Treatment for redbugs

[MarkKlier]

Over the years I have used Lugol's solution to treat many things. It is generally safe (in dips) and well tolerated by both lps and sps (in dips). It seems to have fallen from favor simply because of time. Recently I have been treating sps coral with red bugs in a lugo's dip. The kill rate hase been great with virtually 100% kill rate after 20-30 minutes. It also kills flatworms. I donot have the "acro eating" flatworms...but I would recommend someone try it on them. I see no reason it would not work..
Thought I would share.
MK

 

[SVXH6]

many use Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure as a dip for SPS. kills RB's and kills AEFW to some extent on both, it will not kill eggs for either. which is generally the same as Lugols, a little different and a little stronger.

 

[RandyO]

I dipped my favorite Acropora Suharsoni a few weeks ago in Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. I used a brown bucket, and it seemed like I added a ton of the Pro coral cure to get it to the color consistency that I like to use. The Suharsoni was heavily infested with red bugs but it's color was still bright neon green.

After about 15-20 minutes, the water in the dip bucket looked cloudy. When I pulled the Suharsoni out, it was brown. I almost passed out from the shock!
I quickly put it back into the tank, and I could see some flesh starting to peel on a couple tips. At that moment I knew I had killed my most favorite Acropora.

But surprisingly, it didn't die. And it has slowly got it's color back now. And no more red bugs on it. At least not yet since I didn't treat the system it was in.


I guess the lesson here is that you should not use a brown bucket to dip your corals in. It's too hard to tell if you are overdosing.

 

[SVXH6]

absolutely.. i use a clear container.. you can overdose easily. you should only leave the coral you are dipping in it for about 15 min. and watch how much you use, it is a lot stronger than lugols from what i hear. i personally wouldnt dip a frag in it, then replace it in a system that has RB's. i would just treat the system. its good for temporary relief but they'll find their wayback to it(its a very good preventative dip for incoming frags, along with interceptor). also did you already have the dip water mixed?? i mean by mixing the water and the tropic marin before placing the coral in it, or did you place the coral in it then mix? this could have had an effect as well. i would think that a coral getting a lot of the tropic marin on it before being dilluted may have irritated it.

 

[RandyO]

Hey Tony,
Your right that I was careless with my prized Acro. I kept squirting the Pro coral cure into the bucket with the Acro in it. It was the first and last time I used that Cheetos container.

I could not treat the system at the time, and I saw the red bugs getting worse every day on the coral. I was actually dipping another incoming acro at the time(Blue Acro Echinata) and thought I would throw the Suharsoni into the dip to see what it would do to the red bugs. I had no idea if it would kill them or not.

I was carefull to keep using the turkey baster on the acros in the bucket. Sometimes I forget about the corals I'm dipping, and I've left them for a hour or longer sometimes, but never in such a concentrated solution.

 

[SVXH6]

i too have over concentrated frags before. no more cheetos continers!! i like to use medium sized rubbermade containers, this way you can visually inspect what has fallen off. i hate RB's. i got them from someone and lost every SPS i had. very very upsetting. i want to get moe but i am so nervous of getting RB's again, or even AEFW.

 

[MarkKlier]

Randy, that is just what happened to me. I know I need to treat the entire tank, just not ready to yet. Some of the corals are growing so hesistant to treat.....MK