Possibly Some Very Bad News.......

[Mike A]

I have a mated pair of Coral Banded Shrimp that survived two different Interceptor treatments, so a blanket statement that it will kill any living crustacean is not accurate, FWIW. The shrimp hid during the entire treatments, but once the water was changed and carbon filtration resumed, they were none the worse.

Chris, I've only tried freshwater dipping acros once, and that experience was enough to deter me from ever attempting it again. In my experience, use an iodine dip for flatworms, use the Interceptor for mites (if you can accept the loss of acro crabs and pods) and never use a freshwater dip on acros

Oh yeah, one last thing:

QUARANTINE every new addition.

 

[NateHanson]

3M, It seems like you do a fair amount of frag-business, so I would encourage you to be extra careful with the red mites. The group seems to have gotten past a widespread mite epidemic in the community, for the most part. So there is a definite interest for the group to not have a large number of frags circulating that are possibly carrying the mites.

It's certainly your tank to do with as you like, but as an active seller of frags I think you should be clear with customers if you do not treat with interceptor, so a lot of people don't end up with mites in the future.

I can understand wanting to try a more natural approach, and I'm definitely interested in what you find if you decide not to treat with interceptor. The difficult thing will be knowing at what point you can decide that the mites really are completely gone, not just reduced, and you can resume frag-selling again. Keep us posted on your progress. It'll be interesting to know what you find, either way.

Nate

 

[~Flighty~]

You alternatively could treat just the frags before sale.

 

[NateHanson]

Oh yeah, one last thing:

QUARANTINE every new addition.

Mike, do you quarantine frags from people you know, or mostly just colonies you get mail-order and from LFS? And what sort of regime do you and others follow for SPS quarantine? Just keep them separate for a few weeks to see if an infection develops, or red-mites are proliferating? How long do you think is effective?

What equipment is sufficient for an SPS QT? heater, PC lights and a powerhead?

Thanks, Nate

 

[NateHanson]

You alternatively could treat just the frags before sale.

True. Doesn't it take three treatments over a couple weeks?

 

[reefnroll]

Hey Nate -

Not to cut off the conversation about QT, but there was another thread in the not so distant past where the methods for QT were discussed in great detail by a few people. I'll see if I can find it. (Mike.. was that your thread?)

Mike can speak for himself, but considering his most recent recurrance of mites, I'd say he missed a QT somewhere. From his comments above... I'd say that won't be happening again!

Speaking for myself... I QT everything, known or not known. When it comes down to it... it's my tank to deal with if mites recur, so treating on the front end is the smartest way to go. It's also quite simple.

bec

 

[jango]

True. Doesn't it take three treatments over a couple weeks?

3 treatments 7-10 days apart, dip's are not 100%..

 

[Aquaman_68]

treatment of all newly acquired specimens.

I recommend what I do. All newly acquired livestock see the 6 hour bath of interceptor in a small tank. It doesn't matter if they are wild caught colonies, aquacultured frags, or from another reefer local or not. The mites can be transfered on liverock of zoo's & softies too. Not definite but there is a chance.

 

[reefnroll]

I disagree Jango.

I think dips can be 100% effective IF a strong enough dosage and long enough dipping time is used. A much stronger dosage can be used for dipping than in a full reef since there is no other livestock to worry about in the QT dip. I tested dips in separate tanks for weeks... re-checked for mites and found none over time, and the new frags/colonies no worse for the wear after the strong dips. Like Aquaman, I now use a strong, 6 hour dip for every incoming frag or colony of ANY type - Acro or non-acro.

bec

 

[reefnroll]

Here's the thread where several people weigh in on the dipping issue... and the ways it can be done.

http://216.235.242.50/forums/showthread.php?t=5194&page=1&pp=20&highlight=interceptor

The controversy about whether dipping is 100% is moot - in my opinion - as long as no one takes the time to experiment and document the way Dustin did for the full treatment... over many, many months and using many tanks and situations. We're all using slightly different dosages, different times etc. for these dips... so there's no way to tell... no scientific consistency. What I can tell you is that the method I've been using appears to be working for me, and I'll keep using it with every incoming coral.

bec

 

[Mike A]

I did miss a QT.

A coral purchased from a store I *thought* to be mite free was not. This time around I purchased enough Interceptor to have onhand to treat any new addition. I recently purchased a pair of Bali aquacultured and followed the intructions bec and Lam posted on that thread that bec posted a little earlier. I'd be inclined to agree that a QT practice that included a dip using the Interceptor at sufficient strength is effective. Time would bear that out for sure.

Aquaman, do you follow the same recommended dosage when you dip new additions ?

And Nate, I QT everything now - including fish. I have a 30 gallon breeder separate from my main setup. It's lit by an 250 watt AB Oceanlight, heated by a pair of 300 watt Won Bros heaters and skimmed with a PM venturi skimmer.

 

[NateHanson]

Thanks bec. Good thread, that I didn't pay much attention to the first time around.

Lot's of info about dipping, but it ends on a rather uneasy note about the efficacy of everyone's dipping routines. What about QT? Are some people using a QT tank for corals, and how long?

 

[Moe_K]

I'll tag this thread for archiving.
Please continue.

 

[Greg Hiller]

Bec,

>What I have read about is an experimental school of thought around keeping these pipes in small, low flow, low activity tanks where mite infested Acros are placed for 'cleaning' as necessary. I could see the pipes thriving in that kind of situation, but still... they'd have to be trained to eat more than just the mites, for their own long term survival.<

That might be an interesting way to go. From seeing this species (or at least Genus) on the reef, I'm a bit surprised they had a problem with water flow. When I was diving in the Solomons I was in an area with very strong waterflow, and these fish just kind of 'crawled' along the surface of the corals in a snake-like fashion pecking at stuff on the corals as they went.

 

[reefnroll]

Hey Greg -

I don't know. Maybe the ones I had were wimps! They were VERY small... less than 2"... so maybe that was the problem. No idea.. but they seemed pretty unprepared for prime time reef flow in my opinion. I want to try again, so I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm still wondering about the photo Joe posted. Joe - are those yours, or a shot from the web somewhere. If you know more about how to keep these guys I'd love to know before trying again.

Thanks,

bec

 

[Aquaman_68]

I did miss a QT.



Aquaman, do you follow the same recommended dosage when you dip new additions ?

I pretty much stick to the same formula as when using it in the three week tank treatment. I have packets made up for a small volume of water. I've never lost a single coral I've treated from dipping nor have I seen a single mite & it has been at least 6 months since I treated the tank for mites.

 

[Mike A]

What do you use as a holding system while you perform the three treatments ?

 

[Aquaman_68]

What do you use as a holding system while you perform the three treatments ?

I only do one treatment for six hours when I first get it but before I put it into the tank. I have the intercepter cut down for this tank volume. I was using a 10 gal tank I've now cut the formula down to do it in a 5 gal bucket.

 

[3mrhythm]

anyone have this miracle toxin or know where i can get it? what is it exaclty?


LSOP in portsmouth moved and i got two drilled 40gallon breeder tanks .. one is going to be the new and improved sump/fuge .. who knows the other might be my new frag tank ... i'll frag and treat b4 i sell ... but i need to know where to get this stuff .. i think i read somewhere someone got it from a vet? we have a friend of the fam that is a vet ...

 

[Moe_K]

Interceptor is a chitin (pronounced: KI-tin) inhibitor. Crustaceans (and insects) make their exoskeleton from chitin. You can probably get it from your vet.
Here's Novartis' website for the stuff: http://www.petwellness.com/dog_inter_disc.asp

It's indication is for heartworms for our canine buddies.
The red mite remedy is an off-label use.