So I've got some good news and some bad news. I've seen some reduced polyp extension in my bonsai Acropora and after a few days of watching closely, concluded that I had red bugs in the reef. I didn't see them on any other Acropora, so I sought out a dip to see what I could find. Obtained some TLF ReVive from a local reef couple and dipped my bonsai.
Followed the instructions on the dip, noticed a bit better polyp extension after the frag was reintroduced to the reef, then I went to town investigating the bathing solution. I've got a more simple monocular microscope that has a camera attachment to show pictures and video on my lap top, but I'm in search of the connecting cable, so in the mean time, a phone camera up to the eye piece ill have to do.
After sorting through some copepods and an "enormous" Amphipods, I found some culprits. They are yelow in color with a large red spot, I believe these are the infamous red bugs, but from what I have read, that's a general term applied to a few genera of parasitic invertebrates plaguing Acropora corals.
I have also read that one of the best ways to irradicate them is to use Interceptor, a heart worm medication commonly used in dogs. While this soundsgreat, I really don't like the idea of killing EVERY invertebrate in the reef including all beneficial copepods, amphipods, stomatella, and any clean up crew that cannot be collected and removed.
I'll be preforming a series of dips and recording what I find under the miscroscope to see if I can put a serious dent in the population, or if in fact, I need to "nuke" the tank. The first round included all 5of my Acropora and I found 6 red bugs and some egg masses form an unknown invertebrates. Red strings of eggs, similar in appearance to toad eggs on a much smaller scale.
Andnow, who doesn't like ridiculous actinic shots to distract you (me) from the above nightmare?!
Candy Apple Red with a new polyp
Euphyllia parancora sharing the limelight with a Stylophora
Blastomussa wellsi
Zoanthid garden
Utter Chaos Palythoa coloring up nicely
Should be getting a new camera soon, so I'm hoping to see an improvement in pictures. They all seem to have a hazy overcast to them.
