For the past decade, hobbyists including myself have had to suffer the effects of Acropora-Eating Flatworms (AEFW) and have tried various methods to outwit these terrible beasts. Dips, quarantining, baths, flooding zones with freshwater, adding supposed predators... nothing has truly worked. Corals continue to die even with meticulously heroic efforts employed. It's truly heartbreaking.
Kate Rawlinson has delved into what makes this flatworm tick, and we've featured some of her milestones on ReefAddicts before. She carries the honor of naming these hateful pests that we have called far worse under our breath if not at the top of our lungs.
Here are some extreme macro shots from her previous work showing the flatworm, some bite marks, and the eggs.
As with any research, it takes money. If you're tired of spending money and losing corals fighting the hordes of Amakusaplana acroporae, then we encourage you to send a few dollars towards this project so we can get a solution. This crowd-sourcing website allows individuals to raise money for a specific project and allow all investors (you) to follow all updates. Here's their projected budget, which is quite reasonable.
To get involved, here's the link: https://www.microryza.com/projects/t...ating-flatworm
We'd like to thank everyone involved in this project and look forward to your successful outcome. Ever the optimist, I'd certainly love to think these people will find a solution, at last. Please share this with others, as in the end it helps every one of us Acropora-lovers. At the time of this writing, they've received 19% of the requested amount.
Related links:
http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.p...lana-acroporae
http://www.melevsreef.com/aefw.html