Red Acro "Bugs" -- Looking for volunteers

[ReefRelated]

Yeh, sorry I did mean 3 treatments not 2. Thanks!

Can I ask why you would do 8 treatments on 1 system? Is this just strictly for testing to see how the corals react or something else?

 

[DustinDorton]

The first time I treated I didnt kill all the bugs, thats why I followed it up with a second treatment the next day.

Its really a just in case kind of thing. I want to be very sure these are gone. Its a very big system with lots of places for bugs to hide.

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Dustin,
I think you should package the medication and sell it, with direction on how it should be use.
Minh

 

[DustinDorton]

Its not really an option. Would be kinda nice though.
As soon as I feel ready I am going to tell everyone here what it is and discus the dosage and treatment protocol. At that point Im just going to step back and cross my fingers. I dont want to have anything to do with someone screwing up, and killing their tank.

 

[loui]

Not sure if this has come up or not

Dustin have any of the test tanks have flatworms, was wondering what the effect my be on these little SOB'S

 

[mia1974]

I recently bought an LPS coral from the LFS and I quarantined it for 7 hours in the medication. I do this with anything new that I put in the tank now regardless of what type of coral it is. Anyhow, the coral had quite a few flatworms on it, but they were unaffected by the treatment. I had to requarantine for the FW's after.

 

[DustinDorton]

No effect on flatworms, or bristleworms either.

 

[turtlesteve]

Dustin,

I'm interested in trying this medication when you finish the trial studies provided all continues to go well. My question is did any of the study tanks have clams in them? How many and what types, and were they affected in any way?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[mia1974]

I have 28 clams in my system (maximas, croceas and squamosas) and there was zero effect on them...

 

[reefnut1]

What about Xenia, and Anthelia?

 

[DustinDorton]

No effect on clams at all. I dont have xenia or anthellia in the system that I treated, or in any of the other trials I have done. Every other soft coral is perfectly fine though.

 

[Paul A. Ifkovits]

What about Xenia, and Anthelia?

Unaffected.

 

[reefnut1]

Great glad to hear that! Thanks Paul for the reply. Can't wait to get the medication. Maybe it will be soon. I know we all are waiting to hear the word. And I'm hoping that Dustin finds out that they won't come back later.

 

[DustinDorton]

I just got back from checking in on the system at night. I was quite surprised to see live mysids. I would say that 99% of them died, but there are enough left to start over again. There were also a good number of amphipods left.

I still have several weeks of treating left, so by the end they might all be gone.
I sort of wish they wouldnt have been any left. It makes me wonder if there are some bugs that survived as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Out from left field: are these a problem in nature, I mean for ocean based coral farms and the reefs themselves? Are they're huge break outs of them in the wild? Anyone?

 

[DustinDorton]

Someone posted a link on RC where the species of the bug was listed. I am pretty sure it was Tegastes acroporanus or something along those lines. Im pretty sure that the place they were originally found was in the Marshall Islands.
Who knows if they get out of hand in the wild. I doubt it, there is probably something that controls them. I have made two trips to the Marshalls and never seen them there.

 

[Minh Nguyen]

What about anemone? I have a S. haddoni and a H. magnifica in my system. I hope anemone will not be affected.
Minh

 

[Roll2211]

It has been a week since any updated progress on the treatments have been posted. Any new news or projected release date of the finds and or treatment protocol?
Patiently waiting
Ed

 

[DustinDorton]

I will post an update on the results of my 3rd and 4th treatment today or tomorrow after I can spend a few hours looking for bugs.

 

[mia1974]

Minh: I have 2 S. hadonni and 1 huge rbta and they were both completely unaffected by the medication.


I completed my third treatment on Thursday. I only did a 10% waterchange after. Everything in the tank looks great! I have not seen even 1 red bug since the first treatment. I have also added a few new frags from tanks which did have the RB, and I quarantined them for 8 hours with triple the strength of medication in a 5 gal tank ...no bugs/pods survived the Q. So, now I guess we have to see if any missed ones will show up, my gut tells me that they are completely gone though...

I still have lots of bristleworms and larger pods...I still see no mysis shrimp though. I have not seen much color change in my acros (this could take 2 months though) but I have noticed an increase in polyp extension.