Red Bugs are yellow right?

[concept3]

Keith, Rich..... Clams were a concern of mine initially since I have some. The only things affected are: hermits, crabs, shrimp, pods and red bugs. Most crustaceans are affected by it.

The bugs will hang on until the 5th hour, so finding something to do for 6 hours in the house is gonna be a challenge, since you'll need to be nearby. I prepared myself 20 gallons of aerated saltwater the night before, and made another 20 gallons in the 6 hour wait. I actually miscalculated my start time, and I ended the "nuke" after 6.5 hours. Replace the water (good time to vacuum detritus) with the fresh mix, and place as much carbon as you physically can in the sump ( I used 3 cups). Have not seen them since..Oh yeah, I treated once; knock on wood that that's the end of it.



Things to get ready:

Fresh salt mix (30-40% of your tank volume, aerated and same chemistry as tank)
A lotta buckets
Carbon (ready to be thrown in anytime in case there's a problem)
Siphon tube
Turn skimmer bubbles OFF, but leave skimmer running
A GOOD TRILOGY (anything but LORD OF THE RINGS)

............................................and you're ready for battle.

 

[Phyl]

Merv... can you document your incoming procedure for prevention?

Thanks!

 

[concept3]

Phyl, I drip acclimate any new corals, so I dissolve a smidgen of interceptor in that water as I wait for the corals to acclimate, since it should take about 35-40 minutes anyway. I have a minature pico powerhead to mix the water as the water drips into the bucket. I usually double the original coral water (from the transport bag), toss half of it after that, and then double it again with the drip. Then it goes in the tank.

 

[Phyl]

Keith! Thank you so much for your generous offers of donation. The club WILL take good care of your corals and be very grateful for the tank to auction off!

Thanks again. Give a holler when you're ready!

 

[RichT]

So now I'm confused

So now I'm confused

I guess it a good thing but


WHERE DID THEY GO???

I've looked everywhere in my tank, on every acro, milli, monti, everywhere to the point my eyes were bugging out (no pun intended). No bugs!!!?????? I even went out and got a magnifying glass from staples. Now......those are definitely bugs in the first picture. I could see them moving around last night plane as day. The only thing different about today was we tried to go without the air conditioning and the tank got to 84. Tank was usually 79 - 81 (AC is now on). Unless they are hiding off the corals somewhere....their gone. Maybe the heat drives them into the sand or something. We'll see once the tank cools down.

 

[blstravler]

I wish mine would run away and not come back.

But since I still see them and I now have an interceptor pill, thanks to Merv, I will be treating the tank tomorrow morning.

I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Keith

 

[Steve Ho]

Upon further review

Upon further review

I found the red bugs on one of my acros last night after all. Damn! I didn't see any when I checked a few days ago. I'd also checked many times in the past few months and never seen any.

Acros aren't really my focus, and I only have 3 frags/colonies so I'm reluctant to nuke my whole tank with Interceptor. Not sure what I'm going to do.

As Rich said, Phyl, Ribs, and Ruden, do check over your tanks very carefully in case Malcolm's teardown was the source.

 

[blstravler]

So I began my treatment at 1pm.

Made 35 gallons of new ro/di water have it mixed with salt and underconstant movement from powerheads.
Air off to my skimmer
All carbon and any filter pad is now out
As many hermits (3 dozen) as I could get out are out and in their own little "world" or as some call it "bucket"
Split the pill up with a razor
Groiund down the pill and put it into some tank water.
After letting the powder fully disolve (40 minutes) I put the water in my tank.
I have also put new carbon in my filter bags and I have a new chem pad ready to go to soak up any extra medicationn after the water change.


Results as of 5:49pm

Red bugs numbers have dropped off from this morning by at least 50 percent.

Urchins, snails and shrimp seem fine. I tried my best to get the shrimp out it just wasn't going to heppen.

Acro crabs could not be taken out b/c the acros are just to big and encrusted, at this time the crabs are still alive but they have slowed in activity.

I'll do the water change next and write up my results then.

 

[concept3]

Keith, now that the shrimp and acro crabs are in a "drunken state", you may be able to remove them at ease. If you medicated the tank at the recommended dosage, you have an 80% chance that the crustaceans won't make it. My sally lightfoot crab died 2 days later, and three emeralds 4 days later (and this is even after 3 consecutive 30% water changes and 3 cups of carbon) I also left the medication for 6.5 hours and at 150X dosage mind you.

But now would be a good time to get them out.

 

[blstravler]

Yup I tried to get them out but when I did they floated out of the acro and we all know that crabs don't float

I'm starting the water change now, I don't see any red bugs right now.

More to come.

Regards

Keith

 

[RichT]

Good news and bad news here. Still no sign of my bugs. I think I may have cooked them. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I cross posted in Eric Borneman's forum to try to get his opinion on the heat affect on the bugs. He's away until 8/28 so hopefully when he returns he will respond. Mean while, another Reefer posted that he had a similar experience with a heat event. Maybe there is some connection to a specific temp and their survival.

Now the bad news.......the only wild sps colony I had in the tank is RTN'ing. It was a lovely pink and yellow milli with the coolest little pure white acro crab with a black uni-brow. It was only in my tank for a month and was thriving up until the heat incident. There may be a couple tips I can frag off but I think it a goner I have a ton of stressed out corals from Malcolms rescue that look no different then before other than more color and more polyp extension. Another month or two they should be good as new.

Hoping for the best.

DEATH TO ALL YELLOW BELLIED RED BUGS!!!!!!!!!

 

[Phyl]

Rich! Sorry to hear about your acro loss. That's really sucky. Glad to hear that the red-bugs didn't like the heat at least as much as that poor SPS didn't like it! Here's to them staying away.

I placed an order today for interceptor at PetMedStore.com. I figure with the stock tank here and frags coming and going from here using it during acclimation (per Merv) is a good thing to have on hand. I wanted to see if I could mail order it without a script and I could. I got a 6 pack on the way. So I'll have some if anyone encounters any in the future plus I can protect the club's investment and our members in the process. Their website says that they require you to fax in a script, but I've gotten shipping notification already. No signs of them on any of my livestock. That doesn't surprise me as the Nana from Merv is the only acro in the stock tank and it didn't go in until after the stock tank had been running for a bit (fallow of acros). I'll continue to keep my eye on it though.

 

[RichT]

so I don't need to bring you any then? (interceptor that is)

 

[Phyl]

A smidge for acclimating would still be good to get me through since mine aren't in yet. I'll "pay you back" when mine get in!

 

[RichT]

ok then....no worries.....I'll bring you a whole pill....easier to swap that way. You did get the 23mg whites correct?
let me know if you get yours before the meeting

 

[ribs]

I've been keeping a keen eye on the tank, no signs of the buggers yet, tho I did inherit GHA which was entwined in a large digi colony.

 

[blstravler]

Well the bugs seem to be all gone (knock on wood).

I did a 30 gallon water change and I have a lot of Carbon running right now as well as a chem pad to get every last once of medicaiton out. I'm going to change the carbon tonight.

My shrimp, clams, snails, urchins and hermits all seem to be fine.

Oh and one last time, thanks for the Pill Merv !!

Regards-
Keith

 

[Marcelog]

Damn! Now I've got the little yellow buggers.:mad2:

Phyl - Any chance I can get one of the pills on Sunday. I'll be ordering some Interceptor tomorrow, but would like to start treating right away.

Marcelo -

 

[Phyl]

Mine aren't in yet. I'll keep you posted though. I'm hoping that they arrive in tomorrow's mail. If not I'm sure Rich will lend you one of his, right Rich?! *nudge nudge*!

 

[RichT]

Not a problem....That will leave me with one so as long as I get them back when yours come in. Hopefully I will only have to use them for acclimation / QT so one should last quite sometime. Still no sign of the little b@$t@rd$ so hopefully their gone. Cooked em up. Cooked up the milli also. Poof........naked.