Black bugs on acro?

[Bill Nye]

Hi everyone,

As of a couple days ago I noticed black bugs on my Green slimer. From the reading I have done I thought that black bugs only affected montiporas...but this doesnt seem to be the case in my respect. It hasnt had good PE for a week maybe more now...but I thought it was because my flow is lacking. I just got an mp10 and now there is no PE but color is still decent. Ive had this coral for months now and it just now started seeming like a problem has started.

I just did a 10 minute revive dip on the slimer and some died and some lived so obviously this is not satisfactory. I am guessing these guys are the same deal as red bugs and will need interceptor to treat.

My question is whether I can just do a dip on that coral and not dose the whole tank? I have a small tank and worry that the pod die off will cause a spike in my parameters. I only have one other acro (pink lemonade) and it does not seem affected by the bugs. Thanks for any advice.

 

[adam87]

Dose the whole tank with interceptor. Its the only thing that kills them.

 

[Ostentum]

Do you have pictures of the bugs. If they are black I would bet money that they are just a type of pod and they are getting a free feast on dieing tissue. Check your parameters first before nuking the tank with interceptor.

 

[adam87]

Here are pictures of black bugs.

http://www.raysreef.ca/

 

[Bill Nye]

Thanks for the replies. I will try to get a picture of them tomorrow when my lights come back on. IMO they are not pods as they look somewhat like mites and all the pods ive seen in my tank are white (could be wrong on this one though). They also look pretty similar to what is show on that link. I dont know why they would be on acros though as they seem to be monti specific.

I dont think the acro is dying (well maybe from the black bugs lol) because it has still been encrusting even though its been looking crappy.

edit

As far as my params go I have some on hand. I just tested earlier this week and got these readings.

Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.3
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - undetectable with my test kit
Calc - 460
kH - 9
Mag - 1350

 

[allsps40]

I have also seen a few of these on one of my caps. It has not had good color in a while but fair PE. I think my six line has been eating them as there is a lot less now.

 

[Bill Nye]

Today I was just looking at the green slimer and its color has seemed to improve over night after the dip and it seems like it wants to extend its polyps. I still see some of the black bugs on it but way fewer. I tried to take a picture of them but I dont have a macro lens so that will probably be impossible as they are so small. I may try to do another dip tomorrow and see if I can get rid of them completely. After doing more reading it doesnt seem like black bugs affect acros and they are for sure not red bugs.

 

[humuhumupukapuka]

I had the same thing. They came right before the red bugs. I don't think they are the same thing. There were lots of um on my frag tiles, but I never really saw them on my sps... The red bugs however were on the acros... Anyways, did a 3x treatment of interceptor and haven't seem them in a couple of months...knock on wook.

 

[humuhumupukapuka]

BTW I have a 24 gal nano with tons of copes and amphis and the die off had zero impact. Plus you're supposed to do a 25% water change afterward anyways...

 

[Bill Nye]

Well I decided im going to try and dose interceptor. Does anyone have any experience with clams and this medication. I have heard clams can die during treatment.