Help...red Bugs!!!!!!!

[randoma]

Way back when TomD (remember? ) pointed out the red bugs in some coral I had for sale, I treated the entire system (40 breeder plus 90) with Interceptor, three treatments, 1 full pill (overdose for the water volume) once per week for three weeks.

Before I did so, I took *everything* out of the tank and removed all of the shrimp and crabs that I was able to find.

Before the treatment we had LOTS of amphipods/copepods - only 2 fish in the 40 and 3 in the 90, so almost no predators. Also, no algae to speak of.

After the treatment, despite doing multiple water changes, we had a hair algae bloom (basically gone now) and a dino outbreak (mostly gone now). I attribute both to the massive dieoff of amphipods/copepods. It has been nearly two months since treatment and the amphipod/copepod population is still extremely minimal even though I've seeded it with amphipods/copepods since then. On the other hand, no red bugs, but really I think the red bugs were less of a negative than the other problems!

Also, I think that the redbugs may have come in on some softies and LPS that I didn't treat with Interceptor.

 

[JayM]

Way back when TomD (remember? ) pointed out the red bugs in some coral I had for sale, I treated the entire system (40 breeder plus 90) with Interceptor, three treatments, 1 full pill (overdose for the water volume) once per week for three weeks.

Before I did so, I took *everything* out of the tank and removed all of the shrimp and crabs that I was able to find.

Before the treatment we had LOTS of amphipods/copepods - only 2 fish in the 40 and 3 in the 90, so almost no predators. Also, no algae to speak of.

After the treatment, despite doing multiple water changes, we had a hair algae bloom (basically gone now) and a dino outbreak (mostly gone now). I attribute both to the massive dieoff of amphipods/copepods. It has been nearly two months since treatment and the amphipod/copepod population is still extremely minimal even though I've seeded it with amphipods/copepods since then. On the other hand, no red bugs, but really I think the red bugs were less of a negative than the other problems!

Also, I think that the redbugs may have come in on some softies and LPS that I didn't treat with Interceptor.

I had a similar issue with algae and pod die-off after my tank crash about 6 months ago.

Can the redbugs survive in an SPS-free tank? I have zero SPS in either tank.....and my QT for my corals runs with some betadine and peroxide, but no interceptor. I was under the impression that they could not....

 

[TomD]

I had a similar issue with algae and pod die-off after my tank crash about 6 months ago.

Can the redbugs survive in an SPS-free tank? I have zero SPS in either tank.....and my QT for my corals runs with some betadine and peroxide, but no interceptor. I was under the impression that they could not....

Jay, I could be wrong but I don't believe they would survive with no food source. I highly doubt they would eat softies/LPS or at least I have never heard of it.

Cs, that is bad news for scooter and mandarin.

 

[TomD]

Does anybody have a conclusive answer to will my SPS, especially tri-colors survive if I deicided not to treat?

 

[chew*]

Tom if your corals are healthy redbugs will not kill them, they can however push an unhealthy coral over the edge. There is one other method to in tank treatment. Remove all acropora for a month to a holding tank you can treat.......without acropora redbugs will die in 2 weeks, i would push it 1 month just to be sure........I also experienced algae, and a cyano bloom after treatment, I could never spot a pod again even after adding a fuge......My other tank never treated is impossible to count the pods..........I also had high nitrates(30ppm) which never came down no matter how many water changes even when i decreased the load...........thus my explaining that i think it had a negative inpact on my biological filter.......

On the other side it will be near impossible to sell any of your corals if you don't nuke them.........

PE is usually at 50% with redbugs probably due to irritation......Never ever ever trust claims of pest free, When i broke down I claimed AFAIK i was pest free....namely because i bought corals off someone that was "pest free" and found out the hard way........I also took macros, just so people could see for themselves.......

 

[NateHanson]

I don't think there's a conclusive answer to that question Tom. People have certainly observed that coral color and growth are greatly affected by the red bugs. Whether it'll kill the corals is probably a matter of time. They don't kill corals very quickly, but clearly they're bad for coral health.

Personally I can't understand not treating for something that is so easy to eradicate, because of some collateral issues. Keeping corals is about keeping them healthy and pretty, so I'd think that means keeping them free of parasites when possible.

 

[NateHanson]

Remove all acropora for a month to a holding tank you can treat.......without acropora redbugs will die in 2 weeks, i would push it 1 month just to be sure.

That is definitely a viable treatment (I did this right after killing all my corals, and then catching bugs while restocking). But you have to be able to remove all SPS tissue with confidence. If corals are encrusted to the rockwork, you'll have to remove that rockwork. If small branches of sps have recently broken off and fallen behind the rockwork, the bugs will survive the fallow time, and you'll be in the same situation a couple months later.

Nate

 

[TomD]

Yeah, funds are tight with school/texts, and all the law school hopefull costs. I don't know how I would set up another tank with halides and all.

I could let someone care for my mandarin and scooter? If I can catch them...

Uhhh..... Why couldn't there be something that eats them!

Chew, my SPS are REALLY encrusted in well. If I was to take them all out, it would be to give them a 6 hour treatment and sell. No way I am getting every bit of flesh out.

 

[TomD]

Seems easy to treat, but I don't like what I am hearing from Chew. Those don't seem like "small" side effects.

 

[chew*]

they aren't ( side effects ) and i was in a similar position, no room to remove them all.....I had no choice, however had never done it, now that i have i would definitely use a different method.....This is why i was so adminant on the use of a coral/frag/quarantine tank after having gotten rid of them.....On a side note i dipped everything incoming including clams.......I still managed to get them.......

 

[MikeG]

I have done the whole tank treatment in the past as well and the only adverse effects were a loss of copepods and 1 of 2 of my cleaner shrimp. I didn't have any algae issues and the tank looked much healthier within a few days.

 

[TomD]

forget it....

 

[TomD]

I have done the whole tank treatment in the past as well and the only adverse effects were a loss of copepods and 1 of 2 of my cleaner shrimp. I didn't have any algae issues and the tank looked much healthier within a few days.

Good to hear. I am going to talk all this over with Buddie who offered to help me out on Saturday.

 

[RayD]

Tom here's my opinion FWIW. You're pretty much in a situation with your Acros encrusted that you pretty much have to treat the tank.

Catch what you can, if you can catch the Mandarin and the Scooter have someone fish sit for you until your pod population returns.

Chalk it up as a learining experience.

 

[randoma]

I think the side effects really depend on just how much living biomass is killed off. In my case there were a LOT of amphipods/copepods. However, I'd say we lost a lot more and had a lot more work involved resolving the side effects compared to the (at the time) detrimental effects of the red bugs. Also, the first week after the first treatment, the tank looked amazing - it took at least a week, if not a little longer, before the side effects really appeared.

On the other hand, I don't know what the long term detrimental effects of the red bugs might have been.... If ultimately it would have been the death of all the smooth skinned acropora, then the side effects were relatively minor.

Also, I don't know that a single treatment is completely effective. You probably want at least 2 treatments.

 

[chew*]

actually 3 treatments......interceptor has an 80% kill rate......It needs to pass through every part of the plumbing,including the skimmer with the venturi blocked off.........

 

[Scott]

I'm starting to get the idea that it really sucks to get red bugs.

 

[TomD]

Three?

 

[TomD]

The fuge can't be taken off line for this to save my pods for my 2 fish? Aren't the rb just on the acros?

 

[Peter Fernandes]

I'm starting to get the idea that it really sucks to get red bugs.

Prevention is the key.Get them before they get in. I've been lazy and lucky I guess but no more. Too many stories from fellow reefers in Toms situation.Everyone should learn from threads like this.