ice fire echinata

[reefnoob]

How hard are these to keep? The internet has mixed opinions over them. And I think they are one of the "smooth skinned" acros that don't take to dipping well or something like that. So then what type of dip or precautions would I use for this? And how are the growth rates?

 

[Smitty]

I had one once, but it didn't last too long in my tank. They seem to be a lil more finicky. Good luck with it.

 

[MitchReef]

The fire ice is a smooth skinned, thin branched acro...it is blue and generally the blue and purple colors are the hardest to keep colored up well....If you plan to dip it do so in a gentle dip like very very dilute Lugol's iodine. I would suggest checking it very well for redbugs under heavy magnification and then quarantene for 7 days before another magnified inspection, iodine dip then into the tank....NOTHING less....one good outbreak of AEFW or RedBugs can be from aggravating to devastating....

 

[MitchReef]

If you don't have a good magnifyer you can get one at Radio Shack...if you need examples of RedBugs I can pull up an old photo I did...as for AEFW (the devil's own spawn) they show up with your acros all suddenly starting to die with little white spots everywhere...they are really nasty...

 

[2XAl]

hey Mitch whats AEFW, as well as care sharing the pics of red bugs? I just started building an acro collection and would like some more information. Thanks in advance

 

[salt_for_brains]

Acropora eating flatworm ( AEFW)

 

[MitchReef]

AEFW = Acro Eating FlatWorms....they decimated a beautiful reef I had going for several years...I let my guard down on quarantine and NEVER will again.....

Redbugs can be soooo tiny they are virtually impossible to see, but I was able to get this macro picture....now I just gotta find it....I will post it shortly...

 

[2XAl]

hmm thanks guys. I'm picking some corals up this weekend, prob most acros and will be sure to do a dip

 

[MitchReef]

This is an unfortunate little frag I got from a friend because it was sick....turned out it was crawling with bugs...

A few Interceptor dips, a week and a half of quarantine and luckily they were cleared off and this is what the little piece eventually turned into....

I can see yellow, pink, blue, green, purple and tan tips!!!

 

[MitchReef]

Interceptor gets the redbugs and I don't know anything about conclusive removal of AEFW...You would die if you saw the pieces they killed.....Amazing acros so well established that the STUMPS were as big as 3 1/2 inches across after I broke all the limbs off in frustration....