Help? Red bugs...

[dreaminmel]

So treatments aren't done yet but here's some pics anyways... I'm much happier with the current aquascaping compared to the old...

(I'm also happier w/ the lighting color... old pic shows 2 of the PCs in dual daylight and new pics show those 2 PCs switched to 10Ks.)

Oh yeah, removed about 70lbs from my sand band while I was at it... man did that stuff stink.

Old setup...

New high flow trench...

Current full tank shot...

And some new zoas I got for good measure...

I think I counted 22 acro frags in there currently... we'll see what survives and what doesn't. Two show some die-off at the bases but they were the two worst infected w/ bugs.

 

[Stephany]

Dr bronx, you the man. And you're probably right about the different species. I doubt we've even covered the tip of the iceberg as far as the microlife in our oceans.

Sweet pictures. I like the new aquascaping too.
I wanna bowfront. lol

 

[dreaminmel]

Just an update:

Treatment #2, same amount, was done Tuesday and again left in for 24 hours before any water change. Not a single sign of redbugs anywhere...

I was nervous that it would also kill off my pod population which sustains my green mandarin but he's still finding food everywhere so I think most of the pods survived. I'll probably try to get some more to refresh the population though just to make sure.

Of the two corals that had started to RTN, one was in fact trashed but the other stopped and is actually starting to grow tissue back slowly now. The survivor of this bug/RTN combo is believe it or not the really bad looking green acro that I posted pics of earlier in this thread. Go figure...

 

[ming81]

I'm having no luck obtaining the interceptor drug without a sick dog or prescription.. anybody got some they wouldn't mind selling me?

 

[dreaminmel]

Have you tried showing a vet the printouts of the links in this thread describing the treatments? It would be illegal for someone to sell or even give you Interceptor unless they're a vet as this does require a prescription so you may not find anyone here willing to take a chance on getting into trouble for it.

If you don't have any luck at one vet keep trying. I think in the threads I've read there was even reference to a place in Canada that you can mail order it from but I can't remember the name.

 

[dreaminmel]

This should be my last update for this thread and the news is indeed excellent!

I completed the third and final treatment without a hitch and absolutely no red bugs can be found anywhere in my system. To make it even better a large part of my pod population must have survived because my mandarin is finding plenty of food to snatch up still.

I'll probably introduce a replacement cleaner shrimp in the coming weeks once I am positive all medication has been removed from the system and FWIW have already started quarantining and treating newly acquired sps to avoid this whole rigamorole in the future.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Kewl.
I thought I was the only one that said "rigamorole".

 

[dreaminmel]

Gary,

Yeah that's one of the words in my arsenal for "provoking confused looks from up and coming younguns"

It's also pretty funny to watch their faces when you tell them something is wicked cool. :lol: