Red bugs....

[fritz]

I was going to post this under "Thing that I wish I'd of listened to.." but figured I'd get a better response here.

Mshur told me that I was crazy to not dip corals before adding them to my tank and was even nice enough to give me some lugols (thanks again Mike). I used it the next two or three times I added stuff to my tank and then got lazy.

Well surprise, I'm infested with red bugs.
I've read mixed things about them. The two schools of thought that I've found are:
1. They don't effect your corals adversely. People who say that they've bleached or killed corals have bad husbandry.
2. The people who say #1 are crazy they 100% will harm your acros.

Which is it? Should I freak out or leave them be and hope that my six-line starts eating them?

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Can you also show us a pic?

 

[Deanos]

1. They don't effect your corals adversely. People who say that they've bleached or killed corals have bad husbandry.

I've never heard this train of thought. Treat your tank....ASAP!

 

[Josh]

I used to say #1. Your corals will definately live and thrive with red bugs on them, to a point.

I have a hard time accepting that anyone agrees with #1 anymore. They are ABSOLUTELY a pest and basically cause your coral to grow unnaturally. In my experience (this is not scientific), red bugs cause SPS to have corallites overgrow the polyps so eventually the SPS starve themselves. This is my personal observation and is in no way related to a study.

 

[fritz]

Wingo it looks like cyclopeeze.
Dean, it was on Wetwebmedia, one of them were saying that they've had red bugs for a few years and they're tank was fine. So far it seems that they only like two of my corals.

I'm weary of using interceptor should I just dip the rocks for 4-5 mins in some brown lugols water?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Wingo it looks like cyclopeeze.
Dean, it was on Wetwebmedia, one of them were saying that they've had red bugs for a few years and they're tank was fine. So far it seems that they only like two of my corals.

I'm weary of using interceptor should I just dip the rocks for 4-5 mins in some brown lugols water?

Use the interceptor. It takes 6 hours for the bugs to die off. If you treat corals 1 by 1 you'll never get rid of them. Nothing to be scared of when using interceptor .

 

[fritz]

Won't it kill off my pods and bacteria etc?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Yes ur pods will die, shrimps, crab, hermits etc... But it takes 6 hours for the live bugs to die off, then you have to worry about eggs left on the coral. Dipping every coral for 6 hours isn't in anyway ur best bet. If even a tiny piece of acro is left somewhere in the tank and the bugs find their way to it, you're going to be right back where you started.

 

[joseney21]

definitely TREAT with interceptor!!

 

[Tim]

I just did a clients tank with it. I treated for 24hrs then did a 20% water change and added fresh carbon, changed the filter socks and to my surprise found live pods in there. I will do two more treatments a week apart,I will let you know how it turns out....

 

[DevIouS]

Fred...
Lugols will not do anything to red bugs.

A six-line will not touch them either.


How many acros are in your tank?

 

[jhale]

intercept

it works.

 

[stingnyc]

and remeber to do all 3 treatments, if not they will be back in a few months... but definitely interceptor is the way to go!

 

[fritz]

11 Acros. I'm going to pick up some interceptor tomorrow.


All 3 treatments?

 

[jhale]

I did two, that did the trick.

but once you do one, might as well do three just to be sure.

 

[fritz]

As in dose, say a 3/4 tablet then wait 24 hours, do a 20% water change and repeat?

 

[mshur]

fred,
dont freak out...rb is not a big deal compare to aefw...
do all 3 treatments... when i had them ( twice) i did all 3
do a first one for 6 hours ,then change 20% water , second treatment do in one week,third in 3 weeks... use a lot of carbon after each treatment. interceptor will not harm ur corals or fish...try to take out crab and shrimps if u can...
and get a bottle of tropic marine pro-cure ))

mike

 

[Tim]

Each tablet treats up to 360 gal. and the one you need to get is for a large dog 51-100lbs. I over dosed on my second treatment and my tank showed no ill affects so dont sweat doing the treatment.

 

[fritz]

Thanks everyone I'll get some today and keep you all posted. My shrimp will be happy in his own tank. It'll be much easier for him to catch food.

 

[ming]

Dont forget to take out the hermits too
Anybody tried interceptor with an anemone in the tank?