Red Bugs! - treat entire tank or in QT tank?

SaraB · 04/07/2006, 01:07 PM

Well, I bought a magnifying glass over lunch and I was finally able to identify that I have a case of Red Acro Bugs.

I now need some help in treating these little monsters. I have read some posts where people have had luck with pulling all of the AcroÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s out of their tank and doing the 6 hour Interceptor treatments (3 total) in a QT tank and then return the corals to the main tank until the next weeks treatment. I am newer into SPS, so I am still able to do this without much effort. Is this a viable treatment or should I treat the entire tank? Please let me know of any successes or failures with these two options.

Thanks!

Sara

kevensquint · 04/07/2006, 02:02 PM

I just found one of my acros infected with them too

. Obviously, like Sara, I would prefer to dip them than treat the whole tank. Can anyone elaborate on what is "interceptor" and how to use it?

SaraB · 04/07/2006, 02:11 PM

Interceptor is the Veterinary Drug used to treat heartworms in dogs. Here's the link on how to dose it : http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859

SunnyX · 04/07/2006, 02:19 PM

Basically what i did was ground up one pill (treats 380gl), mixed it with tank water and then poured it into my tank.

6 hours later I changed about 20% of the water and added carbon.
24hrs later I did another water change and switched out the carbon.

I only did one treatment and the bugs have yet to return. Polyp extension on my tricolors is much better now.

The only thing I didn't like was the death of my PODS and worms. Now i have to clean my glass every two days, but my Po4 is at zero.

I still decided not to risk it and added some ROWAphos in a Phosban Reactor. Hopefully the ROWA, Along with ramped up water changes will fend off any more nutrients.

Corals are still super colored and growing like crazy so I'm not too concerned.

gflat65 · 04/07/2006, 02:23 PM

I would recommend doing the whole tank, personally. I have a DSB, so I saw a nice cyano bloom and soem other nuisance algae, but no worse for the wear. I even have a mandarin and was afraid of killing its food source altogether. It did fine, though. If you don't treat the whole tank, you run a good chance if them re-emerging at a later date. They are quick swimmers and could drop off the rock when you pull it from the tank. Just my $.02.

justinzimm · 04/07/2006, 02:48 PM

I second treating the entire tank. Start pulling your hermits and shrimp while you look for interceptor. I only lost a couple crabs when I did mine. It's really the ony way to be sure they are all gone IMO.

Justin

RichConley · 04/07/2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by justinzimm
I second treating the entire tank. Start pulling your hermits and shrimp while you look for interceptor. I only lost a couple crabs when I did mine. It's really the ony way to be sure they are all gone IMO.

Justin

They can only live for 4 or 5 days without a host.

If you can get the acros out without making a mess of your tank, treat outside of the tank. Set up a QT, treat in there, leave them in for 2 weeks or so, and you wont lose all your shelled critters.

If you can't, treat in the tank. You'll lose any crabs or shrimp that are in there though.

pk1 · 04/07/2006, 03:16 PM

Sara, if you can move the corals to a QT you will save a lot of your bio diversity. I just did exactly that. I was very surprised at what fell off just my coral and about 5lbs of live rock. Pods, Acro crabs, and to my surprise, even bristle worms. After each of the 3 treatments I siphoned out the dead bugs from the bare bottom q-tank, and did @ a 30% water change, and added a lot of carbon. When I moved the corals back to the display, I did not rinse them in fresh saltwater. Just the residue interceptor left on the corals and rock was enough to stun all my hermits for over 24 hours, they just sat motionless. This stuff is strong, and who knows what else it may kill, sand bed fauna, etc etc. JMHO...good luck!

Patrick

kevensquint · 04/07/2006, 06:59 PM

Just came back from the local vet. empty handed. He could'nt have cared less about what I had to say. All he said was " yes I have interceptor, but you need a presciption, and I'm not giving it to you". This kinda thing makes me hate people. So frustrating

fishdoc11 · 04/07/2006, 08:32 PM

IMO treating the whole tank is the only way to go. If your going to go through the trouble doing it right the first time is a good idea

....otherwise you will most likely end up doing it again.

Chris

golfish · 04/08/2006, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kevensquint
Just came back from the local vet. empty handed. He could'nt have cared less about what I had to say. All he said was " yes I have interceptor, but you need a presciption, and I'm not giving it to you". This kinda thing makes me hate people. So frustrating

You an get them at the link below. It will say you need a script but just go ahead and order it anyway. I've never had a script and they send em out to me.

http://www.petmedstore.com/

SaraB · 04/08/2006, 03:52 PM

I am going to attempt to treat the Acro's outside of the main tank and then place them in another separate QT for at least 2-3 weeks. The bugs and eggs that may fall off hopefully can not survive without a Acro host in the main tank for that long.

Any suggestions on how many times to treat the Acros outside of the main tank with Interceptor? Should I do 2 treatments a week apart or should I do the full 3 treatments outside in QT?

If this does not work, I can say I tried and then treat the entire system.

golfish · 04/08/2006, 05:41 PM

FWIW, I did only two treatments a few months ago...I found em again last night.

SaraB · 04/08/2006, 07:11 PM

golfish - Did you treat your entire system only twice?

glipper69 · 04/08/2006, 10:28 PM

I treated all my corals in a QT for a bout 12 hours with an extreme overdose. the corals did fine. so far no redbugs. I did have to treat twice because the first time I left a few pieces in my tank that I thought where not infected. big mistake they came back within a month. the second treatment I made sure every little pieces of acro was out of the tank. and so so good.

its been 2 months no sign of the little terrors.

good luck
Frank

steve68 · 04/09/2006, 06:58 AM

i did my tank 3 times & with in months all the pods where back but the red bugs where gone.
JME

tgfrench · 04/09/2006, 10:35 AM

Keven:

Try going to the vet with a print out of the treatment program. I took out a print out to 2 vets and let them look them over. The first one didn't have the large pills at the time, but he was willing to let me have them. The second vet was more than willing and wanted a copy of the info for its educational value.

Sara:

If you havn't started treatment and can pull your acros out, I'd reccommend doing it. You should treat 3 times outside the tank. That insures a die off in the tank and kills off the suckers in the QT. Be aware that some acros may not be able to stand the treatment. I've read and experienced around a 10% mortality of sps' due to the treatment. Good luck but kill off them lil buggers.

SaraB · 04/14/2006, 08:43 AM

I started my Red Bug treatment last night outside of the main tank. I pulled out 20 Acro's from the main tank ... most of them are frag's, so that helped the process. If all goes well, I plan on keeping the Acro's out for 21 days with 3 treatments of Interceptor spaced 1 week apart. I am also going to do daily water changes in the QT tank as well.

I took some pictures of the 10 gallon QT set-up ... sorry no fancy Acro photo's of the before and after treatment as my digital camera has no macro lens for fancy shots.

Acro's in the Interceptor for 6 hours:

QT holding tank for in between the 3 treatments ... hope you like the Ghetto cinderblocks for supporting the lighting:

Used spare retro lighting w/250 MH and 2-65W PC's

Acro's back in the QT holding tank:

Sara

glipper69 · 04/14/2006, 08:52 AM

nice job, good luck

Frank

pk1 · 04/14/2006, 09:09 AM

Sara, nice set up. basically the same as what I did. Keep an eye on those salinity levels!

PK

gflat65 · 04/14/2006, 03:21 PM

That canopy looks professional compared to my ghetto AEFW treatment canopy

.

The Reefer91 · 04/14/2006, 04:26 PM

i have a question, if you do the treament on the SPS and QT them before you put them in youtr tank to begin with, will you still get red bugs?

golfish · 04/14/2006, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sara B
golfish - Did you treat your entire system only twice?

Yes, I treated the tank on a Sat and then the following Sat...I'm going to do my second treatment tomorrow and then the third next Sat.

FWIW, I didn't do any water changes after the treatment. I will this week tho only because I'm due for one.

SaraB · 04/14/2006, 07:23 PM

The Reefer91 - Going forward I am going to treat all of my incoming Acro's with Interceptor and QT them to make sure I do not reintroduce Red Bugs again.

gflat65 - that is a pretty ghetto set-up you have going!

PK1 - Thanks for the head's up as my salinity had already risen.

I am having a bit of a heat issue with the lights, but I hooked up a fan to help lower the temp which had risen 4 degree's since the lights came on 3 hours ago ... does not take much with only 10 gallons of water!

21Reefman · 04/15/2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sara B

I am having a bit of a heat issue with the lights, but I hooked up a fan to help lower the temp which had risen 4 degree's since the lights came on 3 hours ago ... does not take much with only 10 gallons of water!

This was my warning for you. I know 250watt MH can cook-up a 10gal tank QUICK, if you don't cool it somehow.

04/07/2006, 01:07 PM	#1
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	Red Bugs! - treat entire tank or in QT tank? Well, I bought a magnifying glass over lunch and I was finally able to identify that I have a case of Red Acro Bugs. I now need some help in treating these little monsters. I have read some posts where people have had luck with pulling all of the AcroÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s out of their tank and doing the 6 hour Interceptor treatments (3 total) in a QT tank and then return the corals to the main tank until the next weeks treatment. I am newer into SPS, so I am still able to do this without much effort. Is this a viable treatment or should I treat the entire tank? Please let me know of any successes or failures with these two options. Thanks! Sara

04/07/2006, 02:11 PM	#3
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	Interceptor is the Veterinary Drug used to treat heartworms in dogs. Here's the link on how to dose it : http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859 __________________ Sara

04/07/2006, 02:23 PM	#5
gflat65 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Montgomery, Al Posts: 8,720	I would recommend doing the whole tank, personally. I have a DSB, so I saw a nice cyano bloom and soem other nuisance algae, but no worse for the wear. I even have a mandarin and was afraid of killing its food source altogether. It did fine, though. If you don't treat the whole tank, you run a good chance if them re-emerging at a later date. They are quick swimmers and could drop off the rock when you pull it from the tank. Just my $.02. __________________ Was it for this my life I sought... Maybe so Maybe not.

04/07/2006, 08:32 PM	#10
fishdoc11 catch and release Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Old Hickory,TN Posts: 13,237	IMO treating the whole tank is the only way to go. If your going to go through the trouble doing it right the first time is a good idea ....otherwise you will most likely end up doing it again. Chris __________________ "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something" -- Thomas H. Huxley Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef

04/08/2006, 03:52 PM	#12
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	I am going to attempt to treat the Acro's outside of the main tank and then place them in another separate QT for at least 2-3 weeks. The bugs and eggs that may fall off hopefully can not survive without a Acro host in the main tank for that long. Any suggestions on how many times to treat the Acros outside of the main tank with Interceptor? Should I do 2 treatments a week apart or should I do the full 3 treatments outside in QT? If this does not work, I can say I tried and then treat the entire system. __________________ Sara

04/07/2006, 02:02 PM	#2
kevensquint Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: new york Posts: 2,277	I just found one of my acros infected with them too . Obviously, like Sara, I would prefer to dip them than treat the whole tank. Can anyone elaborate on what is "interceptor" and how to use it?

04/07/2006, 02:19 PM	#4
SunnyX Moved On Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 4,991	Basically what i did was ground up one pill (treats 380gl), mixed it with tank water and then poured it into my tank. 6 hours later I changed about 20% of the water and added carbon. 24hrs later I did another water change and switched out the carbon. I only did one treatment and the bugs have yet to return. Polyp extension on my tricolors is much better now. The only thing I didn't like was the death of my PODS and worms. Now i have to clean my glass every two days, but my Po4 is at zero. I still decided not to risk it and added some ROWAphos in a Phosban Reactor. Hopefully the ROWA, Along with ramped up water changes will fend off any more nutrients. Corals are still super colored and growing like crazy so I'm not too concerned.

04/07/2006, 02:48 PM	#6
justinzimm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 427	I second treating the entire tank. Start pulling your hermits and shrimp while you look for interceptor. I only lost a couple crabs when I did mine. It's really the ony way to be sure they are all gone IMO. Justin

04/07/2006, 03:16 PM	#8
pk1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Lombard, IL Posts: 1,116	Sara, if you can move the corals to a QT you will save a lot of your bio diversity. I just did exactly that. I was very surprised at what fell off just my coral and about 5lbs of live rock. Pods, Acro crabs, and to my surprise, even bristle worms. After each of the 3 treatments I siphoned out the dead bugs from the bare bottom q-tank, and did @ a 30% water change, and added a lot of carbon. When I moved the corals back to the display, I did not rinse them in fresh saltwater. Just the residue interceptor left on the corals and rock was enough to stun all my hermits for over 24 hours, they just sat motionless. This stuff is strong, and who knows what else it may kill, sand bed fauna, etc etc. JMHO...good luck! Patrick

04/07/2006, 06:59 PM	#9
kevensquint Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: new york Posts: 2,277	Just came back from the local vet. empty handed. He could'nt have cared less about what I had to say. All he said was " yes I have interceptor, but you need a presciption, and I'm not giving it to you". This kinda thing makes me hate people. So frustrating

04/08/2006, 05:41 PM	#13
golfish Team RC Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Alta Loma, Ca Posts: 6,776	FWIW, I did only two treatments a few months ago...I found em again last night.

04/08/2006, 07:11 PM	#14
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	golfish - Did you treat your entire system only twice? __________________ Sara

04/08/2006, 10:28 PM	#15
glipper69 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 398	I treated all my corals in a QT for a bout 12 hours with an extreme overdose. the corals did fine. so far no redbugs. I did have to treat twice because the first time I left a few pieces in my tank that I thought where not infected. big mistake they came back within a month. the second treatment I made sure every little pieces of acro was out of the tank. and so so good. its been 2 months no sign of the little terrors. good luck Frank __________________ Gotta love it baby. Current Tank Info: 135 gal, mixed reef, LPS/SPS loaded also 12 fish- 4-tangs pair of Goldstripe Maroon Clowns, Flame Angel, + others, 200lbs LR Ecosystem Filtration, Rowaphos reactor,3x250 MH, 2x160 Actinic VHO, JDM tech-Skimmer, GEO 618 Calc Reactor

04/09/2006, 06:58 AM	#16
steve68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Piscataway,NJ Posts: 4,058	i did my tank 3 times & with in months all the pods where back but the red bugs where gone. JME __________________ "Never Give Up Never Surrender" Current Tank Info: 50 Breeder with 250w MH 10k XM bulb & 2 24inch VHO atinic 03,210 gallon Reef tank. 3 250 W MH,MRC CR-2 Reactor & MR-2 Skimmer,150 gallon sump,125 gallon refugium,75 Gallon Frag Tank & adding more water volume every t

04/09/2006, 10:35 AM	#17
tgfrench Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: winston-salem, nc Posts: 512	Keven: Try going to the vet with a print out of the treatment program. I took out a print out to 2 vets and let them look them over. The first one didn't have the large pills at the time, but he was willing to let me have them. The second vet was more than willing and wanted a copy of the info for its educational value. Sara: If you havn't started treatment and can pull your acros out, I'd reccommend doing it. You should treat 3 times outside the tank. That insures a die off in the tank and kills off the suckers in the QT. Be aware that some acros may not be able to stand the treatment. I've read and experienced around a 10% mortality of sps' due to the treatment. Good luck but kill off them lil buggers. __________________ 90 corner overflow w/basement sump/coptic refug, DIY single beckett skimmer, 2 vho & 2 250w 14k hamiltons MH., fishbowl Innov lunar light system, 1500gph CL. started with a 55 in 4/20/04 upgraded to 90 5/1/07 total system volume 250 gal. Current Tank Info: 90 gal AGA single corner overflow

04/14/2006, 08:43 AM	#18
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	I started my Red Bug treatment last night outside of the main tank. I pulled out 20 Acro's from the main tank ... most of them are frag's, so that helped the process. If all goes well, I plan on keeping the Acro's out for 21 days with 3 treatments of Interceptor spaced 1 week apart. I am also going to do daily water changes in the QT tank as well. I took some pictures of the 10 gallon QT set-up ... sorry no fancy Acro photo's of the before and after treatment as my digital camera has no macro lens for fancy shots. Acro's in the Interceptor for 6 hours: QT holding tank for in between the 3 treatments ... hope you like the Ghetto cinderblocks for supporting the lighting: Used spare retro lighting w/250 MH and 2-65W PC's Acro's back in the QT holding tank: Sara __________________ Sara

04/14/2006, 08:52 AM	#19
glipper69 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 398	nice job, good luck Frank __________________ Gotta love it baby. Current Tank Info: 135 gal, mixed reef, LPS/SPS loaded also 12 fish- 4-tangs pair of Goldstripe Maroon Clowns, Flame Angel, + others, 200lbs LR Ecosystem Filtration, Rowaphos reactor,3x250 MH, 2x160 Actinic VHO, JDM tech-Skimmer, GEO 618 Calc Reactor

04/14/2006, 09:09 AM	#20
pk1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Lombard, IL Posts: 1,116	Sara, nice set up. basically the same as what I did. Keep an eye on those salinity levels! PK

04/14/2006, 03:21 PM	#21
gflat65 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Montgomery, Al Posts: 8,720	That canopy looks professional compared to my ghetto AEFW treatment canopy. __________________ Was it for this my life I sought... Maybe so Maybe not.

04/14/2006, 04:26 PM	#22
The Reefer91 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 1,250	i have a question, if you do the treament on the SPS and QT them before you put them in youtr tank to begin with, will you still get red bugs? __________________ Dan "Every day we fade little by little, 'till there's nothing left of us but the lies we've sown." Current Tank Info: 20g L display: 2x65watt Coralife light, Octopus 150 needle wheel protein skimmer, 1 Koralia 2 and 2 powersweeps, and a DIY sump/fuge.....120G in the works!!!

04/14/2006, 07:23 PM	#24
SaraB Coral Killer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lemont, IL Posts: 4,461	The Reefer91 - Going forward I am going to treat all of my incoming Acro's with Interceptor and QT them to make sure I do not reintroduce Red Bugs again. gflat65 - that is a pretty ghetto set-up you have going! PK1 - Thanks for the head's up as my salinity had already risen. I am having a bit of a heat issue with the lights, but I hooked up a fan to help lower the temp which had risen 4 degree's since the lights came on 3 hours ago ... does not take much with only 10 gallons of water! __________________ Sara