Setosa bugs?

[Gk5321]

Last night I did my weekly check on my tank just to make sure everything is running smoothing and I saw what I prey aren't black bugs on my setosa. I don't know how I would've gotten them, I haven't added coral for months and this setosa frag is well over 6 months old. I didn't notice these things on any other corals and they were on my other setosa frag or montiporas. Any clue what these could be? Sorry for the horrible picture, it was the best I could do.

 

[zemuss]

Those look to be red bugs...

 

[Tahoe61]

Black bugs, Interceptor works well for treatment.

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

 

[Gk5321]

Well how would they even have gotten in? I dip everything and it's been so long since I added anything.

 

[ReeferBee]

I was not aware red bugs preyed on montipora. Also I dont think they look like red bugs

 

[Gk5321]

How well do any of these parasites attatch to the coral? I don't even see them moving.

 

[Chris Adams]

Try blowing them off and see what they do. Kind of looks like black and possibly a couple red bugs but could be wrong.

Here is a good pic of red bugs I had. I only noticed them because my daughter was taking some macro shots with her underwater camera.

Interceptor does work well for Red Bugs. I have not read about someone using it on Black Bug. I would figure the same success

Never had Black bug and believe I read a thread on R2R where people said even Bayer did not work on them.

Also I do not remember seeing them on my Setosa so interesting they are on there. ReeferBee makes an interesting point.

 

[Gk5321]

I tried blowing them off last night and nothing happened. I'm hoping its just something wrong with this one coral. Like I said, the other setosa frag I have seems fine besides the other sps coral that managed to encrust all the way over to it without me noticing.

 

[Chris Adams]

Did you give it a another dip? Can't hurt.

 

[Gk5321]

I'll try ripping it out but I did something dumb and put a bunch of different corals right on top of one another so this setosa encrusted right into the zoa's I have next to them and the montipora cap. They all seem to get along so I never moved them. I don't know if I can get it off and that's why I'm worried that everything else is going to get infected if it isn't already.

 

[ReeferBee]

maybe try using a syringe to blast them with rodi water, that should make them move

 

[Gk5321]

I'll try, thank you guys so much for all the help. I finally got all the dosing pumps and everything I need to keep my tank stable and now I get bugs. I love my luck.

 

[Tahoe61]

Well how would they even have gotten in? I dip everything and it's been so long since I added anything.

Dipping has little effect on Black and Red Bugs, they typically just dig in deeper.

 

[Sabellafella]

Theres black copepods and the "horrible black flatwormbug" that your refuring to. Im not sure what they are, if your setosas in bad shape i woulf just dip it

 

[Gk5321]

I just don't get why they would suddenly pop up months later.

 

[Gk5321]

I think I might be freaking out over nothing. That coral might be on the way out, but it looks like little tufts of algae growing on it. Nothing moved when I sprayed fresh water on it.

 

[Gk5321]

Okay, just to update everyone. I thought why not use the tools I have access to in the lab to see for sure. I think these are black bugs and possibly some unnamed species. I got some cool video of the Copepods florescnse which I'm assuming is coming from the setosa they have been eating. Sorry for the poor quality, I couldn't figure out how to get the computer to take a photo on my labs dual phase confocal microscope. Surprisingly these guys still didn't die even after subjecting them direct uv light.

 

[Sabellafella]

Okay, just to update everyone. I thought why not use the tools I have access to in the lab to see for sure. I think these are black bugs and possibly some unnamed species. I got some cool video of the Copepods florescnse which I'm assuming is coming from the setosa they have been eating. Sorry for the poor quality, I couldn't figure out how to get the computer to take a photo on my labs dual phase confocal microscope. Surprisingly these guys still didn't die even after subjecting them direct uv light.

Wow, did you find them on other coral also?

 

[nemo1017]

I Had the same little black bugs on my setosa frag. They were eating the frag from the underside. The frag was dipped in coral rx and Bayer dip prior to going in the tank. I Dipped it in Bayer again after I saw the bugs and the frag ended up dying on me. I'm Wondering about their life cycle and what other coral they may prey on...or if they are only monti specific.

 

[maroun.c]

Impressive, not every reefer has access to that!
You might need to get in touch with someone and send in a sample for further classification. Then I would take the coral out to a quarantine and try to observe the effect they have on the coral and what dips kill them.
Closely inspect all your other corals and it's very important that you don't share corals or anything from your tank with other reefers in the coming period.