worm help. Flatworms on/off dipped Acropora     9/1/16
Hi Bob,
<4.7 megs of what? Uncropped... waste?>
So the last couple nights I discovered a large ugly worm in my tank. About four inches long,
<Not large>
only at night time, and although I realize he is most likely harmless, today, with his head poking out from a small rock on the sand bed, I decided I wanted him out.
<Ok>
I took the small rock out, which had two Acros encrusted onto it, and dipped it in Bayer for about 5 minutes. The worm eventually crawled out, and I rinsed the rock along with corals, and placed it back into the tank.
Upon draining the water out from my dip container, I noticed what looked like shredded earth worms on the bottom of the container. (from my box turtle days, looked like earthworms cut up with razor blade for baby box turtles. )
They are soft, to the point when you dab them with your finger gently, they break easily like wet paper.
I attached a pic, could this be the dreaded aefw?
>Oh! These are flatworms of some sort. See WWM re. Bob Fenner>

Re: worm help. STILL not a reader; sigh.....     9/1/16
Yes indeed it is. Verified by dipping a single Acro last night after the lights went out. Found a few , clear opaque bugs fall off the Acro.
<? Bugs?>
Pretty sure this will be the final straw for me. I am not willing to break off the Acros, dip every week for the next month. Between the fish and parasites and now these worms, hobby is not fun anymore.
<Not necessary to break off, dip... >
In an "desperate" attempt, I took an Acros last night and dipped it in tank water and Prazi pro. It was a high dose, 2 ml, in 32 ML's of water.
After 10 minutes, the worms that fell off appeared dead.
Prazi pro direction tell you to get 2.5 mg/l dose, use a teaspoon (roughly 5 ml) per 20 gallon. Going off of that , my dose wise high.
Having no fish in the tank, would it be a reasonable, (although expensive) test to treat with a high dose of Prazi pro? Is there a know ld of Prazi pro for coral and denitrifying bacteria?
<Are your corals being mal-affected some how? Back (again) with reading for you. Don't write: READ>
Thanks

re: worm help     9/2/16
I will continue my reading and note taking.
<For comprehension; yes>
I know you said not to write, but to answer the question you had in there, in the past 8 weeks, have had 4 or 5 Acros pale out and bleach.
<Ahh; but are "these worms" the culprit is the question? You have provided no other useful data; the system, maintenance, water quality tests, history....>
Parameters were acceptable. The two Acros I dipped and showed workm, <?> (not bugs like I carelessly mentioned before)had bald tissues, parts of the coral had no polyp extension, just skeleton in certain areas.
Thanks and I will carry on reading
<Good. Send on pertinent questions, information. B>
re: worm help     9/2/16
Hey Bob,
<Bob>
Just to finalize what I should have included in the aforementioned writing, the Almighty parameters and set up:
<Ah good>
Set up:
180 gallon tank, another 20 in the sump. Two power heads providing 40x overturn in tank. Lit by two 400 watt 20k Radiums along with two t5 bulbs.
About 140 pounds of live rock. No fish currently, going fallow from what I believe was an Ich out break (7 weeks fallow this far)
Chemistry and conditions:
1.025 SG
78 degrees controller via apex
8.5 Alk, 430 calcium, 1400 + magnesium.
Po4 > .08
No3 > 10 ppm
0 amm and nitrite
Noticed a few weeks ago some Acros losing color. Param.s were consistent with the ab I ve numbers, blamed it on the tank being only 10 months old, not enough food from having 0 fish, Acros being touch to keep etc etc
Decided to dip and remove a bristle worm, and found more than just the bristle worm.
Went back at night, broke off a green Acro, and upon close look saw a worm that resembled a grain of rice.
Dipped in Bayer, and had saw several more come off.
Dipped another Acro in Prazi pro, strong solution, and within ten minutes, worms appeared dead even after swapping the dip water with clean saltwater.
I know it's been said Prazi will not eliminate aefw, however, I took that to most set ups enjoying fish in the tank concurrently, and not being able to ramp up past the recommended "Gil fluke" dosage.
Pondered the idea of loading the fishless , albeit worm infested tank with this med, however I'm sure it's anyone's guess the aftermath that could ensue.
One last final note, I have physically seem the worms, via test dip in the above chemicals, however I have not seen bite marks.
Could be my untrained eye, or could be a worm that is more of a nuisance than a killer.
>Could be<
From my understanding, there are different types of flat worms, not all munch and kill the coral. Although, who wants Acros with faded polyps and bare skeleton?
<Not many folks>
I will continue to read, measure the risks, and with my next day off, start ungluing the frags, and dipping them once a week for 5 weeks in Bayer. If that doesn't work, on to another plan.
<I'd do something else... predators, other Anthelminthic/s...>
Wish me luck
Thanks, bob
<Good fortune and proceed w/ knowledge. Cheers, Bob Fenner>