lanman October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I have been removing acropora from my 240G and dipping them for AEFW. I am maybe 3/4 done - running out of space, plus I wanted to save some AEFW for both my research project, and someone else's. I inspect each acro carefully under a magnifying glass. Last evening, I moved another 'chunk' of my blue-tipped staghorn from the 240G to the 'isolation' tank, including a very good inspection. I saw nothing. Tonight - the same coral has redbugs - lots of them: Redbug Larva almost ready to hatch: Freshly 'hatched' worm - just crawled out of the cradle: Running Redbugs video! (Maybe - might take me a few tries to make this work; never did a video before.) And - just how small are these things??? Regular straight pin... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikryd October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Wow - great pictures Bob! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 That is a sweet toy indeed. I was thinking of getting one of these both for my use and to let the kids look at small things up close, now it's a done deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelson_crn October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Wow, amazing pics! Sorry your in a position to be taking them though. I don't keep acros so I haven't read up on redbugs but here is a link if your looking for ways to get rid of them. melevsreef/redbugs Cody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I recently rid my tanks of red bugs with 3 treatments of Interceptor. Its the only way to get rid of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Gosh Bob, you just don't get a break. I'm so sorry that this is happening to you. Thank you for doing all this work and for sharing your findings. It is very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 redbugs are nothing compared to aefw. you'll think this is easy! this picture toy of yours is cool I must say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 7, 2009 Author Share October 7, 2009 This is the unit I got... http://www.adorama.com/CNMSHD.html Comes with software that makes it really easy to take single pictures, a 'stream' of pictures, or a video. Microscope is easily portable within reach of the USB cable, and has a little stand. Takes a few tries to figure out how to get it to work at higher resolutions (150x) - but basically pretty easy to use. The LED illumination is powered from the USB port - no batteries. I hook it up to my laptop, and I can go most anywhere. I would have gotten the $79 one - with 400x - but it doesn't seem to come with a stand. The stand is very convenient. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I've successfully dealt with both red bugs and AEFWs and the red bugs were much easier to eliminate, with no loss of coral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 7, 2009 Author Share October 7, 2009 I've successfully dealt with both red bugs and AEFWs and the red bugs were much easier to eliminate, with no loss of coral. My very first tank inhabitants were a pistol shrimp and Yashia goby. I am concerned about killing the pistol shrimp if I put Interceptor in the tank. So... I'll have to figure something out. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Wow. This seems huge....the importance, I mean. Is that really an egg and a larva? Are they live bearers or do they lay eggs? I think that makes a huge difference when treating the tank. Do you use one (1) treatment or three (3)? Justin: What is your opinion? Bob: It would be great to know what the interceptor treatment does on that bugger before it takes his first walk around the coral. .jpg[/img] Redbug Larva almost ready to hatch: Freshly 'hatched' worm - just crawled out of the cradle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I recently rid my tanks of red bugs with 3 treatments of Interceptor. Its the only way to get rid of them. I thought that dragon face pipefish munched on these things. If you can get rid of them AND have a cool new addition to the tank.......that would be my vote! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I thought that dragon face pipefish munched on these things. If you can get rid of them AND have a cool new addition to the tank.......that would be my vote! I heard the downside to the pipefish is microbubbles. Bob, that's exactly what I'm seeing, except no movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 My very first tank inhabitants were a pistol shrimp and Yashia goby. I am concerned about killing the pistol shrimp if I put Interceptor in the tank. So... I'll have to figure something out. bob Bob, Is it feasible to pull all your acros out of the DT and put them in a frag tank for treatment? You could leave the DT corals in the frag tank for a week, and any redbugs left in your DT will die within a week without a host. You just have to make sure there's no live encrusted corals on your DT live rock, or it might give the RB a refuge. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucelli October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 that is not an egg. The picture shows the amphipod's profile. It probably curled up like that when you removed it out of water. In fact, that is probably one of the better profile pictures I've seen, which would also help the whole copepod vs amphipod debate. Definately looks like an amphipod there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocko918 October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Treat all your tanks! I would not try and remove your corals. Just treat them all and be done with it. 2 treatments in each tank over a 2 week period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelson_crn October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 Wow. This seems huge....the importance, I mean. Is that really an egg and a larva? Are they live bearers or do they lay eggs? I think that makes a huge difference when treating the tank. Do you use one (1) treatment or three (3)? +1 Many "treatment" medications are developed to attack organisms during a specific stage of their lifecycle. If redbugs do in fact lay eggs you will most likely need multiple doses at specific intervals to ensure its effective. If they are live bearers than 2 doses should do ....one to wipe out the masses and a second for any stragglers that are left behind. I'm at work right now so I can't find any sources to site but I'll do some digging around tonight and see what I can find. Bob is great with research but a second (or third, fourth, etc) set of eyes couldn't hurt. Out of curiosity...does this mean that even with coral dips and quarantining all new corals that the only way to ensure you don't introduce redbugs into your system is by treating them with interceptor (in addition/instead of dips)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucelli October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 (edited) Amphipods do not lay eggs. One treatment is enough for redbugs. It is the easiest reef pest to treat for. A couple hours soak with water movement is enough to prevent them from entering your system. It's the nudibrachs and flatworms that definitely require quarantine. Edited October 7, 2009 by chucelli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 7, 2009 Author Share October 7, 2009 Bob, Is it feasible to pull all your acros out of the DT and put them in a frag tank for treatment? You could leave the DT corals in the frag tank for a week, and any redbugs left in your DT will die within a week without a host. You just have to make sure there's no live encrusted corals on your DT live rock, or it might give the RB a refuge. Jon I am currently in the process of doing just that for the AEFW. I have a 50-gallon stock tank set up as a separate system just for isolation of the acro's while they are being treated. Unfortunately, I am almost out of space in that tank; going to have to figure out how to move things around a bit - OR just dip everything in both stock tanks, and combine them into one system as originally planned. Not to worry - by the time I'm done, all of my acro's from the DT, and all of my frags (200+) will have been dipped, inspected re-dipped. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 7, 2009 Author Share October 7, 2009 Amphipods do not lay eggs.One treatment is enough for redbugs. It is the easiest reef pest to treat for. A couple hours soak with water movement is enough to prevent them from entering your system. It's the nudibrachs and flatworms that definitely require quarantine. I know nothing about the life-cycle of a redbug. Are they live-bearers, then? Just from scanning around that piece of coral, and observing another piece; it seems that however they start life, they are inside those little depressions, then they crawl out looking like a grub worm, attached on one end, and waving around. Then they start actually moving around on the coral. This seems to happen pretty rapidly - over the course of an hour or two. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore October 7, 2009 Share October 7, 2009 I'm pretty sure they are livebearers. I thought permanganate killed them, but apparently not. Revive does not kill them, so no, dipping in Revive and QT are not guaranteed to prevent them. So yes, interceptor is the only way to be sure of getting rid of redbugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefhunter October 8, 2009 Share October 8, 2009 yup... if you are into SPS and haven't dipped/treated with interceptor chances are you have redbugs and you dont even know it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefhunter October 8, 2009 Share October 8, 2009 this is why its good to have experienced people come check out your tank... i have had people point stuff out in my own tank that has shocked me on a few occasions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay October 8, 2009 Share October 8, 2009 (edited) I sometimes wonder if there are more bugs in our tanks or in the ocean. Our tanks are like bug fuges. Edited October 8, 2009 by extreme_tooth_decay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 8, 2009 Author Share October 8, 2009 yup... if you are into SPS and haven't dipped/treated with interceptor chances are you have redbugs and you dont even know it! No kidding - if they hadn't all decided to appear at once, and on a coral where they showed up as bright yellow - I might still not know I had them. On most corals they are hard to spot, even with magnification, until you know what you are looking at. I have not dipped corals in permanganate, except a few small pieces to test what it would do to the flatworms. Those pieces of coral were in bad shape, and died after I put them in a 'QT' - perhaps due to water quality or something, perhaps due to the permanganate. I will try the potassium permanganate again - including on the redbugs. Now that I've calmed down on these things, and don't feel like i've been 'invaded', and have to act quickly; I am taking my time, making sure I know exactly what the situation is before I do something crazy and kill off my corals, fish, inverts, or anything else. First words of advice: Don't Panic! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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