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Jason McK
11-14-2007, 03:02 PM
To those who have recently received frags from me. I have discovered RED BUGS.

So my Tank is closed to fragging until I can ensure I have properly dealt with this.

I know there are hundreds of threads through out the web on Red Bugs but does anyone have a link to a stripped down Interceptor treatment thread

Thank you and please understand I did not intend to give you Red Bugs. this is why I am openly admitting it to all as soon as I confirmed I have it

Again I'm sorry

Jason

fencer
11-14-2007, 03:15 PM
Marie gave me this link

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic52...light=red+bugs

Chaloupa
11-14-2007, 03:18 PM
http://www.melevsreef.com/redbugs.html
that's where I got my info...it's really easy, 1 large dog tablet per 400 gallons of water, once a week for 3 treatments, water change and run carbon after 12 hours each time in a nutshell, but read his page, it has the nitty gritty details....I just did this to my 150g and it was easy.....good luck!

Jason McK
11-14-2007, 03:30 PM
Thanks Sarah.
I had read all the threads on RC a couple of years ago but didn't want to go through that again.

Another Question. Has anyone had a problem getting Interceptor from a Vet?
I was thinking I could bring a article from one of the big boys like Eric Borneman to legitamate my request.

J

fencer
11-14-2007, 03:31 PM
Chaloupa

So when you nuked your tank did your pod population die off? and did your nitrates spike?

Tom R
11-14-2007, 03:34 PM
Hi Jason

I had Jack over the other night and he says I have Red Bugs in my tank. I can not see them but if Jack says I have them then I probably have them. Let me know what you plan to do to get rid of them. I will likely do the same.

Tom R

michika
11-14-2007, 03:34 PM
Thanks Sarah.
I had read all the threads on RC a couple of years ago but didn't want to go through that again.

Another Question. Has anyone had a problem getting Interceptor from a Vet?
I was thinking I could bring a article from one of the big boys like Eric Borneman to legitamate my request.

J

I have had issues in the past. It seems that you either have to have existing pets who visit that vet, or you must provide proof of red bugs. Photos, or in some cases an actual frag for them to examine.

Chaloupa
11-14-2007, 03:37 PM
I asked Marc (melev) questions too and he is quite helpful as were a couple of reefers here......I too had read almost everything on RC and didn't get much satisfaction for actual treatment....Marc's info and a bit from others put together was what worked for me......

I manage a vet hospital....I know there are some vets that will dispense Interceptor and some that won't...we're one of the "won't" clinics...basically it's an off label use which is not supported by the company who produces it....so unless we have a personal client/patient relationship with you we wouldn't dispense it...but like I said there are clinics that will...luckily I do use it regularly with my dogs and I had some on hand....there will be some PM's I'm sure that will let you know which vets around you will dispense with the article in hand, also, my vets (there are between 3-4 in my hospital) would not know what to do with a frag in hand with redbugs on....if they were a fish vet they "might" know.....but unfortunately the average vet wouldn't know what a redbug was....

The only "side effect" I had was a diatom bloom after treating...I did lose pods but they seem back in full force now...no other ill effects like nitrate spikes or anything...all in all it was easy, and it got rid of the red bugs....I would do it all over again if I had to...

christyf5
11-14-2007, 03:43 PM
Thanks Sarah.


Another Question. Has anyone had a problem getting Interceptor from a Vet?
I was thinking I could bring a article from one of the big boys like Eric Borneman to legitamate my request.

J


I took Erics research page on red bugs and the treatment to get my interceptor.

For the really stripped down version, one pill (23mg milbemycin oxime, large dog pills) treats 380 gallons. Eric Borneman reccomends a much higher dosage without any adverse side effects. Turn off air to skimmer but let water flow through, remove carbon. Mix powder well in cup of FW, dump in tank. Let brew 6 hours (EB also reccomends as long as 12h, I saw red bugs dying after about 4hrs and couldn't find them after about 5 hrs). After 6 hours do a 30% water change, run carbon and turn your skimmer back on. Repeat this whole procedure 3x (I only treated the tank a single time).

This procedure may kill any shrimp, crabs or starfish you have in the tank so you may want to remove them.

cprowler
11-14-2007, 03:43 PM
I think there is a vet in Richmond on Westminster hwy, I’ll try to dig it up.

cprowler
11-14-2007, 03:46 PM
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=25799&highlight=vet+Richmond


Found a online source too.

http://www.petcarerx.com/PCareRx/SimpleProduct.aspx?CS_ProductID=11211&CS_Category=&CS_Catalog=Petcare_Products&CatalogNavigationBreadCrumbs=Petcare_Products

Jason McK
11-14-2007, 05:10 PM
It does not appear that Eric's website is active anymore.
I can not link to anything. Crap

J

skylord
11-14-2007, 05:18 PM
Did you get them before or after the frag swap Jason?

Scott

Jason McK
11-14-2007, 05:23 PM
I have no Idea, But I'd have to guess before.


Never thought they might have come in through the frags I got there.
Up until yesterday I thought Tropic marin's Coral dip took care of red bugs.

J

fishface
11-14-2007, 05:37 PM
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=45859

try this for reference J...i got my interceptor from petcetera on granview highway in van. after trying everywhere near home, i called there and explained my situation, they helped out no problem.

cprowler
11-14-2007, 05:48 PM
I don’t know if you found any yet but I made a few calls.

I talked to Tara Nova Vet in Rich and they can’t get it in till next Wed. I called Lori at Albatross in Lgy. and the can get it by Fri. if you order before 2pm today.

http://mytelus.yellowpages.ca/bus/British-Columbia/Langley/Albatross-Veterinary-Services/59125.html

Jason McK
11-14-2007, 05:57 PM
I'll first check out my Vet. for my Cats. See if they will get some.

I can't do much now as I'm at work.

Thanks
J

fencer
11-14-2007, 05:58 PM
Jason
Sorry I gave you a bad link this one goes to Boremans forum page

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic52127-9-1.aspx?Highlight=red+bugs

Aquattro
11-14-2007, 07:15 PM
Good advice for anyone in the Acro hobby is to dip any new frags in Interceptor before adding to display tank. I have brought 10 frags home before with only one frag having one bug (I have a microscope), but one is all it takes.
When I come home, I set up a 5g with tank water and add way too much interceptor, heater and powerhead and simmer for 6 hours. I will continue this method with my new tank.

Jason McK
11-14-2007, 08:07 PM
It appears that most (Eric Borneman and Marc) are recomending removing each coral and treating just the corals.
Of cource step one is inspecting each coral in a seperate contaner. in my case this will not be possible. So I guess treating the entire tank is the only option

thanks for all you help
Jason

Reefer Rob
11-14-2007, 08:09 PM
Don't feel too bad Jason, Red Bugs are everywhere. Basically if you haven't treated for Red Bugs in the past you probably have them. I have no problem buying acros from you with or without Red Bugs. 12 hours of Interceptor treatment and they're toast. I've never treated my whole tank, but my wife's cousin just did it a couple of days ago, he says so far no problems. I think having a very large water change for 12 hours after the treatment is key. There's a possibility of a large die-off of unseen critters from the treatment. On the plus side you won't have anymore hitch-hiker crabs

marie
11-14-2007, 09:02 PM
Hi Jason

I had Jack over the other night and he says I have Red Bugs in my tank. I can not see them but if Jack says I have them then I probably have them. Let me know what you plan to do to get rid of them. I will likely do the same.

Tom R
Tom After I read this, this morning I went and checked the frags I got from you and sure enough I saw a couple of them. I knew better but put them in the tank anyway. I guess I'm treating my tank this weekend :cry:

Tom R
11-14-2007, 09:32 PM
Tom After I read this, this morning I went and checked the frags I got from you and sure enough I saw a couple of them.

Hi Marie

I am sorry if I brought you the red bugs.

Hope everything else is fine. The frags I got from you are doing great. The small piece with the green clover separated from the rock I glued it to. The clover pieces disappeared under the rock never to be seen again. I did enjoy our weekend of talking tanks. See you soon.

Tom R

marie
11-14-2007, 09:49 PM
I have never had any luck gluing clove polyps either I usually use sewing thread to tie them to the rock luckily they do attach fast


Hi Marie

I am sorry if I brought you the red bugs

Tom R
I knew better, but I used my last interceptor on the dog instead of saving it for dipping incoming frags

Chaloupa
11-15-2007, 12:13 AM
Jason...Melev (Marc) recommends doing the whole tank; I did it...it's easy, and there were no adverse affects...I'd do it again if I had to but I did learn my lesson and treat my corals in a Q tank....I do the entire 3x treatment though....not just a 12 hour because I don't want to have them again! There are several reefers here that have done an entire reef treatment....I did treat with a higher dose than recommended just because it was easy!

How to treat your entire reef with Interceptor (by Melev)


After a few months, I observed red bugs in my 280g reef and decided I needed to do something about it. I talked with a few local hobbyists and felt that I had a safe plan of action.
One (large) tablet of Interceptor should treat 400g of water. I removed all the hermit crabs and shrimp I could find in my reef, putting them in a safe tank separate from my reef. They had circulation, a heater and were topped off daily to maintain salinity while in quarantine for their safety. I had live rock in their tank as well so they had something to pick food from as well as places to hide.
I crushed up one pill until it was dust, and mixed it in a cup of tank water. I stirred it for several minutes until it was fully dissolved. I've read that you can heat up the water in a microwave to speed this process up, but found that unnecessary. I removed the venturi tubing leading to the skimmer's pumps so that no air was being injected into the body of the Euro-Reef 12-2. The medicine should travel through all the water, including in any equipment such as skimmers and calcium reactors. I also turned off the two Phosban Reactors I had running (one with PO4 remover, the other with carbon). At midnight, when all the fish were asleep I poured the medication into an area of high flow, and let it kill the red bugs over the next 12 hours.
The next day at noon, I reinstalled the tubing to the skimmer pumps to resume skimming the water. I started up the Phosban Reactor, and that included running 3 cups of fresh carbon in the second reactor. I couldn't find any red bugs in my tank after this treatment. I repeated this 7 days later, and then again 7 days after that. Three treatments over 3 weeks is considered necessary to remove any possible future generations from emerging from the reef to reinfest the corals.
After the third and final treatment was accomplished and the water was safe for the shrimp and crabs, they were added back to the tank and were fine. The refugium was also treated since it is part of the system, and odds are some pods were lost due to the medication. However, over time and with some fresh macro algae added, their population resumed and I see them running around. My Mandarin is fat and happy, as is my Six Line Wrasse.
This is not a treatment you have to fear. And the more of us that do it, the less likely we will share such pests with one another when trading frags. Always treat new coral arrivals (from hobbyists or your LFS) with an Interceptor bath for at least 6 hours to keep your reef red bug free.

mark
11-15-2007, 01:16 AM
I did the whole tank treatment (x3) and is really rather simple.

The negative (from my reading) is it with kill shrimp, hermits and crabs so get them out if you can, plus does take a toll on pods though not all (observed).

Joe Reefer
11-15-2007, 01:20 AM
"This is not a treatment you have to fear."

I couldn't agree more. I was really worried when I treated my whole tank for the first time.

Chaloupa
11-15-2007, 01:22 AM
I too was so freaked to treat my entire tank...but after reading all the stuff I read and just taking the plunge...I felt kindof silly for all my fear...:redface:

Joe Reefer
11-15-2007, 01:45 AM
lol.....I didn't take my eyes off the tank for the first couple hours.

niloc16
11-15-2007, 02:25 AM
i did the whole tank with ease. i was really really nervous when i put the first dose in but its straight fwd. it was sad though cuz acro crabs are first to die, i lost 2 cleaner shrimp but my pods werent effected. i did 3 doses

untamed
11-15-2007, 02:55 AM
I had red bugs for many years in my old tank. I never treated for them...and they just died off for no apparent reason. It is possible that they go away on their own, because it happened to me.