Interceptor

[Poppy828]

Mike, Looks like Salty Critter may have it in stock. The website does not indicate out of stock and they are not open until 12 Eastern. $35 with shipping. I am going to try and get a hold of them later to see if they have stock or not. I am first going to try with Rod and see if he can get it for us.

Todd

 

[ostrow]

One thing though, Mike, is that dipping acros like this will wipe out any acro crabs. I just got a nice acro colony from Menard with a crab in it and put it in the tank. I did dip in Reef Dip, wich won't do much vs red bugs.... but is crab safe.

Just a thought here.

 

[Poppy828]

Mike,

I spoke to Dan at Salty...he has plenty in stock. I am waiting on Rod to get back to me to see what he can do for us.

Todd

 

[mhurley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7198812#post7198812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
One thing though, Mike, is that dipping acros like this will wipe out any acro crabs. I just got a nice acro colony from Menard with a crab in it and put it in the tank. I did dip in Reef Dip, wich won't do much vs red bugs.... but is crab safe.

Yep...true.

The counter to that is, is one acro crab worth the red bug risk to your entire tank? I'm not saying either way, just pointing it out.

One of the running theories is that red bugs showed up from Bali aquacultured colonies. And we all know how prevelant Bali stuff is these days. Think about the impact of one infected "batch" of Bali. Hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces shipped all over the US to various wholesalers, distributors and LFS...Voila....It's like a plane load of Ebola infected humans parachuting into major metropolitian cities all over the US.

 

[Bryan89]

One crab versus hundreds of colonies, not even a choice IMHO.

Bryan

 

[Rod Buehler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7199223#post7199223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mhurley
Yep...true.

The counter to that is, is one acro crab worth the red bug risk to your entire tank?

To me it is, because without the acrocrabs you corals are much more at risk to becoming infected with the acro flat worms. IME the acro flat worms are much more of a threat than the red bugs. Before doing an interceptor treatment, I would do anything/everything possible to save every acro crab that I could.

 

[Bryan89]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7199325#post7199325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Buehler
To me it is, because without the acrocrabs you corals are much more at risk to becoming infected with the acro flat worms. IME the acro flat worms are much more of a threat than the red bugs. Before doing an interceptor treatment, I would do anything/everything possible to save every acro crab that I could.

I agree partially, but the acro crab will only protect one coral, vice every other colony you have in the tank.

 

[menard]

Heres my take on RB. This little critters only strikes when the colony is already diclining in health.I been keeping acros for more than a decade now, back then hobbyist dont really pay attention to them its always been here. positively enough hobbyist sees em as a treat.If you keep your water quality a 1 and feedings is a must , acros feed especialy at night. No RB can touch them. WORRY about AEFW this boogers are lethal and death to the colony. For the record I have one colony has been w/ me for 11 yrs. and this RB still in it and the colony is colorfull and heck much better the day I recieve'em. You worry so much how you gonna kill this pest and you forgot the most important thing to keep acros. WATER QUALITY, FEEDING, LIGHT, WATER MOVEMENT. I never lost any acros. yet, because of RB. AEFW many times. PEACE

 

[ostrow]

Yeah, not one crab. Interceptor the tank and you lose all crabs. Now, I don't have crabs on all my acros but I'd like them on all I get from here on out for reasons Rod and Menard say.

Though, Menard, are you saying RB are always around but not always killing corals? That's new to me.

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7204289#post7204289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
Yeah, not one crab. Interceptor the tank and you lose all crabs. Now, I don't have crabs on all my acros but I'd like them on all I get from here on out for reasons Rod and Menard say.

Though, Menard, are you saying RB are always around but not always killing corals? That's new to me.

Joel, yes they always been around. I thought guys here in RC talking about different bugs, unfortunately same damm bug. I kept wachfull eye on them for many yrs.as long as the colony is well & healthy,I do believe acros has a capabilities to warn off intruders like a scents. The same thing w/ flowers here on land. When acros starts to decline in health, you just give way to all unwelcome creters. You might still see polyp extentions but they already a target and just a matter of time before the whole colony give up and die. on the other hand if you believe that the red bugs is not doing this and your water is in need improvement , it would turn around and the colony live , Yuo see few bugs here ,there they just waiting for the oportunity,wishing the colony would get sick. I'm gonna say it again 1 colony that I had for 11 yrs. has them and this damm bug cant touch em you know why because hes healty and growing. Some acros are more prone to RB than others, stay on top of your husbandry its gonna be OK. PEACE

 

[pondfrog]

I completely agree with Menard, this RB craze is akin to introducing rabbits in Australia.
Our reef tanks are inaccurate microcosms in which many organisms do not face the same competition/predation/environment they have on the reef. We are delusional if we think these red bugs just morphed into appearance in the last year just because we started noticing them. They are a nice scapegoat when an acro dies because chasing a ghost water parameter is very unrewarding.
These guys may in fact cause coral death and interceptor does in fact kill them, but they are opportunistic at best and so my question is......
when you kill the redbug--- what organinsm will now explode unchecked in it's population growth, or what organism that competed with it now has no competition and now in turn causes problems.
It's a fine balancing act that we don't do anywhere near as good as nature!!
Every time we do anything for a "prophylactic" purpose--dips, hyposalinity, etc-- we have to understand it is not just the "bad" things we are affecting. I"m not saying this is always a bad idea, just that we need to think about it.

Just my 0.02!
Steve

 

[Highlander]

Here's my perspective:

When I see one or two frags or colonies with no polyp extension, or color loss, in a tank of otherwise healthy and thriving SPS, I would question why only they would degrade if my problem was water quality, or other parametric effect. I do not believe that red bugs are opportunistic scavengers, I believe they are predators.

We can talk about cause or effect all day, but the facts are that they are undesirable, and should be eradicated when seen. They should certainly never be ignored or left untreated.

How, otherwise, at the very least, could you guarantee that any frags shared out of your tank, will not be a vector for the contagion to other reefers' set ups?

The other thing I have noticed, is that while I certainly see some pod loss, with interceptor use, the overall population seems to bounce back with a vengeance. Perhaps culling the herd is not a bad thing in those crustaceans we do want to encourage.

 

[menard]

My FORMULA = HEALTHY ACROS., Ca. 430. DKH. 8-9, Mag. 1350, Sr. 10, water change 5% every week. Top off water mix w/ concentrate trace elements,feed to the tank daily. Daily feedings mix Frozen food soak in Selcon amino acids. Suplemental feeding at night golden pearls , cyclop-eeze, fish eggs, oyster eggs ,3x's a week. Every feedings turn of the Skimmer for 2 hrs. Now, my secret is out PEACE