cichlid nutz
Well-known member
I have what looks to be acropora red bugs on the base of a toadstool that is withering. The rest of the tank is doing fine and I can see no evidence of the "bugs" on any other coral. The "head" of the toadstool still extends its fronds daily.
My set up is kind of odd. 100 gallon tank (identical to 120 but only 20" high) with another 100 as sump. I have another toadstool (yellow umbrella?) that is doing wonderful as well as assorted mushrooms, zoa's, paly's, xenia, a small montipora, and a beautiful 30+ head of frogspawn. The distressed toadstool is well away from any of the other coral (no chance of touching). It is a relative new setup (Sep 1, 2012) and doing quite well (corals reproducing, growing) except for the one piece.
The sump is lighted as well with 2 RBTA's and a pair of black Perc's. The main tank houses only a pair of Perc's, a starry blenny, 2 urchins and assorted hermit crabs. No turbo snails, only 2 nassarius.
I dose a kalkwasser drip weekly (dose dependent on alk reading) as well as a calcium supplement and vodka for phosphates. I just restarted vodka after a break during Thanksgiving vacation.
Parameters are:
Nitrates - 0
Salinity - 1.024
Alkalinity - 11 (5.5 meq/l)
Calcium - 470
pH - 8.2
Phosphate - 1.0 +/- (Phosphates were just below .5 prior to vacation)
The vodka dosing is for the phosphate control. I have some older rock from a previous tank that is still leaching some phosphates into the new build. Skimmer is a G-2.
I do not have a magnesium test but thinking it is good considering the Alk and Calcium readings as well as coral growth.
Before anyone asks, I do not have a way to take a photo of the bugs. They are smaller than the head of a pin. There are no other parasites in the tank besides the typical bristleworms and a couple of aptasia.
Any ideas for helping the toadstool would be greatly appreciated. I realize the red bugs may not be the culprit but simply amphipods eating away dead tissue. The tank has an immense copapod growth. Thank you in advance.
My set up is kind of odd. 100 gallon tank (identical to 120 but only 20" high) with another 100 as sump. I have another toadstool (yellow umbrella?) that is doing wonderful as well as assorted mushrooms, zoa's, paly's, xenia, a small montipora, and a beautiful 30+ head of frogspawn. The distressed toadstool is well away from any of the other coral (no chance of touching). It is a relative new setup (Sep 1, 2012) and doing quite well (corals reproducing, growing) except for the one piece.
The sump is lighted as well with 2 RBTA's and a pair of black Perc's. The main tank houses only a pair of Perc's, a starry blenny, 2 urchins and assorted hermit crabs. No turbo snails, only 2 nassarius.
I dose a kalkwasser drip weekly (dose dependent on alk reading) as well as a calcium supplement and vodka for phosphates. I just restarted vodka after a break during Thanksgiving vacation.
Parameters are:
Nitrates - 0
Salinity - 1.024
Alkalinity - 11 (5.5 meq/l)
Calcium - 470
pH - 8.2
Phosphate - 1.0 +/- (Phosphates were just below .5 prior to vacation)
The vodka dosing is for the phosphate control. I have some older rock from a previous tank that is still leaching some phosphates into the new build. Skimmer is a G-2.
I do not have a magnesium test but thinking it is good considering the Alk and Calcium readings as well as coral growth.
Before anyone asks, I do not have a way to take a photo of the bugs. They are smaller than the head of a pin. There are no other parasites in the tank besides the typical bristleworms and a couple of aptasia.
Any ideas for helping the toadstool would be greatly appreciated. I realize the red bugs may not be the culprit but simply amphipods eating away dead tissue. The tank has an immense copapod growth. Thank you in advance.
