grrrr... redbugs....

leveldrummer · 07-16-2007, 08:33 PM

well, im almost 100% sure i have redbugs on at least one of my acros. i cant see them anywhere else, but im sure they are around. im not going to be able to go the QT route, so im going to have to dose the tank... i do have a question though, first, anyone know an easy way to get the interceptor? second, this stuff is going to kill my pod population right? how do i rebuild that? and what happens to my fish that eat pods in the meantime? i wont be able to remove any crabs/snails/other crustaceans. the tank is too vast, and they dont play nice. so sadly they are going to have to be replaced. any tips on doing this are greatly appreciated... im probably going to dose, let it hang out for 24 hours, water change, skimmer, and carbon, and hit it again in another week. is that the recomended regimen??

Big D · 07-16-2007, 08:42 PM

Andy, couldn't you use a small tank setup with a heater and maybe a small powerhead to QT/treat it? I've got a few small tanks laying around... come to think about it, I've got everything you'd need, PH and heater too. You could pull out a gallon or two of water from your big tank each day and do a water change on the small one. I just think it would be better than treating the whole tank. Wal-Mart and Petsmart have 10gal tanks for $10, that could be another route. I'd post on the ARC for some interceptor.

David

Ranran · 07-16-2007, 09:27 PM

Hey Andy i had to treat my tank more then once with interceptor for red bugs. For one you will lose some pods but it will not wipe out your pod population, and they wil rebound very fast.
You will lose snails so i would recomend start pulling them out over a weeks time as you see them grab them and put them in a tupperware with holes in it in your sump until treatment day then give them to a friend to hold.
Crabs and shrimp are tough i had some emeralds and skunk shrimp make it through all the treatment, acro crabs however get hammered by it.

I have a 330 gallon tank and a 70 gallon sump that holds about 35-40 gallons when running. I treat at night i shut my skimmer off when i go to bed, turn off and reactors with carbon, phosban ect. I disolve the tab poor in.
In the mourning i plug in my skimmer and reators and go to work. never had any issuse and i have done three times over four years.
Hope it helps.

Oh yeah all my LFS that carry a lot of SPS carry the interecptor and give it away if your a good customer or charge around 10 bucks per tab if your not. one tab treats 400 gallons.

Fly Guy · 07-16-2007, 09:33 PM

Treat the whole tank. Its no big deal. The pods will come back quicker than you think. Ive dosed in a tank with a mandarin whi didnt eat prepared foods and the mandarin was fine.

Hit it 3 times to be sure, 10 days apart IMO. 1 time is enough if you hit it hard enough, but might as well make sure

PM me if you want a couple pills and havent found it already.

the last couple times ive treated i dont even do any water changes afterwards.....just crank the skimmer up

I have heard that you can get it here without a prescription even though it calls for one

http://www.petmedstore.com/Merchant2...NTWHIDOG6M100L

It is half the price i usually pay there and next time i need some I will probably buy it from them. I use it for every new arrival now

leveldrummer · 07-16-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big D

Andy, couldn't you use a small tank setup with a heater and maybe a small powerhead to QT/treat it? I've got a few small tanks laying around... come to think about it, I've got everything you'd need, PH and heater too. You could pull out a gallon or two of water from your big tank each day and do a water change on the small one. I just think it would be better than treating the whole tank. Wal-Mart and Petsmart have 10gal tanks for $10, that could be another route. I'd post on the ARC for some interceptor.

David

thanks david, but all the acros i have are encrusted to all sorts of diferent rocks, so removing some isnt going to be easy, and as i looked more tonight, i actually noticed more and more on a few different acros', i thought it was water parameter fluctuations helping my acros brown out, but now im not so sure.

leveldrummer · 07-16-2007, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranran

Hey Andy i had to treat my tank more then once with interceptor for red bugs. For one you will lose some pods but it will not wipe out your pod population, and they wil rebound very fast.
You will lose snails so i would recomend start pulling them out over a weeks time as you see them grab them and put them in a tupperware with holes in it in your sump until treatment day then give them to a friend to hold.
Crabs and shrimp are tough i had some emeralds and skunk shrimp make it through all the treatment, acro crabs however get hammered by it.

I have a 330 gallon tank and a 70 gallon sump that holds about 35-40 gallons when running. I treat at night i shut my skimmer off when i go to bed, turn off and reactors with carbon, phosban ect. I disolve the tab poor in.
In the mourning i plug in my skimmer and reators and go to work. never had any issuse and i have done three times over four years.
Hope it helps.

Oh yeah all my LFS that carry a lot of SPS carry the interecptor and give it away if your a good customer or charge around 10 bucks per tab if your not. one tab treats 400 gallons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

Treat the whole tank. Its no big deal. The pods will come back quicker than you think. Ive dosed in a tank with a mandarin whi didnt eat prepared foods and the mandarin was fine.

Hit it 3 times to be sure, 10 days apart IMO. 1 time is enough if you hit it hard enough, but might as well make sure

PM me if you want a couple pills and havent found it already.

the last couple times ive treated i dont even do any water changes afterwards.....just crank the skimmer up

I have heard that you can get it here without a prescription even though it calls for one

http://www.petmedstore.com/Merchant2...NTWHIDOG6M100L

It is half the price i usually pay there and next time i need some I will probably buy it from them. I use it for every new arrival now

thanks for the help guys, it really makes me feel better about all this...

fly, im not sure if ill be able to find any, but i want to do this treatment asap, so if i dont find one, id love one from you.

gwaco · 07-16-2007, 10:35 PM

quote // You will lose snails so i would recomend start pulling them out over a weeks time as you see them grab them and put them in a tupperware with holes in it in your sump until treatment day then give them to a friend to hold.

i've used interceptor many times and have never had it kill any mollusks , snails ,clams or otherwise . the medication doesn't target them , is it possible you overdosed the tank ? now arthropods are another story ! i've had some shrimp uneffected by it and some that bit the dust rather quickly . good luck andy ! its really not a big deal to dose the tank .

leveldrummer · 07-16-2007, 10:40 PM

thanks gary, im glad my questions and concerns were answered, im feeling much better already, im going to hit up the vet tomorrow, and try to weasel a few pills from them...

Fly Guy · 07-16-2007, 10:42 PM

Ive never lost any snails either

Quote:

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

thanks gary, im glad my questions and concerns were answered, im feeling much better already, im going to hit up the vet tomorrow, and try to weasel a few pills from them...

print up a disclaimer releasing them from any and all liability and take a copy of the directions for its use. Most vets are interested in it at least a little bit. the discalimer just makes it a no brainer for most vets to help out

zoa_princess · 07-16-2007, 10:51 PM

If you dont dose the whole tank and just do a qt. You can't leave a single polyp or if a piece breaks off and falls between a rock you must retrive it, any encrusting peice must be scraped off or the Red bugs will just come back. I know that sounds severe, but red bugs can live for a least 5 days without acros and can live on a single polyp and regenerate very quickly just as soon as you think it is safe.

I think you are doing the best course of action by dosing the whole tank. But dosing 3 times like Fly Guy said is the only way to be sure you got them all. Your acros will thank you and in a couple days start showing you better colors and growth.

Ranran · 07-16-2007, 11:12 PM

Yep your right no snails with me ether i had a minor brain cramp, its over now. i think I remember flatworm exit bugging my snails in my frag tank when i used it.

bogey · 07-16-2007, 11:29 PM

I bought interceptor from my Vet and he was very interested in the story. You won't loose all your pods. The cleaner shrimp made it through two of three treatments done seven days apart. Goodbye bugs and haven't seen them since.

leveldrummer · 07-17-2007, 12:15 AM

ill talk to my vet first, if they would like a disclaimer, ill work one up, but im thinking, 120 gallon +40 sump, pipes, etc. with rock volume and everything, i should get 3 doses out of one pill (one third pill for each dose. into roughly 130-140 total gallons of water) hit it every saturday. sound good to everyone?

Fly Guy · 07-17-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

ill talk to my vet first, if they would like a disclaimer, ill work one up, but im thinking, 120 gallon +40 sump, pipes, etc. with rock volume and everything, i should get 3 doses out of one pill (one third pill for each dose. into roughly 130-140 total gallons of water) hit it every saturday. sound good to everyone?

I use a half pill per dose on my 90 fwiw.........

Here is another trick. grind it up as best you can with a spoon, then mix it in hot rodi water. It makes it much more soluble and will start working within a half hour. The reason many accounts say it takes hours to start working is because it takes hours to dissolve in their tank water.

I only dip for 1.5 hours on new arrivals now since i have proved the hot water theory to myself.(at a 30x concentration though for dips)

leveldrummer · 07-17-2007, 05:29 PM

ok... i picked some up from my vet today, and i gotta say, i have some extra, so if anyone needs it, feel free to ask, although i have to clear myself of all responsibility if you decide to use this stuff...

couple other questions, after im done with the treatment?
how long should i wait untill its ok to put some shrimp and crabs back into the tank?