Are Red Bugs as bad as they seem????

[redspot321]

I had red bugs about a year ago. I only knew I had them because I freaked out when I read a thread here on RC about redbugs and interceptor.

Once I inspected my acros I did see red bugs but the acros seemed okay. I treated anyways and then had a massive outbreak of AEFW!!!!!

AEFW were very hard to get rid of.

I have red bugs again........Do I treat or not??

 

[FB]

I would, they can kill your corals!

 

[redspot321]

Whats the relationship between redbug treatment and AEFW outbreak. I know Im not the only one.

 

[kar93]

Yes treat. You can treat the whole tank but will need to take out shrimp and crabs. Or you can setup a coral QT if you dont have one and treat them seperately.

 

[jdieck]

Red Bugs, although most of the time do not kill corals they stunt growth and promote bleaching or loss of coloration. I recomend trating also.

 

[broke1]

When I had redbugs, I didn't see them killing the corals. What I did see is that they annoyed the corals so much that the polyps wouldn't extend. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the polyps are always retracted the corals can't feed. If the coral can't feed, eventually it will starve and waste away and die. So I guess they don't kill coral directly, but indirectly they will contribute to the coral's demise.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12599855#post12599855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by broke1
When I had redbugs, I didn't see them killing the corals. What I did see is that they annoyed the corals so much that the polyps wouldn't extend. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the polyps are always retracted the corals can't feed. If the coral can't feed, eventually it will starve and waste away and die. So I guess they don't kill coral directly, but indirectly they will contribute to the coral's demise.

It might take a really long time as acros also feed from the biological process of the zooxanthelae.
In any case I would treat.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12599613#post12599613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redspot321
Whats the relationship between redbug treatment and AEFW outbreak. I know Im not the only one.

IMO one does not relate to the other. If you see AEFW too often tied to red bugs is because both plagues were intruduced into the hobby almost at the same time so their spread pattern has been very similar so it will be very common to have instroduced both at the same time and in many cases in the same coral. The other issue that AEFW are more difficult to erradicate so more likely to appear as resurfacing after a treatment that may lead to the impression that they show after treating for red bugs.

 

[redspot321]

Man I could have swore that this was happening to alot of reefers. Guess I should just treat and get it over with.... Thanks!

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12601332#post12601332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redspot321
Man I could have swore that this was happening to alot of reefers. ...

No doubt. It is a really wide spread pests specially if you trade chances are you will get them more than once so pile up on medication.

 

[UrbanSage]

I dealt with the red bugs and have a thread with before and after pictures.
BEfore treatment you will see the polyps aren't as extended as only seven-plus hours after beginning the treatment.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1017114

 

[flyyyguy]

When I came down with AEFW's a couple years back it was afer erradicating redbugs as well.

While I dont deny that the aefw's were there all along most likely doing harm, after the red bug treatment they surely seemed to do a whole lot more damage. Part of it Im sure was just my increased awareness and looking a lot closer, but the aefw's werent killing anything before i treated for the bugs. Within three months of treating for redbugs...I started losing corals to aefw's.

As far as the original question by the OP:
ARe they as bad as they seem?? Depends on who you ask. I personally dotn think that redbugs can kill otherwise healthy corals. They surely can irritate and cause reduced pe and color loss in some cases........but if everything else is fine they are just irritators...not killers. jmo

 

[chrismunn]

pbsteel had the same occurance if my memory serves me.

he mentioned something about a thought of either the redbugs munching the aefw and keeping the population in check, or it might have been the other way around? in any case it was just a thought and i cant seem to find it in his thread. but here's the thread if anybody wants to look

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1320654&perpage=25&pagenumber=10

redspot321 there is the procedure pbsteel is using to treat his redbug problem that turned into his aefw problem.

 

[redspot321]

I just used a turkey baster and the redbugs came off of hte acro fairly eaisly. I wonder if there is anything in the tank that will eat red bugs once off the coral? Some kind of pod or something.......I may try this for a few days to see what happens.

 

[flyyyguy]

you are wasting your time there redspot

if the tank has them it needs treated with intercpetor. You can remove corals and treat them with interceptor outside the display to buy time/short term break...but if you want them gone the enitre system needs treated period