Interceptor dosage

[Mook Man]

Good morning everyone -

I believe that my tank recently contracted an outbreak of red bugs and I wanted run my thoughts by the community regarding Interceptor dosage. I have read the information contained in many articles including Dustin's from ORA's article. I have secured a source for Interceptor; however, the pills are of the 2-10 lb dog variety. Most articles I've read use the 50-100 lb variety, of which 25 mg of the actual tablet is used per 10 gallons of water as suggested. I am planning on treating my entire tank, and yes I am aware that my crustaceans are not going to be very happy, possibly dead. My plan is to remove all of them that I possibly can before beginning treatment.

That being said, please check the soundness of my reasoning behind the dosage:

A 50-100 lb tablet weighs just less than a gram and has 23mg of the active ingredient, Milbemycin Oxime. A 2-10 lb tablet has 2.3mg of active ingredient (1/10th), so I'd assume that the entire tablet would way just less than 100mg. I estimate that my tank has approximately 32 gallons of actual water volume, which would translate into 80mg of actual tablet (3.2 X 25mg). Do you think this is a reasonable estimate and that one tablet would be safe to use (One tablet for each of 3-4 times over the course of a few weeks)?

If anyone has any other additional tips or tricks please feel free to share.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[JohnBuhdon]

no idea about that smaller pill ingredients but im pretty sure you cant over do it.. when i did my interceptor treatment a few months back i used half a pill (50-100lb) one week and the next week the other half. i believe 1 pill = 380 gallons of total water volume.. i only have a 55gallon tank. just make sure to get out all your crabs and shrimps if you want them to live.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

My first outbreak of red bugs, I treated at 2x the recommended dosage (from Melev, one large tablet for +/- 300 gallons). I literally watched the red bugs fall off of the corals in about 10 minutes. After about 4 hours, I did a 50% water change and put the carbon back in the filters.

I just recently had an outbreak and used the one large tablet per 300 gallon dosing. Let it run for 12 hours and followed with only a 10% water change. Same result, dead red bugs.

First treatment, lost all of my hermits and 4 astrea snails. Some of my pistol shrimp survived (I could hear them, but not see them)

Second treatment, lost about half of my blue leg hermits, red legs survived, snails survived. No pistol shrimp left when I started treatment, so not sure if this dosage would kill them.

FYI, treatments were about 18 months apart. I never did a follow up to either treatment.

 

[killerbee181]

i started treating my tank about every 6 months just for preventative measures and i've been using one the the 50-100lb pills for every 100 gallons and i wait 4 days and repeat the treatment for a total of 3 times. I don't have much of a clean up crew but i had some stone crabs in my mangrove tank that survived and all my snails survived but i had a huge pod population and it's completely wiped out lol. Good thing i don't own a manderin. None of my corals or fish showed any signs of stress at all and i have a little bit of everything lol.

 

[Mook Man]

Thanks for all of the replies, as an update, I took all my hermits, accessible crustaceans out before treatment and treated last night with the entire 2-10 lb pill. The dose seems to be effective, no visible red bugs. Changed 15 gallons of water after 6 hours and dropped the critters back in - I think all but 1 or 2 of the hermits died overnight as well as my 2 emerald crabs (who were in the display for the duration of the treatment). Corals and fish are fine as expected.

 

[JohnBuhdon]

im glad the smaller pill worked you should probably do another dose in a week just to make sure you got all them. ps your suppose to run carbon to help get rid of that medicine. hermit killer lol

 

[Osama]

Following Any updates?? what size pills for 600 g system

 

[rogergolf66]

Following Any updates?? what size pills for 600 g system

This thread is 6 years old but for a 600 gal system I would use 2 pills for the 50-100 lbs dogs. Interceptor is a bit harder to get now then it was 6 years ago. But as mentioned it's pretty hard to over dose the stuff.

Roger

 

[robthorn]

Look up Dustin Dorton and red bugs if you want proper dosages and implementation. He is who we have to thank for making this public info about 15 or so years ago.

 

[risin]

I used sentinel over a year ago. One large dog pill for 350gal system. I dosed it 3 weekend in a row, and have not had red bugs come back.

 

[Osama]

Thanks risin robthorn and rogergolf66. I have since applied Two Interceptor (large size) twice and waiting a month till mid Jan to see if all is good or need for a third dose. Greatly appreciate the help THANKS

 

[robthorn]

You are welcome. Follow directions. There is no if. Do the 3 doses. Much better than starting all over. By time you figure out you need one more you will need 3 more.
The directions set forth by Dustin are tried and true. No need to change them. The only way I would change them is to add another dosing day. I do 4 weeks in a row because that is what uses up entire pills for my size tank.

 

[ieatchinese]

How can you buy this medicine without prescription? I've been trying, but have been told that I need a prescription from a veterinarian.

 

[Travis1787]

I got mine online through an Australian website i think