Red Bugs - Inevitable?

[reedman]

Nick, thanks.

I almost got the shrimp out, but he was just too fast. I treated anyway and he survived. Can't say the same for the acro crab . Tank appears to be red bug free at this point but I have to say I'm not seeing any more polyp extension than I saw in the past. No additional coloring up. Tank looks the same, just no red bugs. I'm sure this is best in the long run, but I'm just a bit dissapointed based on everyone elses BIG changes. I just don't see it. Oh well. Life goes on.

This weekend will be treatment #2 (and the final treatment).

I still have to wonder how much of the possitive reaction people see is due to a massive influx of clean clear water and how much is due to the removal of the bugs. I do weekly water changes and run carbon 24/7 so I wonder if this just wasn't much of a change for the corals (just the erradication of the red bugs).

 

[Ohgee]

Q-tank

Hey,

I was wondering, I've been reading this red bugs thread for so long I'm starting to get confused and my brain is really starting to hurt. So a question for you.

Since I'm not treating entire tank just moving the corals to a Q tank, do I need to treat the Millis or caps? How about the slimmers? I am luckier than most of you. Tank is still pretty new and encrusting isn't really an issue. I can move the "plugs" or small LR they are all attached to.

Also since they can "jump ship" how long should I leave the corals out of main tank to ensure all bugs that have jumped ship have died.

Thanks in advance
Duane

 

[CarlaW]

Duane,
I would go ahead and treat all acros!!! What has been said about them not being on millepora is BS. I don't think that monti's are affected. If you can haul all the corals out, by all means, do so. I think that is what eric was trying to say in his own way!! If they are not encrusted to any of your live rock, go for it. That way you don't have to worry about the other fatalities.

 

[Maxx]

If you can take all of the corals out of your tank, then I would do so. Keeping them out of the main tank for the duration of at least 2 treatments, approximately 96 hours apart (4 days between treatments) should be sufficient. I believe that Eric has said the bugs have a relatively high metabolism, and should starve to death within 72 hours. I feel ,being a pessimist and all, that you should try and stick it out to at least 7 days w/o corals in the tank. You should be good to go by then.

Nick

 

[Ohgee]

Thanks everyone,

FYI I started treatment in the Q-tank about an hour ago, Very interesting that when I put corals in tank almost no bugs were visible. But now that treatment has started the bugs have become extremely visible. My one blue acro is completely covered, they must be responding to the treatment and trying to get away from the poison.

I think you might be right Maxx .... going to at least wait till Sat to move back to main tank. I have no skimmer on this tank but with the large water change I shouldn't have too many problems. Besides there is nothing else but coral and rock in tank, so no feeding required.

I'm crossing my fingers

 

[marinelife]

After 3 treatments about 6 months ago the red bugs are back and I have not added anything. I think I am going to try natural with a fish or something. What has everyone else done when they came back. I know there were a few people that said they had fish eat them, that are they?

 

[reedman]

Dragon faced pipefish are the much hyped fish that are supposed to eat the bugs. They are available from Dr. Foster & Smith online, but I would caution you against then. I got two and they were so small that they really didn't stand a chance in the high flow of my SPS tank. They are much better suited to a specimen tank like seahorses are. My opinion and experience, but I have heard similar from others.

It's ultimately your decision, but I would review how you treated last time and ensure you had the correct measurements for the interceptor and allowed it to remain in the tank long enough to kill them.

 

[fishermann]

In my opion taking the acros out of your tank well not take all the bugs out and I am no sceintist but I know I got them again from putting a clam in my tank that I did not quarantine [stupid move] and it came from a tank that had them, which I didn't know at the time, and the clam was out of the tank for several hrs. in a bag and none of the bag water was poured into the tank after acclamation. That is the only thing I added when they returned after the first treatment approx. a yr. earlier. I don't know their life span or how long they can survive if they aren't on a acro but I don't think you well rid your system of them by not treating the whole tank, and I think adding stuff other than acros to your tank and thinking you won't get them because your not adding acros is a mistake.

 

[NaH2O]

I do feel your tank would be free of the bugs after 5 days. John - in your case, I would be think whoever went to bag the clam got some bugs in the water (maybe an acro was disturbed nearby), and once in the bag the bugs tried holding onto the clam (or in some cases, perhaps a small bit of acro encrusting on the shell). That is the only way I can see the bugs getting into your system on a clam, and based on what folks have seen in their tanks, I doubt they will live on the clam. Had you not had acros in the tank, then I suspect the bugs would have perished. Someone, either Eric B or Greg Hiller (can't remember who, and didn't look back in the thread) posted or wrote about attempting to get the bugs on other corals without success.

 

[fishermann]

I agree Nikki, there were acros in the tank the clam came from, and I don't disagree they need acros to live, but my point is that you can get them on other things than just acros if the fish or other specimen is from a tank or a communically shared sump system that has acros that are infected, such as used alot in LFS,so just because you are buying something other then a acro doesn't mean you won't get the bugs if you have acros in your tank. Almost forgot the other point I wanted to make is that I doubt some one with a tank full of acros could get every little piece out enough to rid the tank of the bugs, especially one the size and with the reef Mike has, or even a smaller tank, I don't think I would want to do all that work just to have them come back again, which IMHO you would be taking a big chance they would. Quarantine!!!!!

 

[Ohgee]

Made it through the second treatment great but nothing else lived in the tank. Most of the water change was spent cleaning dead bugs out of the tank along with a multitude of pods. Really glad I was able to treat in a different tank.

Like Mike said I'm not the type to jump on the band wagon but my Blue acro looks much better. I have never seem polups extended on it before but I do now and the color is already better.

Thank God for a group of people like are in here that share their information and experiences.

 

[Katchupoy]

so many hours of reading.... wow.... so much to digest...

because of the tank tour (south), its been verified by experts that my tank too have red bugs. No matter how hard I tried to look for them, and if you dont know what you are looking for.... it is very hard.

Now that I have it for some time... where can I get the interceptor? online? any suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[CarlaW]

Cesar, I got mine from Petmeds.com, but you are still gonna need a perscription from your vet! They are kind of sticky about that. Is there anyone local who might have some left from their treatments that could give you however much you need?

 

[fishermann]

Well I have learned the hard way unfortunantly that anthias and interceptor do not mix. I bought 5 anthias from Kevin at Aquatic Dreams about eight weeks ago, they were Bartletts, a super male and four others. I had them for about two weeks and everything was doing great, they ate like pigs from day one in my 230 reef tank. We went on vacation for 21/2 weeks and came back and they were doing great, the sitter had did a superb job of taking care of the tank. Anyway I had to treat again for red bugs because the single treatment I had did earlier was not enough on the 230, which one treatment had did the job on the 75 a year earlier. Anyway I did the first treatment a week ago, use just over half a pill for what I figured with sump and all I have about 230 gals of actual water volume. Removed carbon, polypad, turned off UV and shut down the skimmer. Everything looked good and after 7 hrs I did a 10 gal water change put fresh carbon in the sump along with the poly pad, turned the skimmer on to skim wet and the UV. Went to bed and the next morning I did another 10 gal water change. Everything looked great, all fish ate [ or I thought they had] their morning food. About an hour later the super male was upside down in the tank, so I got him out and put him in a tupperware container in the sump. He was still breathing ,but it was labored. I did a few things and he lasted the day and died that night. I thought well maybe he was an old fish and it was his time. Well that left me with 4 and so I went on. Well yesterday I did the second treatment the same way and this morning I only saw one of the anthias out. Finally one of the others came out but it was in trouble. I fed the tank and the one ate like a pag but the other wasn't interested in food. I netted the fish and put it in a container in the sump, added a few mysis and put in a few drops of liquid B-12 and a little garlic. Well it is back in the main tank, seems to be eating and swimming around more alert, I still don't know for sure that he well make it. Anyway I wanted to alert everyone that anthias and interceptor may not get along. I realize that I did not do the huge water change that was recommended by Dustin right away, but I don't know for sure that it would have done any good. I hope 2 treatments is enough because I do not want to have to treat again, knowing what I know now. I know there well be debate that maybe a big water change would have saved them, and that most likely is true, but I did a small one right away and put in alot of carbon and the polypad, which would suck the levels down quickly. I am posting this to alert others to the fact that these little guys are in danger when using this stuff. I called Kevin and alerted him. I am going to wait a couple months and make sure the bugs are gone and then add some females back in, but not until then. I hope Eric doesn't see this. Still have not seen the other two, they most likely died in the rocks. John

 

[CarlaW]

John,
Sorry to hear about your anthias. I have 3 in my 300 and they didn't miss a beat during my 2 treatments. I don't know about you, but I think that's wierd!!

 

[fishermann]

Hey Charlie, yeah It was nice talking to you at Kevins on our way home from vac. I don,t know if it is Bartletts or what, they are supposed to be one of the hardier ones, but I do know that it isn't just coinsadence [spelling] that this took place after treating with interceptor, most of the other fish have been through 4 total treatments, including two little clown gobies and some fire fish, which I would have thought the little clown gobies would have had trouble first.

 

[CarlaW]

Yeah, I don't know what to tell ya John. Maybe it was because they weren't totally acclimated to the tank yet, I don't know

What did Kevin think about it??

 

[fishermann]

Charlie they have been in the tank for 2 months. They were doing great, and each time I dosed I lost anthias, and haven't had an issue other then when I dosed interceptor. Kevin doesn't know either but is in agreement that the interceptor must be having some effect on these fish.

 

[NaH2O]

John - I know you are relating the Anthias deaths to the interceptor, but I don't see how it is possible. The way the medication works, I don't think it would have an effect on fish. Now, I could argue that the loss of a food source, or chemistry spike of some kind may have played a role.

Anyone else treat their system that also had Anthias?

How is everyone's tank doing after the recent treatments....updates? How are the corals doing?

 

[CarlaW]

I had no problems with my anthias. The corals keep lookin better and better, Check the "time for an update thread".