Red Bugs!

[LATINO]

Hi guys, I am realy upset. I have red bugs on my 300G tank and I called and braught articles,print outs and evidence to the vets here in Windsor. It seems that the only way for me to getting INTERCEPTOR is having a dog or cat. None of my friends have animals. So I cant ask them. I just lost $200 dollars of acros within 72 hours. And I have lots of acros. I dont know what to do. I cant use interceptor cause I dont have any and my main tank is infested with those them buggers. Any one, please help. Even if you can sell me one pill would be good. Hopefuly more then just one person do this kind act I can get a hold of enough to treat my tank 3 times. Guys I am really in need of this. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... :sad::sad::sad::sad::sad:

[zazzoo]

there is some stuff you can get at the aquarium for red bugs.... i forgot what it is called.... tangdaddy got some ....from what i know its not cheap

[zazzoo]

for now while you get the cure... i suggest you get some ReVive and use it for 30 mins...... dip them and shake the F... out of the coral till they all fall off.... what ever it tells u to use ... i use double of what revive asks.....

[michika]

Red Bugs traditionally do not kill quickly. Most corals survive with no problems infested with Red Bugs. Interceptor is a prescribed product, and that is the only way to get it. I suggest you continue to call around, present your evidence, etc. In the mean time you can look at other ways to control the current infestation, fish, etc, and plan out how you want to combat a re-infection in the future.

P.S. Please do not mass-PM people, it doesn't inspire aid, it inspires annoyance.

[LATINO]

I called all the vets here in windsor and sorounding area and nothing. I feel useless right now. At this moment I just dont know what to do.

[mseepman]

I hear that ORG (Oakville Reef Gallery) sells individual tablets...that might be a resource for you.

[chandigz]

Calling around won't do much, you will need to talk to them in person and have plenty of research and materials with you to back up what your asking for. Unfortunately it is still considered experimental and not recognized by the vetrinary association, its a prescribed product and they are clampng down on handing out medications these days. When you contact the vet clinics try to talk to the vets themselves not the people at the front desk as they will always tell you to bring in your pet cat or dog and that you can't get it for your aquarium. Try to find a vet that took a fish disease class, has interest in aquaria or even possibly exotic pets you will find that they are more apt to write you a scirpt. When I talked to my vet he said had been asked several times but had no idea about it so he never dished any out. (He's been pretty good with giving me meds if I bring lots of research and write him up a report for future reference so he can help other people) Check with your LFS to see if they know a vet that could help. I have read that they now realize that red bugs are live bearers so you only need one treatment because there are no eggs waiting to hatch.

[untamed]

Red Bugs traditionally do not kill quickly. Most corals survive with no problems infested with Red Bugs.

This is what I was going to say.... My experience with having red bugs in the past is that they were an annoyance and possibly prevented my corals from extending polyps as much......but kill within 72 hours?...No.

I think something else is going on.

[LATINO]

This is what I was going to say.... My experience with having red bugs in the past is that they were an annoyance and possibly prevented my corals from extending polyps as much......but kill within 72 hours?...No.

I think something else is going on.

well I did say a white lie. I bought it last thursday, and believe me dead. There is no color to the acros.

[wickedfrags]

Agreed.

This is what I was going to say.... My experience with having red bugs in the past is that they were an annoyance and possibly prevented my corals from extending polyps as much......but kill within 72 hours?...No.

I think something else is going on.

[LATINO]

I hear that ORG (Oakville Reef Gallery) sells individual tablets...that might be a resource for you.

I called Tom at ORG and he let me know that it cost $20 bucks for each pill. And yes he does sells them. I call a vet that deals with exotic animals before calling Tom. The vet let me know that he has to do a house call to my place and then he was going to prescribe me the pill total. And I mean total, that is housecall,prescribtion, and pills..... came upto 340 dollars. I told hung up on them after I told them they are crazy lol...:twised::twised::twised:

[Mrfish55]

I used Milbemax (basically the same as interceptor, but for cats) I got it from my local vet, was only $6.00 per pill (I used 1 pill per 60 gal and it worked like a charm) If you can't find anything locally let me know, I am sure I can get some more.

[Myka]

I told hung up on them after I told them they are crazy lol...:twised::twised::twised:

That is a silly thing to do. That may have been your only chance. It sounds like you have more than $340 in corals, so maybe it's not that bad of a deal. HOWEVER, I have been dealing with vets my entire life (for various animals), and have never heard of a vet that would cost $340 for a call fee, examination fee, and prescription for Interceptor. That seems a bit high, but not only by about $60-80. If I remember correctly, there are 12 pills in the box, and it costs about $80. I could be way off though.

[Jason McK]

I'm thinking Acro eating flat worms over Red bugs. I had red bugs for about 6 months before I did something about it. all my corals where fine. Like others have said Red bugs don't kill corals

J

[mark]

I'm with you Latino, a $340 grab for a $20 pill, I think I would have added an adverb, starting with an F to crazy.

As for the bugs, are they visible (have to look close but you can see them).

[LATINO]

Just the house call cost 150 bucks cause he has to check it him self to see if I do have red bugs. Then he said since he does not deal with fish, prescribtion is 20 some dollars, and then he said after all that is done the pills will cost and the difference is for 3 treatment of interceptor.:twised::twised::twised:

[LATINO]

I have checked to see if I have flat worms and nothing. I have done research and the ones that do kill corals are red flat worms. And I have gone through every single rock and corals and even checking the sides of the tank to see if I do see anything and nothing. All I go to see were those red buggers.

[Whatigot]

That is a silly thing to do. That may have been your only chance. It sounds like you have more than $340 in corals, so maybe it's not that bad of a deal. HOWEVER, I have been dealing with vets my entire life (for various animals), and have never heard of a vet that would cost $340 for a call fee, examination fee, and prescription for Interceptor. That seems a bit high, but not only by about $60-80. If I remember correctly, there are 12 pills in the box, and it costs about $80. I could be way off though.

I had to take my pointer with a sore knee to 3 different vets before I found one that wasn't just out to maximize their cash...
Some great vets out there, but some real losers too.

[Snappy]

I would do an iodine dip (Seachem & Tropic Marine both make good products for this) and see what comes off the corals. You may have red bugs but that is not your biggest problem if you have pieces die off in a few days. As Jason said it sounds more like AEFW.

[untamed]

I have checked to see if I have flat worms and nothing. I have done research and the ones that do kill corals are red flat worms. And I have gone through every single rock and corals and even checking the sides of the tank to see if I do see anything and nothing. All I go to see were those red buggers.

The acro-eating flatworms are very difficult to see. The look almost like a slimy patch on the coral because they are transparent and sort of assume the colour of the coral. They are always found on acro coral.

Red flatworms get up to maybe 3mm in size and do most of their damage by simply reproducing in such numbers that they begin to cover ever visible surface of the tank. Red flatworms will mostly cover your sand bed, but spread up all over everything eventually. They don't target coral specifically.

Red Bugs are easily visible if your eyes are decent. They move around relatively quickly..maybe about the size of a pin-head. The "red" I've seen tends to look kind of orange color and is really their back ends.
http://www.melevsreef.com/redbugs.html

Flatworms require very different treatment than red bugs. You need to figure out which you have before you start dosing your tank with stuff.

[Trigger Man]

From what you said I'm gonna have to agree with everyone on here that it sounds a lot more like aefw then red bugs causing the problem.

[michika]

Here are some macros of RBs, hopefully they can help you with an ID on your problem.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/redbug_800.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/20060515_145700_2943.jpg

Perhaps try taking some shots of your own colonies and we can help you make the proper ID. However if you've IDed the cause as RBs, you've clearly found two different sources for Interceptor, and perhaps you should choose one of those two and begin treatment.

[fencer]

I wonder if acro crabs eat them?

[High tide]

I wonder if acro crabs eat them?

No, they don't seem too. At least not enough to control them.
Try not to buy dead, red bug infested acros and everything will be fine!

[LATINO]

Thats is exactly what I have in my tank they fast too.

[michika]

So I guess the next two steps for you are;
1) Either pay the vet or go through the pet store to get the pills. Its good to keep a box on hand so that in the future you can use them in QT.
2) Prep your tank for a treatment; remove your inverts, or remove all your acros to QT, and figure out your required dosage.
3) Set up a QT system for new arrivals, and figure out how you want to handing incoming livestock from now on.

[LATINO]

Well I found some one selling me a package of it. No names will be mentioned. But thank you for your advice. From now on I know I will be dipping any corals that will be going into my main.


So I guess the next two steps for you are;
1) Either pay the vet or go through the pet store to get the pills. Its good to keep a box on hand so that in the future you can use them in QT.
2) Prep your tank for a treatment; remove your inverts, or remove all your acros to QT, and figure out your required dosage.
3) Set up a QT system for new arrivals, and figure out how you want to handing incoming livestock from now on.