Red Bugs Found Please Read!

[maxfischer]

I would like to take the time and let people know that I have found red bugs on 2 frags in my system. I will be starting a treatment tonight and repeated for the next 3 weeks. The frag(s) that I bring to the auction will get a treatment today and Saturday in a separate system. So far I have only found them on 2 Acro frags, and feel safe they will not be on any LPS frags I have.

I use my macro lens all the time when I sell frags and have never seen them in my system before. They do stand right out under the Macro lens so I feel safe saying they are new to my system in the past month or so.

I plan on treating them till they are gone and for some reason if I can not rid them in my system, I will stop selling frags out of my tank for good. Sorry for anyone I may have given them to, PM me if you have them on a frag out of my tank. Like I said its only two corals that I have them on and not even the mother colonies so if you have a frag of LPS from me I do not think you need to worry.

I still do not feel 100% giving a frag to the auction but do feel al bit better knowing its LPS and will be treated two times before it gets to the auction.

 

[jdeb101]

I'm a little concerned that I may possibly have red bugs. I just had a cap frag on a plug lose complete color over maybe 5 days. Taking a look at it I saw what could maybe be red bugs where the white and orange cap color met. However they didnt move at all so it may also just be how it looked cuz the color was fading.

I also want to note that I have other caps in the tank that havent lost any color.

Sound like red bugs? What do red bugs do thats so harmful? How is it treated?

 

[maxfischer]

I know people in the club had Black Bugs on caps awhile back. Treated the same way with Interceptor (dog meds). I am not 100% sure that they are harmful to corals in small numbers but like any pests they breed. I for one would like to get rid of them, and feel that is 100% possable if you keep on top of the issue.

 

[pillowfish]

I'm a little concerned that I may possibly have red bugs. I just had a cap frag on a plug lose complete color over maybe 5 days. Taking a look at it I saw what could maybe be red bugs where the white and orange cap color met. However they didnt move at all so it may also just be how it looked cuz the color was fading.

I also want to note that I have other caps in the tank that havent lost any color.

Sound like red bugs? What do red bugs do thats so harmful? How is it treated?

Sorry for high-jacking your thread Cory, but to answer the above maybe this link will help http://www.melevsreef.com/redbugs.html

 

[jdeb101]

Link didnt open for me.

 

[ReeferMedic]

I'm a little concerned that I may possibly have red bugs. I just had a cap frag on a plug lose complete color over maybe 5 days. Taking a look at it I saw what could maybe be red bugs where the white and orange cap color met. However they didnt move at all so it may also just be how it looked cuz the color was fading.

I also want to note that I have other caps in the tank that havent lost any color.

Sound like red bugs? What do red bugs do thats so harmful? How is it treated?

Red Bugs are usually only found on acropora, not montipora. You can find them on anything if they are in your system, but they typically only colonize on acros unless it's a really bad infestation ime.



On the bright side Corey, they are much less harmful than acro eating flat worms. Those are a complete nightmare.

 

[pillowfish]

Link didnt open for me.

fixed

 

[jdeb101]

Doesnt look like I had red bugs. Sorry for hijacking the thread, Im going to post a new thread for my cap issue.

 

[maxfischer]

just did the 1st one, have the skimmer on but not pulling air, and have the carbon off. I have water going for a water change, not sure if im going to do this yet, just in case

 

[Blueflu1]

I appreciate your honesty about the red bugs. I bought a frag from you about 4 mos ago and I don't see any in my system, so probably they are recent

 

[pillowfish]

Good Luck Cory with the treatment if you decide to do it...I'm sure it's a small PITS, but like Don said, could always be worse

 

[RiverReefer]

that BN from two months back looked clean but now you got me worried....whataya think?

 

[maxfischer]

that BN from two months back looked clean but now you got me worried....whataya think?

i only saw them on 2 frags, and neither was a Birds nest

 

[RiverReefer]

was thinking after the post that i ended up dipping that one in interceptor that day because i actually had some left over from a donation at that meeting....gracias for the honesty tho...let us know how the treatments go

 

[maxfischer]

Looking good, i do not see any on the 2 frags, 2 more weeks to go and they should be all gone.

 

[maxfischer]

Just did the 2nd treatment, i may even do a water change tomorrow after this one, everything looks good so far

 

[nichols]

Only real option you have is put all the corals in the trash, take down the tank and leave the hobby.
P.S. where's your trash again?
You know as well as I do red bugs are pretty easy to beat as long as you treat them correctly. Just got to stick with it.

 

[maxfischer]

thanks Bill, in a way im glad this happned now with only Red Bugs, lets me know what will happen when i get lazy treating

 

[Alex]

Like Don said red bugs are more of a nuisance but the acro flat worms and monty eating nubriachs are a nightmare.

You got this thing no problem.

 

[paulthomas]

And to think I got excited about a free frag.

I'm kidding.

Of all the major pests you could have in your reef, it seems that RBs are one of the least troublesome. Like Alex said, you can whip this.