Red bugs???

[Sea Turtle]

Hey all,
I have been struggling with my corals for years. Someone just this week turned me on to the fact that I could have bugs. Well, looking closer I noticed that my corals have all these little red dots all over them. I looked at red bugs online and these things are a lot smaller. They look like 1/4 the size of a grain of salt red dots. Could this be my problem?

 

[Len]

Red bugs are really tiny. The online photos are enlarged. If it's on your Acropora colonies, this could be your problem.

 

[Gravesj1s]

I agree most photos are enlarged as the bugs are really difficult to see. I personally could not see them on this acropora until I took a pic and zoomed in did they become visible.You can try that or a magnifying glass to spot the culprits.
Fwiw-I used interceptor and found it very effective for redbugs.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Ok, I have determined that I DO have red bugs. I can see the little buggers! Here is my question; I got a hold of some interceptor from a friend that is a vet. I have cleaner shrimp, starfish and clean up crew. I am going to take them out and float them in a bag in the sump. If I treat the tank tonight and add carbon in a reactor tomorrow morning, when can I put them back in the tank? I really don't want to leave them down there for too long. I have about 100 gallon tank.

 

[Gravesj1s]

I have a red serpent and pistol shrimp that were fine through a full dose interceptor treatment.Hermit crabs were wiped out though.

Im not sure about how other types of starfish, shrimp and cleanup crews would handle it.Someone else may be able to help with this.

Fwiw -you should dose atleast twice with 3 times being prefered or risk the redbug population coming back.Ime,I had to dose twice back to back to get them all.
-Steve

 

[Sea Turtle]

I would like to take them out and float them in the sump tonight. Run carbon tomorrow and put them back in on friday. Do you think that is long enough time?

 

[Ben1]

I would think that would be long enough, but would also do a 25% water change after the dosing is done. It has been awhile since I did my interceptor treatments, but the first time my shrimp lived through it. Second time they died.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Ok, I did the interceptor treatment. I am not seeing any improvement in my coral coloring. Can someone tell me how long it will take until I see some improvements?

 

[Gravesj1s]

You should start to see a fairly immediate improvement in polyp extesion (within a few days) The color should start to improve over a few weeks,ime.