toss it out. Better to toss out a frag here and there than end up tossing your entire sps collection. Thats how I do it.

 

[Reefer831]

^^^^great advise...

 

[KoleTang]

The echinatas and speciosas, as well as a few others do not tolerate the dips so well, but too bad, take your chances and dip anyway.The best thing to do is chop off the base and chuck it right off the bat. Inspect the coral under high light, I also use a large magnifying glass while I inspect the coral in a small container held under my tank lights. Look for bite marks. Then I hit it with a turkey baster a few times to see if anything comes off. Don't blast it too hard or tissue will get damaged. If it has flat worms, then chances are high that at least one will fly off when you hit it with the turkey baster. Then I do an intercepter bath, usually about 8 hours, then rinse, followed by a 15 minute bath in CoralRX, rinse again and in the tank it goes. If I see any flatworms or eggs at all, I chuck it, if its a real nice coral, I may take an inch frag from the highest branch and chuck the rest. I don't see how anyone can miss a coral that has flat worms or eggs on it if you dip and inspect it properly as I described above. Eggs are not that hard to spot, and flatworms fall off a frag after about 7 minutes into the dip, and you can see them in the bucket. If you did what I said above, and saw no flatworms, and no eggs, then your all set. If you want to be certain you will not get these pests, then if you do see any in the bucket or on the coral, just toss it out. Better to toss out a frag here and there than end up tossing your entire sps collection. Thats how I do it.

My thoughts exactly. That is why I started this thread. From further reserach I have learned that AEFW eggs take 3-4 weeks to hatch. That's pretty close to the month in QT. So if the purpose of QT is to wait for the eggs to hatch... then you better hope the eggs were laid quite some time before you got the frag. If you cut off all naked skeleton and frag plug... then there is no way there are eggs. If you kill AEFW will reliable dips. Then they are dead and you have no pests. Intercepter kills LRB and your set. IMO

Check out this GREAT thread on AEFW --> Lanman's Acropora-Eating Flatworm (AEFW) Thread - WAMAS Forums

In that link it gives a method of using tablet of the active ingredient in garlic from a pharmacy to dip sensitive corals without problems. AEFW die quickly in the solution and depending on how strong the dip is, you can leave coral in for a long time. This dip is so gentle that he says the polyps open on some Acros and copepods can live in it. But AEFW die quickly :bigsmile:

 

[Dog Boy Dave]

Is this just misinformation or dose this *actually* get rid of AEFW?

Well they called Bristle worms and red flatworms "parasites" How accurate do you think the rest of it will be?

 

[KoleTang]

Well they called Bristle worms and red flatworms "parasites" How accurate do you think the rest of it will be?

This reasoning makes no sense. You are saying they called something a parasite so the rest of the information is false? Did you not read the rest of the thread? It was decided that Coral RX kills AEFW adults (exactly what they claimed).

I would call red flatworms parasites. Bristle worms are debatable, but I really don't care for them.

 

[Chameleon]

This reasoning makes no sense. You are saying they called something a parasite so the rest of the information is false? Did you not read the rest of the thread? It was decided that Coral RX kills AEFW adults (exactly what they claimed).

I would call red flatworms parasites. Bristle worms are debatable, but I really don't care for them.

Dave has got a point. Red Flatworms are most definitely not parasites and neither are bristle worms. Maybe unwanted pest, but a pest is not a parasite. I think his reasoning is sound. If they cant even get their terminology correct, what makes you think their ability to test their products is any better. Coral RX has shown itself to be useful though. It just cant treat the eggs which is where the bigger problem lies anyway. Still best way is to snap off base and dip as previously mentioned.

 

[Lacktaters]

You have to be carefull with the dips. They will kill some of the more delicate acroporas.

Thanks for sharing. This is great to know! I have dipped probably 50 different frags in bayer advanced with only one loss, ice fire echinata. That coral RTNed within 12 hours of being dipped and added to my DT. I had no idea why that happened...until then (knock on wood) I've never had that happen. When I get another fresh cut frag of this "must have" very expensive acro from a reputable source, instead of dipping, I will isolate it in my frag tank for a month, inspect it on a weekly basis, and then drop it in my DT.