Eckolancer
Membership Expired
Hey All,
So on Tuesday night I came home and as always look at my tank. Well I recently moved my SPS frag rack to the front pane of my tank for a bit more light and flow as the frags... although alive with polyp extension... weren't encrusting as fast as they should. So I noticed a small frag with some STN at the base that didn't have it the day prior. So I put my face to the glass and what do I see? Yep I see some Red Bugs. I've been really good about dipping the frags I've purchased... but honestly can't say if I dipped 100% depending on who they were from. Before anyone asks no I don't know where I picked up the aids, nor would I blame anyone as these things are SOOOO SMALL and don't always kill the coral so they can be difficult to spot.
Over the course of the last few months, I've lost a handful of sps including some larger colonies... It's been crazy but have been racking my brain as to the cause. My parameters have been stable, tank was looking good, and those acros not affected have great color. The corals I lost to slow STN were nice but nothing I can't get back... I just don't like losing corals... I mean who does?
This will be my RED BUG progress thread. From my reefer buddies that have dealt with this before, it sounds like a piece of cake and with 3 treatments in 3 weeks, I should be bug free. Did my first treatment last night after pulling out as many crabs and snails as I could. The shrimp I couldn't catch but as the treatment started to work they started to just drift in the water. I pulled them out and placed them in QT with snails and crabs. Today they are looking like nothing effected them at all.
Interceptor is what most use to kill the red bugs. Its a medication for dogs that helps prevent heartworm and other similar parasites. The new formula, which unfortunately is no longer sold in the U.S., is Interceptor Spectrum. The large chewables contain 23 mg milbemycin oxime/228 mg praziquantel . The original formula did not contain the prazi, so initially people were skeptical about using such a high dose of prazi in their reef tank and nervous their fish and livestock. Over the last few years, many have used the new formula with good results, effectively killing the Red Bugs while not harming their fish or corals. The treament will, however, most likely kill your shrimp, crabs, and beneficial pods. I've read some instances where some will survive, but the majority will not. I did notice a lot of dead pods but also see a lot of them alive still.
I ordered me enough for my treatment, which from my research 1 Large Chew pill is enough to treat approximately 400 gallons. My tank has about 130 gallons, so I will divide the tablet in half and treat every Saturday for 3 weeks.
I intend to dip future SPS in an interceptor bath to prevent future outbreaks, or to have some on hand in case the bugs find there way back in my system.
You are supposed to remove Carbon and GFO, which I don't have. Remove the airline from your skimmer so while the pump is still working, it won't be skimming. I wasn't sure about bio pellets, which I do have, but after some reading it seems the treatment won't affect bacterial populations so I will leave that running.
My question for some of you guys that have dealt with these redbugs in the past is. Do I need to worry about the crabs snails and Small piece of live rock that has my large feather dusters in it. They are all in QT but could there be any redbugs that are hiding in there? I have looked at the corals today and there is not a single redbug in site which is great news for me. Just would hate to put them right back in if they are living on my feather duster rock. I did notice that some snails I didn't see last night made it through the treatment without issue. So I may put them back in the tank now and hope for the best on next treatment. On top of that I have one feather duster that is lodged into a very large rock and took the chance and treated tank with him in there still. He looks ok today but did notice that he was pooping a lot when treatment started (hopefully he will make it). If he is good come this weekend I may just put all my others back in the display and risk them as well. I know the crabs and shrimp will not make it as the ones I saw after treatment started they would just stop walking and start shaking pro am to a slow death. I pulled any that I could see after treatment that I missed and looks like only one crab was lost.
Here some of the damage these guys have caused me over the last few months. About half a 5 gallon bucket full of dead SPS. I'm sorry to anyone that may have gotten a frag from me and has caused issues in your tank. Once I buy back some SPS and it's grown out enough to frag I will pay you back. Anyone that has a frag from me I hope you have dipped and killed the little guys off before placing in your tank. And I thought that AEFW was bad. Those are easy to spot and treat compared to these little guys.
[attachment=0]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1434293418.055234.jpg[/attachment]
Sent from pay phone in the airport.
So on Tuesday night I came home and as always look at my tank. Well I recently moved my SPS frag rack to the front pane of my tank for a bit more light and flow as the frags... although alive with polyp extension... weren't encrusting as fast as they should. So I noticed a small frag with some STN at the base that didn't have it the day prior. So I put my face to the glass and what do I see? Yep I see some Red Bugs. I've been really good about dipping the frags I've purchased... but honestly can't say if I dipped 100% depending on who they were from. Before anyone asks no I don't know where I picked up the aids, nor would I blame anyone as these things are SOOOO SMALL and don't always kill the coral so they can be difficult to spot.
Over the course of the last few months, I've lost a handful of sps including some larger colonies... It's been crazy but have been racking my brain as to the cause. My parameters have been stable, tank was looking good, and those acros not affected have great color. The corals I lost to slow STN were nice but nothing I can't get back... I just don't like losing corals... I mean who does?
This will be my RED BUG progress thread. From my reefer buddies that have dealt with this before, it sounds like a piece of cake and with 3 treatments in 3 weeks, I should be bug free. Did my first treatment last night after pulling out as many crabs and snails as I could. The shrimp I couldn't catch but as the treatment started to work they started to just drift in the water. I pulled them out and placed them in QT with snails and crabs. Today they are looking like nothing effected them at all.
Interceptor is what most use to kill the red bugs. Its a medication for dogs that helps prevent heartworm and other similar parasites. The new formula, which unfortunately is no longer sold in the U.S., is Interceptor Spectrum. The large chewables contain 23 mg milbemycin oxime/228 mg praziquantel . The original formula did not contain the prazi, so initially people were skeptical about using such a high dose of prazi in their reef tank and nervous their fish and livestock. Over the last few years, many have used the new formula with good results, effectively killing the Red Bugs while not harming their fish or corals. The treament will, however, most likely kill your shrimp, crabs, and beneficial pods. I've read some instances where some will survive, but the majority will not. I did notice a lot of dead pods but also see a lot of them alive still.
I ordered me enough for my treatment, which from my research 1 Large Chew pill is enough to treat approximately 400 gallons. My tank has about 130 gallons, so I will divide the tablet in half and treat every Saturday for 3 weeks.
I intend to dip future SPS in an interceptor bath to prevent future outbreaks, or to have some on hand in case the bugs find there way back in my system.
You are supposed to remove Carbon and GFO, which I don't have. Remove the airline from your skimmer so while the pump is still working, it won't be skimming. I wasn't sure about bio pellets, which I do have, but after some reading it seems the treatment won't affect bacterial populations so I will leave that running.
My question for some of you guys that have dealt with these redbugs in the past is. Do I need to worry about the crabs snails and Small piece of live rock that has my large feather dusters in it. They are all in QT but could there be any redbugs that are hiding in there? I have looked at the corals today and there is not a single redbug in site which is great news for me. Just would hate to put them right back in if they are living on my feather duster rock. I did notice that some snails I didn't see last night made it through the treatment without issue. So I may put them back in the tank now and hope for the best on next treatment. On top of that I have one feather duster that is lodged into a very large rock and took the chance and treated tank with him in there still. He looks ok today but did notice that he was pooping a lot when treatment started (hopefully he will make it). If he is good come this weekend I may just put all my others back in the display and risk them as well. I know the crabs and shrimp will not make it as the ones I saw after treatment started they would just stop walking and start shaking pro am to a slow death. I pulled any that I could see after treatment that I missed and looks like only one crab was lost.
Here some of the damage these guys have caused me over the last few months. About half a 5 gallon bucket full of dead SPS. I'm sorry to anyone that may have gotten a frag from me and has caused issues in your tank. Once I buy back some SPS and it's grown out enough to frag I will pay you back. Anyone that has a frag from me I hope you have dipped and killed the little guys off before placing in your tank. And I thought that AEFW was bad. Those are easy to spot and treat compared to these little guys.
[attachment=0]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1434293418.055234.jpg[/attachment]
Sent from pay phone in the airport.