Any idea what these are?

jah-hoeva · Dec 31, 2017

Pulled a Gatorade bird nest coral that was not looking well and noticed these on the plate I was working on. Any ideas what they are and what to do about them?

tripdad · Dec 31, 2017

Have any better close up?

jah-hoeva · Dec 31, 2017

Any closer and my phone seemed to go out of focus. I feel sick to my stomach fearing they are not good.

Maritimer · Dec 31, 2017

New one to me ... doesn't look like any of the usual copepods, nor does it have the smooth gliding motion of mysid shrimp... Perhaps @KJ or another member of the #reefsquad has experience with these little black bugs.

~Bruce

hyprc · Dec 31, 2017

Fascinating, look like the size of a pinhead and pretty dam fast?

Crabs McJones · Dec 31, 2017

I agree with Maritimer, they don't look or move like pods...Best bet would be a closer look.

Heliarc19 · Dec 31, 2017

They look somewhat like red bugs but I’m no expert

KJ · Dec 31, 2017

Sorry I have not seen anything like this before.

KJ · Dec 31, 2017

@Tahoe61

cmcoker · Dec 31, 2017

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/242646/

See if anything in this thread describes what you are seeing.

Finhead · Dec 31, 2017

Those look exactly like the Black Bugs a buddy had in his tank a few months ago. We pulled all his SPS and did some Bayer dip and put them in QT, seems the Bayer will stun them enought to get them off the corals if you use a powerhead or the like to remove them at the end of the dip. It doesn't kill them though.

Tahoe61 · Dec 31, 2017

I would guess Parategastes or Tegastes based on how they move and the coloration, also the coral they were found on or near. The collection of parasitic and harmless Parategastes and Tegastes to corals is vast. The link below provides a wealth of information on the topic and treatments. Interceptor would most likely be effective. Page down the link and you'll find the bug that goes with the coral type.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/3/corals