Red Bugs!!!

[Faciosity]

My SPS have been doing awesome for at least the last year or so, and a few days ago, I started losing a few frags. I just noticed that I am swarming with red bugs!!!! I got a few acro frags local recently, and wish I had checked them better.
I have heard of interceptor, but who carries it, and how do I use it? Will it harm anything else in my tank? I have a 210, so what will it cost to treat???

 

[user 26995]

I believe you can get it from a veterinarian. As far as how to use it, I dont know. That would be helpful to know. Its bound to be posted somewhere.

 

[user 26995]

Okay, found this.

Melevsreef.com - Interceptor | Red Bug treatment
Red Bugs Treatment with Interceptor | reef tools

 

[Faciosity]

I found that article as well, and plan on visiting a vet tomorrow to explain the event and hopefully obtain the medication. I read on a couple of articles that it can have bad affects on shrimp and hermits, and I hope that it doesn't harm my pistol. He is over 3 inches long and lives with a giant pink spot goby. There is just no way to get him out without destroying my whole reef, so it is going to be a risk I have to take.

 

[krisfal]

I do not know if it is an option for you, but I have had good luck removing the rocks with the acros on them and doing an hour long dip in the interceptor. I have never had a buch of acros so it usually just meant pulling out a few rocks.

 

[Faciosity]

I have 30+ different acros, and several of them are attached to large rocks which are the main structure of my tank that contains 300# of rock. Dipping individually is not really an option for me.

 

[Maxx]

Many people here, (including myself) have used interceptor to treat for red bugs.
Dont worry... it's easy to handle.
Get water prepped up for a water change, (you want to have at least 20% made up).
Get a source of carbon prepped up.
You're only treating your display tank, so you dont need to treat your entire system, just anywhere you have them to include frag tanks.
Red bugs do swim, but they are acro specfic feeders, so wont be in your sump or fuge or anywhere else.

Stop the flow of all water to/from the tank to be treated, but leave any powerheads/closed loop pumps going for circulation.
Treat the system for 6 hours.
If you cant get the pistol shrimp out initially, dont worry, after 2-4 hours, the drug, (ivermectin) will begin to affect it and as long as you can get it out, it will recover fully. I had a similar issue with a blood shrimp during one of my bouts with red bugs. It was in the tank for over 4 hours and made a full recovery when I was finally able to remove it.

After 6 hours, begin to run carbon.

I like to run carbon for a full 24 hours following the treatment, then do the water change. However, I've also done a 20% water change and then run carbon....its up to you. I prefer carbon first since it will absorb any remaining ivermectin, (active ingredient in interceptor) before the water change is done.

You wont kill all your pods, the ones deep in the rockwork will survive fine and repopulate the tank.

Clams, anemones, soft corals, LPS, and SPS are not visibly affected during the treatment.....

Best bet is to carefully observe all incoming SPS afterwards...otherwise you'll end up reintroducing them to your tank....Ask me how I know....

Nick

 

[Faciosity]

I doubt there is any way I will get the shrimp out, even if it becomes incapacitated. It is deep under my rockwork in tunnels and is rarely seen. I really don't want to kill him. I also don't have enough salt for 40+ gallons of water right now, and don't get paid for several days. Most of my acros have shown little symptoms, but several of them are receding at a fairly quick rate and they are all just completely covered with the little things. I am worried to try treating without enough for a proper water change, but don't want to sit here and watch them die. What about my large brittle stars? Will it hurt them?

 

[jmp21677]

I've treated over a three day period by crushing then dividing the treatment into three equal amounts. This did not kill any invertebrates. However the six hour treatment sounds much easier and harder to screw up. You will need the water change no matter what you do

 

[estanoche]

your brittles will be just fine.... they don't float around like when you dose with flatworm exit haha

The script itself tho, when you get the large dog treatment with 6 pills costs $50....

 

[returnofsid]

You'll need to get a prescription, from a vet, which will cost you an "office visit." The pills themselves, will cost $6-8 each. One "large dog" sized pill will treat 380 gallons.

Yes, it will likely kill all of your shrimp, though your pistol shrimp may survive. I've had mixed results with shrimp survival.

I'd also suggest that the red bugs are not responsible for your SPS tissue recession. While your Acropora could be infested with redbugs, it's pretty broadly believed that they won't cause any actual damage, such as tissue recession. I'd suggest testing your Alk/Ca/Magnesium, with Alk being the first and most likely culprit.

 

[jmp21677]

Go to Costco for the pills they'll be half price. The pharmacy has pet meds

 

[Maxx]

You'll need to get a prescription, from a vet, which will cost you an "office visit." The pills themselves, will cost $6-8 each. One "large dog" sized pill will treat 380 gallons.

Yes, it will likely kill all of your shrimp, though your pistol shrimp may survive. I've had mixed results with shrimp survival.

I'd also suggest that the red bugs are not responsible for your SPS tissue recession. While your Acropora could be infested with redbugs, it's pretty broadly believed that they won't cause any actual damage, such as tissue recession. I'd suggest testing your Alk/Ca/Magnesium, with Alk being the first and most likely culprit.

This in red....Also, check your pH. I was having all sorts of issues with my pH and didnt know it since it was crashing after the lights went out for the night.

As far as the shrimp goes.....set a trap.
Buy a small plastic bottle of water, coke, pepsi etc...drink the contents, and rinse out the bottle with tap water.
Cut the top off of the bottle, and reinsert it with the narrow end that the cap came on so that its inside the bottle with the wide opening facing out. Secure it with zip ties, superglue, fishing line, whatever, but make sure you can open one end....You've just made a funnel trap.

Drill/poke lots of little holes in the large bell portion of the bottle. Tie some fishing line to the funnel trap so you can pull up the funnel end quickly.

Insert a stinky fresh food...I reccomend scallop...and place the trap outside the hole the pistol uses the most.
When the pistol finally enters the trap, quickly pull up the funnel end and you've just trapped your pistol so its safe to treat the tank.

You might need to "train" the shrimp that scallop is good by feeding it several times for a week or two before trying the trap...also not a bad idea to leave the trap in the tank while your doing this so that the shrimp gets acclimated to the trap and doesnt think anything about it since it doesnt "do" anything....until you use it.