Oops, I released an AEFW - HELP

A4goulet

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Short version:

I released at least 1 large AEFW into my tank, what can I do to prevent an infestation?


Also, as hobbyist is there any kind of moral code in pest disclosure when selling livestock?


Long version:

So yesterday I purchased 4 acro frags from a local reefer and failed to do my due diligence to inspect the frags. The guy selling had a very nice frag set up and a beautiful 300g display tank along with 20+ years in the hobby so I didn’t think much into giving close visual inspection. After acclimating I dipped them in a solution of Bayer and placed frags in my sandbed. I noticed something dangling off one of the frags, which I first just though I broke a branch off but after a closer look, sure enough it was a large flat worm just barely hanging on. And before I could react it floated off into some rock work. I took a look in my Bayer dip container, yup some pretty large AEFWs crawling around. One of the acro pieces had clear bite marks all over it. If I would have inspected before purchasing the frags this would have been obvious. I pulled the frags out and placed them back into the Bayer dip were I tripled the concentration, then followed up with a dip in tank water/hydrogen peroxide mix and removed the coral from the plugs. From what I have found Bayer will kill AEFW if at a certain concentration but I really didn’t measure so I’m not sure what the concentration was, I'm pretty sure it was on the weak side. Enough to affect the AEFW? Yes. Enough to kill them? Idk. I released at least one AEFW that I could see. It could have been dying and I have nothing to worry about or just ticked from the Bayer dip. But what can I do to help prevent an AEFW infestation?
 

TheEngineer

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I think it is polite to tell people if you have a known infestation. That said, I always assume they do. This is one reason I've started quarantining corals. More for fish diseases than coral pests, but you can catch both that way.

As far as the AEFW... do you have any wrasses in the tank?
 
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A4goulet

A4goulet

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I think it is polite to tell people if you have a known infestation. That said, I always assume they do. This is one reason I've started quarantining corals. More for fish diseases than coral pests, but you can catch both that way.

As far as the AEFW... do you have any wrasses in the tank?

Going foward I'll make that same assumption. I also won't half a** my dipping procedure.

I do have a male yellow fin flasher (Paracheilinus flavianalis).

Do you think flatworm exit would be worth giving a shot?
 

NowGlazeIT

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I recommend dipping each coral in bayer within a few days and getting a cleaner Wrasse.
My bayer experience with red planaria flat worms went like this
In 10% bayer to water ratio
Flatworms fell off their host within 2-5 minutes
By 10 minutes all the flatworms stopped moving or convulsing
I go to 15min if I see flatworms prior. Can’t be too carefull around aefw
 

NowGlazeIT

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It is also a good idea to tell the seller. They might not even know they have the problem. They also might deny it and not offer you any type of refund, but you should still let them know.
+1
 

TheEngineer

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Do you think flatworm exit would be worth giving a shot?
I would avoid going that route for now. I don't like doing a systemic treatment if I don't have to. Do you have a lot of acros? Would you be able to consistently dip them for a few weeks?

As for that particular wrasse, I think @evolved would know best if that's a good species of wrasse for hunting AEFW. (Although looking at the fact they haven't been on since October, that won't help...)

Let's see what @4FordFamily thinks. I think he's a wrasse guy too...
 
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A4goulet

A4goulet

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I would avoid going that route for now. I don't like doing a systemic treatment if I don't have to. Do you have a lot of acros? Would you be able to consistently dip them for a few weeks?

I don't have a lot. Most are frags that are not encrusted. But I do have a few that are but if it comes down to it I can cut them at the base, put them on plugs and toss the base rock. Crossing my fingers it doesnt come down to that though.
 
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20180219_112643.jpg
 

BoomCorals

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Don’t bother with flatworm exit. It’s ineffective against aefw. As to your question, it all depends on if you used a Bayer dose strong enough the first time. If you did you should be fine. Also wrasses may eat aefw but they will not eliminate them.
 

Scorpius

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Hey, guess what OP? You get to go Acropora fallow in your main display for 5+ weeks and remove every last piece of Acropora into a QT setup not connected to the main display. Only way to be rid of this pest. Good luck, as I've been through this once already. Expect 20% losses.
 

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You absolutely need to tell folks of your pest history.

At a minimum, get your frags onto plugs put them off to the side in a frag rack and dip them once a week for a while. Dip the rack too. While AEFW are not super mobile creatures, they can find acropora. I help a special needs guy who has a lot of SPS and has an infestation of AEFW and they rarely can find frags in the frag rack between bi-weekly dips. This might work if you do not have a separate QT or anything.

Flatwork Exit will not even make the worms flinch. Flatworm Stop in a double dose can really slow them down and might help a lot. We use it in my friends tank and the numbers are significantly down and the eggs are very hard to find now. It helps, but is not a cure from what I have seen.
 
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A4goulet

A4goulet

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Hey, guess what OP? You get to go Acropora fallow in your main display for 5+ weeks and remove every last piece of Acropora into a QT setup not connected to the main display. Only way to be rid of this pest. Good luck, as I've been through this once already. Expect 20% losses.

There is no dislike button :( I'll dip the new frags weekly. But now the question is do I assume I have AEFW and start dipping my acros or wait till I have signs? If i truly only released on into my dt there would be a pretty high possibility one dip could rid my system.
 

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