Acro bugs

[ShesEasy]

So I've been reading around about these little amphipod type insects that seem to be a problem when they infest and acro. But one thing I can't seem to figure out is why the ones everyone ealse seems to be dealing with are orange red colour, and mine are black. Do I have the same ones or are they a different different...

I also have not come across a solution for there removal, regardless of weather people feel there good or bad weather they eat the live tissue or dead, I feel uncomfortable allowing them in my reef.

I've noticed a couple of my acros now have STN (starting from base up) and followed by that are these tiny little black bugs. I never see them on the live tissue but only where it's dead and white. Now they could be eating the dead only or well what concerns me I'd they are working there way up along the cut line of the live/dead. But again why are they only on the dead part

Any ways I'm rambling...my main questions are... Is what I have the same same...and is there a way to remove them.

P: I've dipped every coral I've ever got... Not sure how they got in my tank

 

[Pife]

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

 

[ShesEasy]

awesome read, thank you

im tempted to try the lowering of the tepeture but i wonder how that would afect my fish and coral?

any one tried that?

 

[ShesEasy]

what about a mandrine, do they pick up smaller pods like that

 

[ezcompany]

Find and use interceptor. I've had black bugs and it was by far the best and easiest solution.
A Mandarin, if you're talking about the fish feeds on pods. They are not the answer or solution to anything in this hobby, except effectively feeding on pods.

 

[ajcanale]

Find and use interceptor. I've had black bugs and it was by far the best and easiest solution.
A Mandarin, if you're talking about the fish feeds on pods. They are not the answer or solution to anything in this hobby, except effectively feeding on pods.

If you cannot find interceptor, look for Sentinel (not Sentinel Spectrum). It contains the same medication (milbemcycin oxime) as interceptor, plus another ingredient (lufenuron) which is inert for treatment purposes in reef aquaria.

 

[ShesEasy]

How does one use interceptor in a reef

 

[Wazzel]

How does one use interceptor in a reef

You crush it up into a fine powder, dissolve it in water and dump in. There are dosing instructions out there, sorry I forgot what they are. You will need to do 3 treatments 1 week apart. If you have any inverts like shrimp or hermit crabs you need to get them out or they will be killed by the treatment. They are similar enough to the bugs that the medicine gets them too.

If you are to get an SPS pest this is the one you want. It kills slow and is easy to treat. AEFW and monti eating nudis, I hope I never get those. I have had red bugs.

Be nice to your vet and be ready for an explanation and getting the pills should not be a problem. When my wife picked up the pills the sentinel rep was at the vet and they though it was a super cool off label application for their pills. I had a nice conversation about the pest and the meds.

 

[ShesEasy]

Awesome thanks for that info

Lucky I only have a couple sexy and a half dozen hermits...and can put them.in.my nano

How does it affect fish?

And I'm assuming you'd have to wait a while before you can put crestations back in.... Couple water changes?

Guess I'd loose my awesome amphipod colony in my fuge to :'(

 

[Wazzel]

I do not recall anyone reporting fish issues.

You will have to wait for a while to reintroduce the inverts.

 

[cmcoker]

Interceptor is back on the market, so you should be able to find so long as you have a willing Vet

 

[Zukari]

I came home the other day and found a few of my Acros had red bugs. This was surprising because after weeks of careful observation I never saw any. I kept on having STN and tip burning issues despite params staying level.

So I went to the hardware store, got some Bayer insect killer (The special formula one for grubs, fleas, all that ****: http://www.amazon.com/Bayer-Advanced-Complete-Concentrate-40-Ounce/dp/B001DKEOK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430339369&sr=8-1&keywords=bayer+insecticide)

I did about 10ml per gallon in a bucket (2 gallons total) for 15 minutes with all of my acro frags/colonies. The amount of dead **** on the bottom was stunning, I can't believe how much of this pest was on my corals that I could not see, and I have great vision! I then placed the frags in another bucket with tank water and a strong pump - they sat in this bucket for another 15 minutes - the idea was anything left alive would be blown off. I then took each frag and violently shook it around another bucket before placing it back in the tank. I didn't find one survivor.

So it's been 3 days now - only one acro is showing negative signs and it is the one that was most covered in bugs, however 3 branches are holding strong. On an unrelated note (I hope) my very healthy frog spawn dropped a head for seemingly no reason - but that may just be my horrible luck. This hobby has been pushing me the last 6 months, I am very close to selling everything.

DO NOT DOSE BAYER IN YOUR AQUARIUM. Take the corals out and dip them outside of the tank. This will kill all inverts do don't be silly.