Why you should periodically take pictures of your corals

[sfsuphysics]

I was just snapping some pictures of various corals I had, basically just getting random photos to get some sense of growth. Then upon zooming in on one, since macro zoom works way better than my eyes I saw something that I've never seen in my tank, Red Bugs... DUN NUH NAH NUH NUN! Now me not seeing it does not mean they weren't always there, however now that I do see them, I need to find a tablet of interceptor to nuke the buggers!

Here's a picture of one particular coral, now granted if you know what to look for it'll pop right out at you, I saw this and I went UGH! Christ. However you have to keep in mind, you can't see like this normally (or at least I can't! ) so nothing might be wrong from a visual standpoint. But my handy Olympus SP-500UZ 6.0MP works wonders.

Now here's a close up picture (not shrunk for internet use) and you really can see what I'm talking about. Tell tale signs, orange body, little red head. Oddly enough even with the camera I could only see them on the lighter colored corals (which is why they popped out to me). I would turkey baster it, but I doubt my Clown Fairy wrasse will do much as far as eating them up.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Here's another, also light colored, not shrunk, so you can see in all their glory. Atleast I got a little bit in the way of polyp extension

So yeah that's a reason why you should always take pictures of your corals, your camera might pick something up your eyes wont.
Now I just need to find me some interceptor.

 

[GreshamH]

send me your address and I'll mail you some

We should add tip this to the swap tips

 

[sfsuphysics]

Heheh Gresham, thanks.

But yeah should be added to the swap tips. Is dipping in providone/iodine even effective for this? Interceptor isn't something easily acquired (at least for me) such that I can add it to a dip.

 

[tuberider]

[quote author=sfsuphysics link=topic=4187.msg50225#msg50225 date=1217207179]
Heheh Gresham, thanks.

But yeah should be added to the swap tips. Is dipping in providone/iodine even effective for this? Interceptor isn't something easily acquired (at least for me) such that I can add it to a dip.


[/quote]Interceptor baths are the best bet for QT, I've had a little better success with TMPCC, than iodine. The levels you have to use with iodine and TMPCC along with the length of time REALLY stresses the corals, plus if the claws are buried in the coral it can be stunned and still hang on.

 

[GreshamH]

That's where a water pic comes into play (Jake Adams approach)

 

[tuberider]

Ne[quote author=GreshamH link=topic=4187.msg50232#msg50232 date=1217209738]
That's where a water pic comes into play (Jake Adams approach)
[/quote]Never thought about that, thanks Jake. I'll stop by a second hand store or two this week!

 

[GreshamH]

Oh crap, shhh, don't tell him I told you. He has an article waiting for publication on it :lol:

 

[LeviT]

You could use a syringe with a 18 gauge tip but that would take some time. just a thought.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Manually remove them? HA! I looked at the coral after posting and I could barely see the little dots, they were so small the color didn't appear to me, and that coral (first pictured) isn't that far from the surface of the water. There's no way I'd be able to spot these on another coral, macro zoom mode = win!

Either way, I'm sure the interceptor will work for the tank, assume all acros are infested approach

 

[MontanaBay]

you should put a little red dot on your any containers going to the swap for "red bug positive"

 

[tuberider]

[quote author=MontanaBay link=topic=4187.msg50485#msg50485 date=1217446685]
you should put a little red dot on your any containers going to the swap for "red bug positive"


[/quote]Red bugs are VERY easy to eradicate, and it can be done in a relatively shot period of time (1 week). No biggie, you wanna keep your eye out for the possible AEFW label, that's the big one.

 

[Gomer]

Do providone dips handle AEFW well?


and photographs is how Eric learned that his new coral had redbug a couple months ago shhhh..don't remind him

 

[tuberider]

Providone does not kill the eggs, plus IME you really have to make a strong dip to get the FWs to bail out, once they do though, the bigger ones are easy to spot. They are nearly impossible to spot on the coral itself, you can see bite marks before you can see the FW.

 

[Gomer]

(sorry for the derail) does FWE kill them? I will likely pick up SPS at the swap and will have a small QT tank setup. In the past, I have just done providone dips, but for this swap where there is decent likely hood of getting something nasty like AEFW or RB or MEN. I want to know how to deal with it so that I can have preventative supplies ready.

 

[tuberider]

Ummm.... Well.... I'm going to step over to the dark side right now, and be very honest. *IME* QT is basically useless against AEFW, and you're going to get them if you trade it's just a matter of time. You can do what you can to prevent infection, but they are near impossible to see on coral, and even the eggs can be difficult to spot. Eventually the evil little bastards slip through, even after several months of QT.

Yes, I know this is contrary to what I've said in the past, but that was based on QT theory and not practice, in practice I've found the same result as a lot of careful reefers who've been bit in the butt

 

[sfsuphysics]

FWE does not work on AEFW, only planeria

 

[sfsuphysics]

oh and I'll put a red dot on my containers that contain acros from that tank just for you guys Now it's up to you who browse this forum to understand what that means. I haven't decided what acros are going into the pot, I couple green slimer frags, a "Jim Coral" tiny frag I accidentally made, that's about all the acropora genus I can think off the top of my head right now.

 

[pixelpixi]

[quote author=tuberider link=topic=4187.msg50493#msg50493 date=1217452941]
Ummm.... Well.... I'm going to step over to the dark side right now, and be very honest. *IME* QT is basically useless against AEFW, and you're going to get them if you trade it's just a matter of time. You can do what you can to prevent infection, but they are near impossible to see on coral, and even the eggs can be difficult to spot. Eventually the evil little bastards slip through, even after several months of QT.

Yes, I know this is contrary to what I've said in the past, but that was based on QT theory and not practice, in practice I've found the same result as a lot of careful reefers who've been bit in the butt
[/quote]

Are you saying you don't think QT is worth doing? Or just that it likely won't prevent AEFW?

 

[Gomer]

I think he is saying that a QT will only get you so far and isn't by any stretch of the imagination, a magic shield that will stop all pests. I'd also say that he is saying, while good practice, what a QT does best, is help you sleep at night.