A few questions on Red bug treatment

[TimTen]

I'm planning on catching all my shrimp/crabs tonight and putting them in a bucket with a heater/air stone. Tomorrow morning before work add the interceptor. When I get back from work run carbon, start skimmer, and do a 15% water change. Saturday do another 15% water change and add shrimp. My System is around 80 gal, how much interceptor should I use? Anyone see any problems with my plan of attack? Thanks everyone

 

[Solitaryensis]

I believe the recommended dosage is 360 gallons per pill. With that in mind, you should probably use approximately 1/4 of the pill. I know recently people have been using a much higher than recommended dosage - some with good results and some with bad. Some people also advocate being extremely accurate with your measurement and to be honest, all i did was eyeball it break the pill . I lost one shrimp and no more red bugs. I think if your shrimp are a bit larger and have been in the tank for some time they stand a chance of making it.

I think your plan sounds good. I only did one water change afterwards and things were ok, so IME, you are being very careful and dilligent, which never hurts. Good luck

 

[stubbsz]

I eyeballed... I haven't returned my hermits yet... nor my acropora crab. I can tell you that it is very effective and I have no more pods in the tank ( However, I saved a lot of pods when I got my chaeto and crabs out into another tank). I did 25% water changes...two of them. I also used carbon after the water changes. Not only is 25% recommended but i noticed my nitrates were in need of reducing a tad.

I think you will be fine to eyeball the 1/4 pill.

My acros are looking very happy. I couldn't even see red-bugs on most of them but they've cheered up a lot.

 

[northbay-reefer]

1/4 pill is good enough(crush up the pill nad put it into a clean jar with some of the tank water and skae ip up to melt it completely before adding it to the tank), but leave it in your system for 12 hours before doing your first water change. I would do more than 15% but making sure to match the new water parameter as close as you can to your tank. Dont add the carbon until after doing the first water change to maximize it and dont add the shrimps back in to your tank until after the second water change.

And turn off your skimmer, UV, Ozone for the duration

 

[otterpop510]

from what i've read about others doing red bug treatments your plan of attack sounds solid.. though 1) doing 2x 25% water changes may help move your water levels back to normal faster, 2) potentially taking out you chaeto, or getting another clump after you finksh treatment to reseed your pods, 3) have aeration/bubblers for you tank due to decreased airation from you skimmer being off may be good ideas..

i've always wondered about this, but do red bugs attack acros only, and if so do they stay solely on the acros.. in which case just taking the acros out and treating them versus whole tank may be easier, or is it definitely a whole tank issue (like AEFW)..

 

[TimTen]

Do I have to worry about my urchant? Thanks for the pointers everyone. I hope to report back that everything went smooth..

 

[stubbsz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9908813#post9908813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by otterpop510

i've always wondered about this, but do red bugs attack acros only, and if so do they stay solely on the acros.. in which case just taking the acros out and treating them versus whole tank may be easier, or is it definitely a whole tank issue (like AEFW)..

My understanding is that they attack acros only, they prefer smooth skinned (i.e. not millies etc). However, they swim and if you take the acros out, they will still exist in the water so you put the acros back and you are back to square one.... unless you keep the acros out long enough for the bad-bugs to die... which I don't think is accurately known. Because I don't know how long the bugs survive sans-acros, I've kept my pods/chaeto/crabs in another tank for a couple of weeks and won't put them back for a couple more.

Also, if you switch out your refugium, be careful of switching it back in to quickly.

-Adrian

 

[nashorn]

I just did a treatment a few weeks ago.I took the refu off line to save the pods.Have not brought it back on line yet just in case some RB are still there.(more like I'm lazy) But I would go with 1/2 the pill (23mg) and run it a whole 24hr. Most if not all pod,crabs,shimp, HC will die.I did have 2 HC that made it. Other then that I found it very safe.No brown out, no effect on fish or corals at all. I did a 30gal water change afterward and added carbon(Not sure if needed) You should wait 2 weeks before adding crabs,shimp, HC back. PM me if you need any more help.
BTW: It was my treatment so I was freaked out too....

 

[stubbsz]

I just found out I missed a Hermit when I did my two treatments.... he's fine. No pods in sight but apparently bigger crabs can survive.
-Adrian

 

[TimTen]

thanks for everyone's help. This went smoother then I thought. I only lost one clearner. I was unable to catch him, the interceptor stunned him and he went the wrong way.

I also was unable to catch my emerald crab. He made it through the whole thing.

 

[stubbsz]

Sad but a cool shot for the album I guess.
-Adrian

 

[drdoolittle]

Tim,

sorry to hear about the red bug problem.. at least they are easy to get rid off.. Just had to sacrifice some critters..

By the way, the 24 gal nano i got from you is looking really good.. thank.. I'll try to take some photo.

Let me know what i could help you with..

Ed