Red bugs in reef tank

Tylermacdonald15 · Nov 7, 2013

I have a red bug problem in my 210 reef. Some of my acros are encrusted onto big rocks so I can't just take them out to dip them. The interceptor treatment seemed easy enough until I found out that they don't make it anymore. I would get a dragonface pipefish to eat them but I'm not a fan of taking fish from the wild that have such a low success rate. Besides that I quarantine my fish for a 1 month minimum so the chances of even getting the pipefish through quarantine is slim. Does anyone have any solutions to this problem? Is there a new product in replacement for interceptor that works?
Thanks

evolved · Nov 7, 2013

Yes, interceptor spectrum is now what's available. Same active ingredient, same effective result.

bct15 · Nov 7, 2013

evolved said:
Yes, interceptor spectrum is now what's available. Same active ingredient, same effective result.

+1 interceptor spectrum can be found online pretty easily...need to order t from Australia but it gets here pretty fast.

Andy Nguyen · Nov 7, 2013

i just ordered it, it came with in 2 weeks.

Tylermacdonald15 · Nov 7, 2013

Andy Nguyen said:
i just ordered it, it came with in 2 weeks.

Have you tested it? I just ordered some myself.

Andy Nguyen · Nov 7, 2013

yes, I put it in my tank already. it works great! doesnt hurt any of my SPS or chalices.

Tylermacdonald15 said:
Have you tested it? I just ordered some myself.

bct15 · Nov 7, 2013

Tylermacdonald15 said:
Have you tested it? I just ordered some myself.

It will kill your acro crabs.

Tahoe61 · Nov 7, 2013

bct15 said:
It will kill your acro crabs.

And possibly hermit, ornamental shrimp as well as your pods to some degree. It's a great treatment, I would use it again in a heart beat, but it does pose a risk to Arthropods.

Tylermacdonald15 · Nov 7, 2013

Tahoe61 said:
And possibly hermit, ornamental shrimp as well as your pods to some degree. It's a great treatment, I would use it again in a heart beat, but it does pose a risk to Arthropods.

I'm going to take as many inverts out as possible. I have a breeding pair of cleaner shrimp that are very hard to catch, but I want them out. Since the interceptor I ordered is coming from over seas I will have a few weeks to get everything out before the treatment. The biggest negative I see is the loss of my copepod population.

AquamanE · Nov 7, 2013

Tylermacdonald15 said:
I'm going to take as many inverts out as possible. I have a breeding pair of cleaner shrimp that are very hard to catch, but I want them out. Since the interceptor I ordered is coming from over seas I will have a few weeks to get everything out before the treatment. The biggest negative I see is the loss of my copepod population.

copepods are easily replaced. multiple online vedore sell them

trido · Nov 7, 2013

I've treated with the old interceptor time after time and my pod population always bounced back without any help at all. My shrimps and crabs were hit and miss to whether or not they died. I doubt it's much different now than with the old recipe.

bct15 · Nov 7, 2013

I agree, pods will take a hit but will come back. The stuff without a breed population not so well... Dang stone crab survived though.

evolved · Nov 8, 2013

Tylermacdonald15 said:
I'm going to take as many inverts out as possible.

All inverts? Not necessary.
It will only target crustaceans. Just focus on those.

trido said:
I've treated with the old interceptor time after time and my pod population always bounced back without any help at all. My shrimps and crabs were hit and miss to whether or not they died. I doubt it's much different now than with the old recipe.

Agree. Pods will bounce back. The larger crustaceans are hit/miss. It's a bit of a Russian roulette game with them.

Tylermacdonald15 · Nov 8, 2013

evolved said:
All inverts? Not necessary.
It will only target crustaceans. Just focus on those.

Agree. Pods will bounce back. The larger crustaceans are hit/miss. It's a bit of a Russian roulette game with them.

So I should not worry about my snails and serpent stars then? They are actually the easiest to get out but if I don't need to do it I'll save the time And just work on my emerald crabs and shrimp.