My Battle Against Acropora-Eating Flatworms

[nickkohrn]

Recently, I found Acropora-eating flatworms in my grow-out system. This is my first encounter with Acropora-eating flatworms, and I'm hoping that it's the last. This thread will serve as a place for me to document my battle.

The following photos and video display my Strawberry Shortcake, which was the first coral to show signs of Acropora-eating flatworms:

I apologize for not removing the sound from the following video.

After researching treatments, I placed an order for API Melafix (pond version), Korallen-Zucht Flatworm Stop, and Korallen-Zucht Coral Booster, which should be here next week. In the meantime, I have a bottle of API Melafix (standard version), which I will use during the initial dip. Also, I picked up two ten-gallon Seapora aquariums, two Marina 100-watt heaters, and two Marineland Maxi-Jet 400 pumps to make the dipping process easier on the corals and myself.

My plan is to fill each aquarium with five gallons of saltwater, mixed to match the temperature and specific gravity of the system that holds the corals. I will add Melafix to the aquariums in which the dips will be performed, and the other will be used for rinsing. Once removed from the rinsing aquarium, the corals will be replaced into the main system.

Since the recommended schedule for dipping seems to be every seven days, I plan to dip every six days, giving myself a buffer of one day, which will be helpful should I be unable to dip on the sixth day; I can dip on the seventh day, if needed, and remain within the recommended dipping schedule. I plan to continue this process for a minimum of six weeks. During that time, I will also be dosing Flatworm Stop and Coral Booster. While I realize that I probably don't need to dose Flatworm Stop and Coral Booster if the dips are being performed consistently, I plan to use them indefinitely, which is based upon posts of other members that indicate the overall health and coloration of their corals were much improved.

I am anticipating losses during this process because some of my corals appear to be quite stressed, which is understandable.

I was considering painting the bottoms of the aquariums with white paint so that I could easily see anything that comes off of the corals while in the dip, but I may simply place the aquariums on white paper, which I think will provide the same benefit.

I currently have saltwater mixing so that I can begin the process this weekend. I am hopeful that I will be able to start tomorrow, so I will provide photos and share my experience shortly after.

 

[ycnibrc]

U dont need to fill up the aquarium to dip. Just enough to cover the frags that way you dont waste the melafix. I would use your tank water to do the dip instead of new salt water.

 

[NeverlosT]

at least you have frags that can be removed easily to dip! I agree, just use enough water to submerge the corals. Keeping the bases is likely to retain the eggs as well.

The good news is, now you have these little tanks for coral QT and observation after you get through this several weeks of dipping

 

[nickkohrn]

U dont need to fill up the aquarium to dip. Just enough to cover the frags that way you dont waste the melafix. I would use your tank water to do the dip instead of new salt water.

Since all of my frags are glued to tiles, I’ll have to fill the aquariums with nearly five gallons of water so that they are able to be fully submerged.

I think I will use water from my main system because that will require me to perform a water-change and stay on top of my maintenance during this process.

 

[jda]

I would also use tank water.

Bayer is more gentle and just as effective as MelaFix, but it is harder to see what comes off - there is a tradeoff here.

Don't dip too much rock, discs or tiles or you will kill the microfauna and bacteria. The rock and frag discs/tiles also can keep some residual dip and put it back into your tank. The non-porous plugs are best for this. Even travertine can act like sponges a bit. Plugs are also easier to inspect for eggs on smaller stuff. Most of the time, the eggs are near the coral, but not always. Be sure and watch your frag racks, tank bottoms, etc.

The Flatworm Stop is only needed if you are not going to dip everything and just treat the tank. It works, but it can take many months and can get expensive. Some people with huge colonies attached to lots of rock have no other choice. Coral Booster is supposed to help the corals along, but I have never used it. Dipping is easy for a frag or grow-out system, so these products are not necessary.

 

[nickkohrn]

at least you have frags that can be removed easily to dip! I agree, just use enough water to submerge the corals. Keeping the bases is likely to retain the eggs as well.

The good news is, now you have these little tanks for coral QT and observation after you get through this several weeks of dipping

I have a Gryphon AquaSaw, which I will use to cut the corals from the tiles. I’m likely going to cut the corals from the tiles before they go into the dip. Then, I will glue to them to new tiles before going back into the main system. I will do this only during the first session.

 

[nickkohrn]

I would also use tank water.

Bayer is more gentle and just as effective as MelaFix, but it is harder to see what comes off - there is a tradeoff here.

Don't dip too much rock, discs or tiles or you will kill the microfauna and bacteria. The rock and frag discs/tiles also can keep some residual dip and put it back into your tank. The non-porous plugs are best for this. Even travertine can act like sponges a bit. Plugs are also easier to inspect for eggs on smaller stuff. Most of the time, the eggs are near the coral, but not always. Be sure and watch your frag racks, tank bottoms, etc.

The Flatworm Stop is only needed if you are not going to dip everything and just treat the tank. It works, but it can take many months and can get expensive. Some people with huge colonies attached to lots of rock have no other choice. Coral Booster is supposed to help the corals along, but I have never used it. Dipping is easy for a frag or grow-out system, so these products are not necessary.

Some of my corals are larger than the plugs that I can find locally. I recently purchased 2” ceramic tiles to attach the corals to after removing them from the original tiles during the first dipping session. Do you think the ceramic tiles will work well?

 

[jda]

Just do the best that you can. Understand that you are never going to get 100% of the residue in a rinse, so just run some activated carbon and don't run any uber sensitive stuff in the system that might get mad... like some rare shrimp or inverts or something along those lines.

A little bit of MelaFix, CoralRx, Bayer, etc. is not going to be an issue in a full system, so just limit it as much as you can.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I think you will be ok since your dipping with melafix and rinsing afterwards. Bayer is the only dip I really worry about. I would leave the tiles and just rinse good so you don’t put the acros through any extra processes.

 

[jomatty]

Are you using any wrasses Or anything to help you along?

 

[nickkohrn]

Are you using any wrasses Or anything to help you along?

I’m not because I don’t have one in that tank, and I should be finished with the dipping process by the time I would get one through quarantine. Also, by not currently having a wrasse, I won’t be fooled by the lack of worms since a wrasse would likely consume worms and make it seem that I am falsely winning the battle. However, I will be adding one in the future.

 

[jomatty]

I’m not because I don’t have one in that tank, and I should be finished with the dipping process by the time I would get one through quarantine. Also, by not currently having a wrasse, I won’t be fooled by the lack of worms since a wrasse would likely consume worms and make it seem that I am falsely winning the battle. However, I will be adding one in the future.

I haven’t used any wrasses in my frag set up. With the bare bottom it makes me nervous. But the more valuable the things in the tank are the more I’m thinking about it...

 

[nickkohrn]

I haven’t used any wrasses in my frag set up. With the bare bottom it makes me nervous. But the more valuable the things in the tank are the more I’m thinking about it...

I will add a wrasse of the Pseudocheilinus genus since they are great at hunting for pests. More than likely, I’ll keep a single Six Line in my frag tank. I like to feed heavily, so the corals will benefit from that. For algae control, I’ll use a lot of snails.

 

[JAMSOURY]

Are you using any wrasses Or anything to help you along?

Are wrasses effective with getting rid of the flatworms?

 

[ReefBum]

Are wrasses effective with getting rid of the flatworms?

I believe they helped me years ago when I battled AEFW in my old 225 gallon tank. I did not dip my corals since they were heavily encrusted on the rock work. I just used a turkey baster to blow the AEFW off and sucked them up with the turkey baster....some of my fish also followed along to grab a tasty snack. So I just lived with them and the tank was fine, lost some corals but most were fine. This is my old tank with AEFW.

 

[Braves Fan]

Tagging along to watch the progress ,, you got some pretty good Pros sounding off in your post

 

[nickkohrn]

Are wrasses effective with getting rid of the flatworms?

I think they can be effective. It seems that the wrasses can hit their limitations when they are too large to get down into the inner structures of the corals that are densely packed with branches.

 

[Billdogg]

I’ll be following this as well.

 

[jda]

Wrasses, some crabs and shrimp are effective if they can get to the worms. Easy when they are frags... not so much with colonies. YT Blue Damels are good too... and that whole genus.

 

[Jaysushi]

I keep a Springeri Damsel in my tank to help keep flatworm populations down. However, I believe the flatworms that are mainly in my sump aren't AEFW.
I have a bare bottom tank so getting a wrasse other than a six line would have been a no go.
So far the Springeri is doing its job well as there is no flatworms in sight.