Pest affecting tricolor only

[Max93]

Hi,

I have a pest in my tank that's affecting my tricolor valida, I have 15 other acros that are not affected but you can tell they are beginning to walk on the plugs of the other acros. Polyp extension and growth is awesome on all corals except 1 mili, and the tricolor. I managed to get pics, super tiny little animal. Definitely black, walk quite fast, and some worms that are super thin and grey hangout with them too. I have been successfully eradicating them by slicing them with a blade as I see them, and my possum wrasse hangs out around the acros too. What do you think this is? This explains the tricolors color loss.

 

[lemonade]

Any photos of the worms? or a pic of the coral that's being affected?

Hard to tell from the pics, but the way you described sounds like black/red bugs

 

[Max93]

Yes here is a picture of the tricolor. I chopped it in half thinking the bottom was receding due to flow, turns out it is these guys. They don't look like red bugs at all. I feel like underwater they have a more flatworm shape, but they don't look like AEFW. Some are tinier than others.

 

[Max93]

Worm

 

[Max93]

Here's another.

 

[Huskymaniac]

I think you have black bugs. Do they look like this?

 

[Max93]

Kind of, but they walk in a different manner. More "slidy" if that makes sense vs that video. They're definitely not on the branches of the coral, just the base. This is my mili that is struggling, i am not sure if this will give us a clue.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Kind of, but they walk in a different manner. More "slidy" if that makes sense vs that video. They're definitely not on the branches of the coral, just the base. This is my mili that is struggling, i am not sure if this will give us a clue.

Did you try interceptor?

 

[Max93]

Did you try interceptor?

I have not, I want to make sure I identify this correctly, started noticing it about 1 week ago. If I go the interceptor route how do I get the vet to give it to me?

 

[Huskymaniac]

I have not, I want to make sure I identify this correctly, started noticing it about 1 week ago. If I go the interceptor route how do I get the vet to give it to me?

Just order Dr g's coral dip online. It's safe to use up to 10× the dose and can be used in the display.

 

[Max93]

Just order Dr g's coral dip online. It's safe to use up to 10× the dose and can be used in the display.

Thank you, I will give that a shot. Do you recommend ordering from a particular site or eBay is fine?

 

[Huskymaniac]

Thank you, I will give that a shot. Do you recommend ordering from a particular site or eBay is fine?

Anywhere is fine.

 

[Max93]

Ok ordered from their website vs. eBay. I'll post here after I dose when it gets here next week.

 

[lemonade]

Worm

I can almost make out what looks like a FW in the center of the circle, again hard to tell in the pic. I would try to dip the corals and see what comes off. Get a better pic of the worms if they fall off. If they are AEFW you will need more than just interceptor.

 

[Max93]

I can almost make out what looks like a FW in the center of the circle, again hard to tell in the pic. I would try to dip the corals and see what comes off. Get a better pic of the worms if they fall off. If they are AEFW you will need more than just interceptor.

I agree, I feel like I have both. I was thinking that after the interceptor I am going to dose the flatworm stop and coral boost. There's good reports about it being used that makes the acros taste bad to the flatworms and they end up just starving.

 

[Max93]

I caught one live with a straw, this is definitely not a blackbug. This is definitely a flatworm!!! Will flat worm exit work? I'm asking because it doesn't look like your typical AEFW.

 

[Max93]

My plan of action:

Dip affected acros in dr gs
Dose flatworm stop
Dose coral booster

That should do it. Im not going to hit the tank with interceptor, this is for sure flatworms.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

How did you catch a flatworm with a straw? Are you sure it was an aefw?

 

[Max93]

How did you catch a flatworm with a straw? Are you sure it was an aefw?

So you know when you hold one side to keep water from coming in, well I put over one of the black dots. Water sucked in and I emptied the straw onto a white bottomed lid. It's a flatworm, 100%. Moves like one, looks like one. I'm very bummed out by finding it since I've never had this much success before. But I'll make sure I get on to fixing this asap.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I would love to see a good picture of the worms. Sounds kinda like the small slow ones that eat zoanthids and take the color from the zoas. All I see in the first pic is a black line.