SPS parasites

[reef addict uk]

Can anyone ID these bugs please? A friend of mine asked me to call and have a look at some of his SPS frags, they have been losing colour (getting very pale) and some tissue loss from the base upwards. He's spotted some very tiny white bugs (the biggest no more than 1mm) on the affected frags, which are mainly acropora but they've also been spotted on some montipora. They can dart away rapidly (similar to a flea jumping) when approached. I have taken a few pictures but due to size and my camera skills they are not perfectly clear.









They do look like amphipods when enlarged but these are different, has anyone had anything like this before on their SPS causing damage, and if so, what's the cure?

cheers

Mark

 

[sahin]

Pic1: Looks like typical Amphipods...though the one in the middle looks like an alien.

Pic2: Look like Copepods. Is that a Hydroid top left of pic?

Pic3 and Pic 4: No idea, but would have thought these are random reef bugs.

Has your friend removed one of the affected Acros and basted for AEFW's? If Acros are the only ones affected then I would say AEFW's...pale and losing tissue near the base is one of the signs of AEFW's.

 

[Tweaked]

Thought the same thing.. Alien lol. I hope these are not some new sps parasite. But as Sahin stated, I would look for FW's.

 

[reef addict uk]

All pics are showing the same main thing, just in one of the pics I took one out of the water to get a better shot. In the first pic it's not a hydroid top left, that is a tiny amphipod, these are different. We've both kept reef tanks for many years and we've seen our fair share of pods along the way, these are white, smaller and behave differently than regular amphipods, not seen any aefw's and we've checked very closely, the **** on the pics above are only on the affected coral frags. It is mainly acros affected but also some montipora. It's a difficult one as if I was reading this post I'd probably be saying the same as you, just thought there may be someone who had experienced similar.

Cheers

Mark

 

[carriej]

First pic, top left... amphipod.

However the larger one in the picture is an alien/mutant. Looks like an ostracod and an amphipod had a love child.

In other words I have no idea.

 

[Peter Eichler]

All pics are showing the same main thing, just in one of the pics I took one out of the water to get a better shot. In the first pic it's not a hydroid top left, that is a tiny amphipod, these are different. We've both kept reef tanks for many years and we've seen our fair share of pods along the way, these are white, smaller and behave differently than regular amphipods, not seen any aefw's and we've checked very closely, the **** on the pics above are only on the affected coral frags. It is mainly acros affected but also some montipora. It's a difficult one as if I was reading this post I'd probably be saying the same as you, just thought there may be someone who had experienced similar.

Cheers

Mark

To think that red bugs are the only type of "pod" that can be harmful and parasitic to corals would be foolish of us as hobbyists. Occam's razor; the hypothesis with the fewest exceptions is the most likely. I'd suggest to your friend to take the same course of action as one would for red bugs. You should see improvements within days of an interceptor or sentinel treatment if these are in fact the culprit.

 

[reef addict uk]

I will pass on the info, much appreciated.

Mark

 

[joao junior]

I had the same problem in my sps,seen Like white bug, i do a Bayer dip for 3 times,And the corals is fine.

 

[Peter Eichler]

I will pass on the info, much appreciated.

Mark

That should read assumptions, not exceptions Also, if you poke around a bit you'll see other reports of "white bugs" being pests for corals.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I had a pest that was tiny and they were not red bugs. After weeks and weeks of trying to take pictures I gave up and dosed interceptor. Now my Sps look great no more bugs and I couldn't be happier. I have never seen the bugs you have but they do look like pods just bigger and whiter. Do you see them active at night or during the day? Well worst case I would dose interceptor if you think they are doing harm.