Possible red bugs???

[blue_eyes53813]

The lights are finally on and after a close examination of all livestock. The total loss is only the 4 hermit crabs from yesterday.. I Totally forgot about my precious 4 year old blue linkia starfish when I was pulling all hermits and snails that I could see before adding the 1st treatment yesterday.

About 3 hours into the treatment I was like " OHHHH S*&^" I was looking for the linkia but wasnt any where in site.. The bugger is always hiding and I usually only see him once a month.

Well the lights are on now and he is moving along the rocks cleaning like crazy. He looks fine . I am so happy... I also noticed about 4 snails on the glass that the treatment didnt harm either.. Only seems to harm crabs...

There are absolutely no red bugs on the acros....

All in all ... This treatment is very easy...


* I would recommend removing all inverts to be on the safe side though *

 

[Frankie]

Ok, tell us how you did it. What was the grams per volume of water? How much was the meds? You crushed the pill up or dissolved it? How many pills and did you buy enough for future dosing?
I am glad your starfish pulled through!

 

[ReefLady]

[phew] on the linckia - glad to hear it's doing well. Glad the treatment was easy - and apparently effective!

 

[blue_eyes53813]

One pill Interceptor for dogs (51 pounds - 100 pounds)treats about 380- 400 gallons of water. My total tank volume with main tank , sump and fuge is 370 gallons.

So my tank would use one tablet. This was relatively easy.For smaller tanks . The dosage might be hard to figure out. Chopping the pill into a powder and dividing the pill accordingly would be needed.

I got 4 pills from my Veterinary clinic for $25.00. I got one extra pill for further use after the 3 treatments to my tank are done.

I put one pill in a baggie and broke it with a hammer. The pills are pretty soft and easy to chop.

I dissolved the powder in a small glass of RO water. Stirred it for about 10 minutes and added it to high flow section of the tank.

Turned off the skimmer and removed carbon...

It was that easy...

From some of the articles/forum threads that I have read.(there is a lot out there and everybody does this treatment different. )

Once the pill is pullverized . Use a little spoon used in salifert test kits to measure the powder...

1 salifert spoonful treats 30 gallons of tank water..


Like I said everybody does it different as seems to have outstanding results...

Now Frankie... All we need to do is come up with a Pre soak for new additions.. Could be a money maker......

 

[funkpolice]

do you think I could add some to say a gallon of tank water and use it kind of like a dip for new corals? I guess that wouldn't work well as it probably takes a long time.
bill

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I was just checking on that Bill. I believe Melevs link tells how to treat a single treatment or a dip. I think it would be a great idea to treat all new additions. I definitely will from now on.

This is what Im gonna do and " experiment " from here on out. PLease post your results if you use this medicine for a coral dip.

Using 2 gallons of tank water in a seperate container or bucket. Use 1/4 scoop (salifert) spoonful of powder interceptor . Soak for 60 minutes. I May add a small power head if needed. Or stir the water for air exchange. After all bugs look to be gone , rinse coral in a new bucket and new tank water before adding the coral to the main tank..

Times and measurments may need to be adjusted.. But seems to work for some that use the method,.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Jan 3rd 2009. 11:35 a.m. 72 hours into 1st treatment..

I did a 10% water change today . All Corals and livestock are doing great.
This treatment works great ...

 

[Stacef]

Congrats that it's working!!

 

[lcstorc]

Glad to hear it is going well.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Treatment #2.

January 7, 2009. 10:00 a.m

Adding dose #2..... Let you all know.

No bugs visible...

 

[Stacef]

Wonderful news on no bugs visible! Maybe this will kill of your zoa eating crab that you have to! *Crosses fingers*

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I hope so too Stace.... It didnt bother my HUGE bristle worm that I have... Last night before I went to work I went down to do my normal check on the tank and the bristle worm was moving in between rocks... IT ket going and going and going.. I called Alan down and we think the thing has to be 6"+ long and as thick as a pointer finger.... It was in the corner of the tank that the crab usually is and I think the bristle might of been searching for it..

Maybe this medicine will also kill the nudibranch I saw a couple weeks ago..

 

[blue_eyes53813]

This morning I did a 10% water change. This would of been 72 hours in dose # 2. Everything still looks fine... After both treatments my blue linkia starfish came out into the open. On the sandbed... I'm hoping he is cleaning up the dead red bugs and not being bothered by the medicine... He moves pretty fast across the rocks and is very busy... This is unusual for him... He hides 95% of the time...

Anyway... I will let you know how he does.. SO far so good..

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Dose 3 - Final dose - went in today... I was a little late with this treatmant by a couple hours but I dont think it will really matter..

No visible bugs....

 

[ReefLady]

Great thread and great news!

 

[goody]

I'm glad to hear it worked for you! I just discovered red bugs in my tank last week:tears: , so I have also been doing some research on using Interceptor. I have read some threads where it was used as a dip (coral was left in for 6hrs.), and also reefers pulling out all their acros and using it in a QT. I am planning on treating the whole tank as you did.

My problem is that I don't have a dog or cat . I called some vets and they wouldn't prescribe any Interceptor to me. Does anybody know where or how to get this product if you don't have any cats or dogs? I've looked on the Internet, but it asks for vet/pet info.

I'm both anxious and excited to get this treatment going. From everything I've read, including your thread, it is pretty simple.

 

[goldenmacman]

that first pic was amazing!!
thank god you got that bug problem taken care of!
good job!
As the Future of Radio Says (Jason Ellis): Red Dragons!

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Goody, Did you call your vet and explain what you was using it for? I told my vet straight out and they were more than happy to help... Maybe if you print a reading or an explanation of this treatment in our tanks. They would do it for you..I told my vet flat out that I would sign a paper and not leave them rsponsible for any losses in my tank ... They didnt have me sign anything but maybe your vets around there would..

I was coming online today to say that I think possibly but not 100 % this treatment made my Orange Shoulder Tang sick.. One out of 15 fish isnt bad.

I noticed that the orange shoulder was eating like crazy but was getting skinnier everyday... Last night I went down and he was wedged in between rocks and breathng really fast.. I netted him and put him in the sump. Put the carbon back in and turned the skimmer on to skim wet.. I increased flow and did a big water change... He is still alive this morning but very very slow moving..

Im not sure if this is just his time or if the interceptor did it... he made it through just fine the first 2 treatments... So like I said im not sure... It would always be a good idea to have fresh SW ready just incase... All other Livestock are fine..

 

[nicoleblkwidow]

Thank you soo much for posting all of this info and a step by step. Just confirmed red bugs in our tank today, but not sure we are going to treat the whole tank. May do some dipping though.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

HI Nicole, It is a pretty easy treatment. If you treat the whole tank set up a quarantine tank for all inverts.. It took a big toll on my hermits.