KZ Flatworm Stop & Weekly Melafix Dips for AEFW?

[nickkohrn]

I recently noticed Acropora-eating flatworms in my frag system, so I ordered API Melafix and Korallen-Zucht Flatworm Stop & Coral Booster. I understand that Flatworm Stop will take months to cause the starvation and eradication of the Acropora-eating flatworms, so I have the following question:

Would it be best to continue dipping the corals, weekly, in Melafix, or would the result not be worth the effort? I have ~50 Acropora frags in the system that is currently affected by the flatworms.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

If you can dip every acro in the tank every seven days you can kill them off in about 5 or 6 weeks with melafix. Make sure you dip correctly and shake each coral off in the water to make sure no stragglers are left on the frags. I liked to use a second large container of tank water next to the dip so I could throw the corals right over there and make sure things are going right. Check for eggs and bite marks and then put back in the tank. Imo frags are easy to dip for aefw and it shouldn’t be much of a hassle.

 

[nickkohrn]

If you can dip every acro in the tank every seven days you can kill them off in about 5 or 6 weeks with melafix. Make sure you dip correctly and shake each coral off in the water to make sure no stragglers are left on the frags. I liked to use a second large container of tank water next to the dip so I could throw the corals right over there and make sure things are going right. Check for eggs and bite marks and then put back in the tank. Imo frags are easy to dip for aefw and it shouldn’t be much of a hassle.

Do I need to dip them all at once, or can I dip them in groups? I don’t have a container large enough to hold all of them at the same time. If I can dip them in groups, then I could dip ~20 at a time.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Groups will work fine! If you haven’t used melafix before, know your dip before you go dipping everything and practice on a piece you know is infected so you can see when the worms fall off. I dipped for about 4 or 5 min from what I remember and the worms started falling at 2 or 3 I believe.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Also make sure they stayed in just that tank and didn’t make it to a display. They can be so freaking sneaky like telnet know you can’t see them on the backside of corals.

 

[nickkohrn]

The guidelines in this post by @Rakie are what I was going to follow. I ordered the pond version of Melafix, but the tankard version came, so I’ll adjust the dose based upon that.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Sounds like a plan, just don’t slack and skip a single day after the 7 days. It doesn’t take but a small opportunity for them to start their cycle over. I would dip until there is no evidence which will be around week four or five and then dip one more time after that for good measure. If the infestation is bad more is better.

 

[nickkohrn]

Sounds like a plan, just don’t slack and skip a single day after the 7 days. It doesn’t take but a small opportunity for them to start their cycle over. I would dip until there is no evidence which will be around week four or five and then dip one more time after that for good measure. If the infestation is bad more is better.

Thank you so much for your help. You have provided me with a lot of assistance over the recent couple of weeks, and I appreciate it.

Would you recommend that I dip every six or seven days? If I dip every six days, then that will give me a buffer of one day should I not be able to dip on the sixth day.

 

[ycnibrc]

U dont need coral booster. Just flat worm stop is good. Double dose for 3 months for aefw and just regular dose after that. FWS is a good addictive it help the base encrusted faster and creat more body slime so coral can eat more and be healthier

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I agree with not needing coral booster and fws being a good additive but I wouldn’t cut the dose short after three months considering many tanks have gotten rid of aefw populations after around 6 months by continuing a double dose. Now for coral health yea it’s probably not needed to be double dosed.
I do like dipping every six days instead of every seven because sometimes stuff comes up and you can’t do the treatment when you wanted. I actually started this once I missed about 5 days and saw eggs after week 4 and had to start over. And it’s my pleasure to help! I Feel like I have to help on these forums when people get aefw because it can be stressful and hard to find the right information you need to get rid of them. If it wasn’t for forums like this and other helpful reefers our hobby would not progress as fast as it has imo.

 

[Scubabum]

I'm fighting the same battle with AEFW. Using KZ flatworm stop at regular dose for 4 months but still having problems. Looks like I should try a double dose. Has anyone treated the entire display with Melafix? I'm using it as a dip and it definitely works FAST. I found these eggs at the base of my Red Planet and here's the aftermath of chopping up my colonies and dipping this afternoon. SUCKS!!!!

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Ever tried a laser? You can get laser pointers that can easily burn things. I wonder if eggs can be easily burned off without harming the coral?

 

[LARedstickreefer]

U dont need coral booster. Just flat worm stop is good. Double dose for 3 months for aefw and just regular dose after that. FWS is a good addictive it help the base encrusted faster and creat more body slime so coral can eat more and be healthier

Ah, so this IS a thing already...I’ve been dosing Zeobak and Zeofood for two weeks now, and just began dosing Zeostart, all in an effort to better feed my corals. I’ve got FWS on the way to see if the thicker slime coat seems to help the (hopefully phosphate rich) bacteria stick to the corals better. I also dose Tropic Marin Plus NP for phosphate (can’t keep it above zero unless I dose).

My hopes are that this keeps the corals fed without feeding nuisance algae in the long run.

 

[SeaDweller]

I'm fighting the same battle with AEFW. Using KZ flatworm stop at regular dose for 4 months but still having problems. Looks like I should try a double dose. Has anyone treated the entire display with Melafix? I'm using it as a dip and it definitely works FAST. I found these eggs at the base of my Red Planet and here's the aftermath of chopping up my colonies and dipping this afternoon. SUCKS!!!!

I don’t think you can use Melafix in the display

 

[html]

Melanarus wrasse is the solution for the fw at least for me it did great job

 

[jsvand5]

I'm fighting the same battle with AEFW. Using KZ flatworm stop at regular dose for 4 months but still having problems. Looks like I should try a double dose. Has anyone treated the entire display with Melafix? I'm using it as a dip and it definitely works FAST. I found these eggs at the base of my Red Planet and here's the aftermath of chopping up my colonies and dipping this afternoon. SUCKS!!!!

wow. That’s a pretty crazy infestation.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Yea eggs laid over egg patches! Awesome pic thanks for sharing it!

 

[monti mike]

Thank you so much for your help. You have provided me with a lot of assistance over the recent couple of weeks, and I appreciate it.

Would you recommend that I dip every six or seven days? If I dip every six days, then that will give me a buffer of one day should I not be able to dip on the sixth day.

How did this work out for you? Are you AEFW free now?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I am planning on bomb the display and sump with flatworm exit, water change, run carbon and polyfilter. Wait a few days, then run kz flatworm stop. Has anyone done this? Has flatworm stop worked for you? I am not planning on dipping each corals.

 

[monti mike]

I am planning on bomb the display and sump with flatworm exit, water change, run carbon and polyfilter. Wait a few days, then run kz flatworm stop. Has anyone done this? Has flatworm stop worked for you? I am not planning on dipping each corals.

I’ve read and heard from others that flatworm exit only works on the little red flatworms and not acro eating flatworms. I was going to bomb my tank with “Purge” but someone strongly cautioned me not to do it.
I just dipped all my acros in melafix today and I’m starting flatworm stop too when it gets delivered. I just hope all of this works! I’m curious if anyone has had long term success or if they came back after a few months of stopping treatment.