Interceptor treatment

[Allmost]

Hello all,

so finally after dealing with Red bugs for over a year, I have decided its time to get rid of them. I dont think they will be missed lol

my system is a 150G SPS tank, 55G sump, 30G seahorse tank all connected together, ran by Zeovit method.

some questions :
1. can I disconnect the seahorse tank from the system, and treat the whole system, and after 24 hours, put the seahorse tank back on ? this would save my shrimps I have in there, as well as the pods, but question is, can red bugs live without SPS ? in the seahorse tank.

secondly, can I remove a piece of rubble rock, and introduce again after the treatment, to re-introduce the pods ?

lastly, the RDs are only affecting/can be seen on a couple of my acros, is whole tank treatment still the best way to go ? or do you guys think I can get away with dipping just affected corals ?


thanks alot

 

[dzhuo]

1. can I disconnect the seahorse tank from the system, and treat the whole system, and after 24 hours, put the seahorse tank back on ? this would save my shrimps I have in there, as well as the pods, but question is, can red bugs live without SPS ? in the seahorse tank.

Red bugs do not survive without a host but they are harpacticoid copepods, and all harpacticoids have dispersive larval stage which means the larva can be anywhere in the tank looking for a host. Here is a quote from Dr. Ron Shimek:

I don't think enough is known about these copepods to say whether or not they are only found on acroporids; my guess is that this particular species or some other similar species - and there are a lot of species of Tegastes - inhabit a number of the so-called sps corals. They would likely have a dispersive larval stage, more or less looking like a normal harpacticoid nauplius, so once there are sexually mature animals in a tank, there will be larvae throughout the tank. Most parasites like this can spread by introductions of anything from an infected tank... sand, rock, other corals, you name it. The dispersing larvae will range far and wide looking for a host. In nature, they probably can go - carried by currents - miles before they have to metamorphose.

Because of that, I would just trate the whole tank. The general guesstimate of red bugs survive without a host is 5 days and after that, they perish. I saw a study a while back which actually shows red bugs are much more dependent on their host and they die quickly without a host (must shorter than 5 days) but I can't find the study now so I can't confirm my memory.

secondly, can I remove a piece of rubble rock, and introduce again after the treatment, to re-introduce the pods ?

Yes you can do that. It's also very likely your pods will survive which will repopulate in no time. I didn't have to add anything and my pods returned after a few days.

lastly, the RDs are only affecting/can be seen on a couple of my acros, is whole tank treatment still the best way to go ? or do you guys think I can get away with dipping just affected corals ?

I would do the whole tank treatment.

 

[JG1]

secondly, can I remove a piece of rubble rock, and introduce again after the treatment, to re-introduce the pods ?

I wouldn't. I'd be worried about reintroducing red bugs back into the tank.

 

[Allmost]

thank you for your very informative reply


going to mix enough water for a 30%[40G I think ? ] water change ... and treat the tanks this week. and hope that I dont have AEFW

thanks.

 

[dzhuo]

Good luck. Red bugs are relatively easy to deal with. AEFW is another story.

 

[Allmost]

Good luck. Red bugs are relatively easy to deal with. AEFW is another story.

yes seems like the interceptor treatment is prety simple ... and no bad side effects Ive ever heard of ... Im worried for my seahorses, but they accept frozen food, so I can just feed them more... till pods come back.

the death of all these creatures wont release any poison ? I guess carbon introduce 6 hours later would take care of that anyways.

once I do this treatment 3 times ... [is it needed ? ] then I can be sure Im RB free, and look into AEFW ... something is eating one of my colonies. I have no Idea what ! there are small bite marks with no tissue, but I cant see anything on the coral with magnefiying glasses ... gonna dip that one in freshwater to see if its AEFW ... I hope its not lol