Save me from NSEFW!!!!! PLSS

[PeteyTu]

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently discovered what appears to be a new type of AEFW (Acropora-Eating Flatworms) in my tank, and I’m feeling quite overwhelmed and concerned about the situation.

Unfortunately, some of my corals have already started to bleach. These are long-established colonies that are firmly attached to the aquascape, so removing them for dip treatment isn’t a practical option. I’m worried about losing these colonies and honestly don’t know the best way to tackle this problem without causing further stress to the corals.

I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation, especially regarding effective ways to control or eradicate AEFW in a tank where the affected corals cannot be removed for treatment.

I’ve attached a few photos below for reference:

Full tank view: An overview of the entire aquarium.

Affected area: The section where I first noticed signs of AEFW infestation.

Recently removed AEFW: A photo of a flatworm I recently removed from the tank.
Thank you in advance for any help or advice. I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and any solutions that might help save these colonies.​

 

[Gumbies R Us]

#reefsquad

 

[Uncle99]

Have you tested Salifert Flatworm Exit?
You can try one coral in a bucket.
If it works on your FW type, you’ll know, they will die and float away within seconds.

It killed every last FW in my tank, but, took 2 treatments, 7 days apart.

Follow instructions carefully if you chose this route.

 

[CoralWealth]

Very nice tank and sorry to hear about AEFW.

I would use flatworm stop from KZ. It will not kill them, but it will help you get rid of them over time. Blast your corals with a syringe or small powerhead a couple of times every week while dosing the flatworm stop daily. It will take weeks/months but it will help your acros recover too. I would also add wrasse to help eat the flatworms as you blast them off, along with peppermint shrimp for eggs.

I dose it all the time proactively now, it is the only thing I always dose for my acros.

 

[Fish Fan]

Beautiful tank! I'd hate to see anything happen to it.

I've never had to deal with these pests, but I think the advice above seems sound. I would suggest that if you can, frag a piece of everything you want to save, then dip them in something like a potassium chloride (KCL) dip or even Bayer insecticide (has some health risks to people, but effective!) that are both good at getting rid of pests. And then keep them in a separate system to at least preserve your corals in the even the worst happens.

And have you considered any natural predators like wrasses, some of which can be very effective at picking. off these bugs?

Good luck!

 

[PeteyTu]

Bạn đã thử nghiệm Salifert Flatworm Exit chưa?
Bạn có thể thử nuôi một san hô trong một cái xô.
Nếu phương pháp này hiệu quả với loại FW của bạn, bạn sẽ biết ngay, chúng sẽ chết và trôi đi trong vòng vài giây.

Nó đã tiêu diệt toàn bộ cá nước ngọt trong bể của tôi, nhưng phải mất 2 lần điều trị, cách nhau 7 ngày.

Nếu chọn tuyến đường này, hãy làm theo hướng dẫn cẩn thận.

I see your point. Friends recommended Flatworm Exit, but it seems this is a new strain of AEFW that is resistant to it (based on information I found on similar websites and articles); I’ll give it a try, though I might have to increase the dosage—which carries a high risk.

 

[PeteyTu]

Chiếc xe tăng rất đẹp và tôi rất tiếc khi nghe tin về AEFW.

Tôi khuyên bạn nên dùng thuốc trị giun dẹp của KZ. Thuốc này không giết chết chúng hoàn toàn, nhưng sẽ giúp bạn loại bỏ chúng dần dần theo thời gian. Dùng ống tiêm hoặc máy bơm nhỏ xịt mạnh vào san hô vài lần mỗi tuần, đồng thời xịt thuốc trị giun dẹp hàng ngày. Quá trình này sẽ mất vài tuần/tháng nhưng sẽ giúp san hô Acropora của bạn phục hồi tốt hơn. Tôi cũng khuyên bạn nên thêm cá bàng chài để giúp ăn giun dẹp khi bạn xịt chúng đi, cùng với tôm bạc hà để ăn trứng.

Bây giờ tôi luôn chủ động bổ sung nó, đó là thứ duy nhất tôi luôn bổ sung cho san hô Acropora của mình.

I previously used KZ’s Flatworm Stop and found it effective, but unfortunately, I live in an area where KZ products are frequently out of stock and very expensive. Additionally, I have read and heard that this NAEFW strain is resistant to both Flatworm Exit and Flatworm Stop. Studies indicate that the difference between this new strain and the old one lies in the coloration: the new strain is dark brown-black, whereas the old one is pale gray. I’ll likely have to add more wrasses and peppermint shrimp to the tank.

Beautiful tank! I'd hate to see anything happen to it.

I've never had to deal with these pests, but I think the advice above seems sound. I would suggest that if you can, frag a piece of everything you want to save, then dip them in something like a potassium chloride (KCL) dip or even Bayer insecticide (has some health risks to people, but effective!) that are both good at getting rid of pests. And then keep them in a separate system to at least preserve your corals in the even the worst happens.

And have you considered any natural predators like wrasses, some of which can be very effective at picking. off these bugs?

Good luck!

Thanks for your input; I’ve taken precautions in case I have to tear down the entire tank, even though I really don't want that to happen. I’ve cut several frags and sent them to all my friends as a safeguard in case my treatment efforts fail.

 

[Fish Fan]

@Subsea do you have any experience with these kinds of flatworms please?

 

[Subsea]

@Subsea do you have any experience with these kinds of flatworms please?

Not really. However, I suggest potassium chloride.

 

[CoralWealth]

I previously used KZ’s Flatworm Stop and found it effective, but unfortunately, I live in an area where KZ products are frequently out of stock and very expensive. Additionally, I have read and heard that this NAEFW strain is resistant to both Flatworm Exit and Flatworm Stop. Studies indicate that the difference between this new strain and the old one lies in the coloration: the new strain is dark brown-black, whereas the old one is pale gray. I’ll likely have to add more wrasses and peppermint shrimp to the tank.

Thanks for your input; I’ve taken precautions in case I have to tear down the entire tank, even though I really don't want that to happen. I’ve cut several frags and sent them to all my friends as a safeguard in case my treatment efforts fail.

The flatworm stop just makes the acro slime more and make the aefw not want to eat it, I think it also helps with other pests too but I get your point about it being very expensive and hard to find where you are.

I just think that is the safest option by far and could have good impacts over time

 

[PeteyTu]

Status update: I’ve just discovered another cluster of red bugs attacking other corals. Things seem to be working against me. I’ll have to treat the tank with Milbemycin to get rid of the bugs first—fortunately, I have experience dealing with this issue.

 

[KrisReef]

Not really. However, I suggest potassium chloride.

OP

One of the original reported treatments for tanks like yours involved draining the tank (save the water in Brutes from Home Depot, and return them when you are done)

The low tide tank was then sprayed with a spray bottle of KCl (2 tbls/gallon of fresh mixed seawater) wet the coral colonies and left for 5 minutes to kill the worms. Then rinse off the colonies and collect the KCl & rinse water for disposal and pump the Brutes back into the DT.

Repeat the process for 3 weeks to get rid of any hatchlings.

If you are going to use milbnoxide for red bugs, I recommend treating them first, and when you do the water change to remove the dog biscuits just perform the low tide- spray & rinse in concert with that water change.

Dip new corals with KCl to remove any new worm hitchhikers. If you have been getting coral from a LFS, then they likely have an infection of bugs & worms present in their system.