Admitting it. Red bugs

[pickupman66]

So, this weekend my last acro went up in white. As a last ditch I clipped the ends and dipped in Bayer. Not a single flat worm but there were Red specs. I don't have a microscope but maybe they wwere red bugs. I cant ttell for sure but ththat is the oonly explanation I can offer. No clue how they got in. For the last 2 years any addition was Bayer dipped. Maybe my wrasses kept them iin check. I dipped this time agajn ccause I saw mmy melanarus very actively picking at the skeleton.


Grrrrrrr. So looks like a completely acro fallow tank for me for 12 months.

 

[nova65ss]

In my experience red bugs will not kill a healthy acro. Red bugs are also actually yellow as well not red. If you have a camera or cell phone you can zoom in and see them moving. I know the interceptor is not available but I believe some people have been using a new form of interceptor as treatment no need to go fallow for 12 months.

Man I never pay attention to the forum I am posting in I just hit new posts and didn't even realize I was in a club forum.....

 

[rcmike]

Sorry to hear that. What are you doing with the acros you have?

 

[Dowtish]

You can get sentinel tabs that are just as effective as interceptor.

 

[pickupman66]

Well they weren't that red. Orangy specks. Still not sure. I have 2 milli and 2 acros left. Why subject to a tank treatment when I have so little left. I'm going to pull the leftovers tonite and dip in a very strong Bayer. Then to the frag tank with the baby 6line.

I have no desire for a whole tank treatment. Also will they effect pocilipora? Or only smooth skinned acropora?

 

[ToXIc]

In my experience red bugs will not kill a healthy acro. Red bugs are also actually yellow as well not red. If you have a camera or cell phone you can zoom in and see them moving. I know the interceptor is not available but I believe some people have been using a new form of interceptor as treatment no need to go fallow for 12 months.

Man I never pay attention to the forum I am posting in I just hit new posts and didn't even realize I was in a club forum.....

your input was still welcomed..

 

[trido]

Good advice up above. Red bugs are hard to see but can be seen with the naked eye if you have good eyes. I cant see them without my reading glasses now days. I finally treated my tank for them last month. ONLY because I was tired of reading comments about them when I posted pictures of my corals.

Healthy colonies will be just fine with red bugs and I've seen more than one show tank full of them. Mine for example.

Frags on the other hand can fall ill and struggle with red bugs.

 

[YHSublime]

With redbugs you can use an interceptor treatement, and only have to worry about your inverts/crustacians. All pods, snails, shrimps, etc. will need to be removed while you treat. Your fish and corals, however, will love you for it. Interceptor is a controlled substance, and you should be able to get something perscribed from a vet, or at least something similar, a google search will yeild many results. Good luck!

 

[pickupman66]

I do appreciate everyones advice on the treatment with Interceptor. However with just a few acros that I have and $180 it does not make good sense for me to go through with the treatment right now. If I had only thought and learns that I had them about 15 colonies ago it might be a different story. But I will cut my losses now go follow or without acros for several months to make sure and then I will come back.

 

[fishdoc11]

You can do a dip with Sentinel. I haven't used Sentinel but always dipped acros in interceptor (you can use multiple times normal strength and only dip a couple hours and it will kill any red bugs). I have read many accounts of using Sentinel without any problems. Also FWIW Sentinel is pretty cheap now. PM me if you need some.

 

[Tennsquire]

I've used Bayer insecticide in the past and it worked well (and adding a 6-line wrasse didn't hurt).

 

[pickupman66]

Thanks fishdoc. I may just do that to have on hand but with so few left. I'm nit going to put my pod collection to risk.

 

[schooleyosis]

Sorry to hear that Lindsey but sounds like you have a good plan in place with your frag tank setup and all. Keep us posted on what you decide to do and best of luck.

 

[Dowtish]

Thanks fishdoc. I may just do that to have on hand but with so few left. I'm nit going to put my pod collection to risk.

He was saying you could DIP them with sentinel. Bayer works just as good, but if they arent rinsed well it will kill off pods as well.

 

[pickupman66]

I re-read it.. ill pull my milli and all tonight. any acros I have left are going to be broken off and dipped in a strong bayer dip.

 

[pickupman66]

Word of advice.. DONT LOOK AT OLD PHOTOS OF YOUR TANK after you have lost them all... AGONY! and Incidentally, I lost a seemingly perfectly healthy Powder brown this past week too. Just stopped eating and got super skinny. Very sudden too.