How obviouse are Red Bugs?

[cabenin]

I have an orange monti cap that, has its polyps retracted and red spots all over it. The red spot are very red and are easily visible to the eye, and each is discernable from the next. Do you think these could be red bugs. (wish I had a good enough camera to take pictures)

 

[Wiskey]

Red bugs are normaly not seen on caps, just on acros, and they are not very odvious at all, you usually don't see them until you have a bunch of them.

HTH,
Whiskey

 

[Leviathan]

Here is a picture with the bugs you are concerned about. I found it easiest too see them during lights out and using a flashlight. But they are visible when your main display lights are on 9 with a good eye ). I have found them to have a yellow appearence and a distinctive red portion, but mainly yellow in color.

 

[cabenin]

Thanks, not what I have. I keep looking at the tank and trying to figure out if it the polyps are just retracted and I have never seen the coral in this state. Hopefully all will return to normal.

 

[minimalist]

How do I get rid of them? I got a frag with a few. Please help.

 

[Leviathan]

minimalist

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6625844#post6625844 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by minimalist
How do I get rid of them? I got a frag with a few. Please help.

So far the only tested medication is Intereptor which is a medication for helpig dogs get rid of parasites.
Do a search on it.
Treatment is one pill of 23 mg per 350 gall. Cruched to powder and dissolved in a bit of tank or RO/DI water added to the aquarium, wait 6 to 8 hours after which it is necessary to add a large amount of Activated Carbon and make a 20 to 30% water change. Treatment shall be repeated after two days and then after 7 days.
Note that Intereptor is not safe for crustaceans so it will kill many of your Pods, potentially most of your shrimps and crabs so if you want to save them you need to take them out of the tank until the treatment is completed.

 

[Sparkss]

oft times reefers will note the effects of the LRBs long before they see the bugs themselves, such as lack of PE, general color fading and in some extreme cases STN/RTN/Death.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6626068#post6626068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
oft times reefers will note the effects of the LRBs long before they see the bugs themselves, such as lack of PE, general color fading and in some extreme cases STN/RTN/Death.

Yes, for some reason red bugs seem to make the acros very succeptible to the light so you may see a tenency to bleaching or color fading to lighter tones.
Also the bugs do not seem to like very strong lighting so you may find more of them under the coral branches or on sides lesss exposed to direct light.
Note also that they can reside inside the polyps

 

[bluemanta]

levithan,

that's a fantastic close up shot. what cam are you using and how many times optical zoom? I've saw an acro colony today with tiny red/orange spots, but no yellow bodies, could be eggs...

 

[Leviathan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6629360#post6629360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluemanta
levithan,

that's a fantastic close up shot. what cam are you using and how many times optical zoom? I've saw an acro colony today with tiny red/orange spots, but no yellow bodies, could be eggs...

Actually thats not a shot I took, I found it some time ago. Im not sure who took the picture, but you are correct, it is an amazing close up shot.