Frogspawn white bugs

[Dave763]

My two frogspawn colonies have been in decline. Not extending and losing tissue. There are tiny white bugs on both. My hammers and torches are unaffected. SPS are doing well. Everything in the tank looks good and is growing, except the frogspawn.https://youtube.com/shorts/AbeyFZH2iM0?feature=share

 

[fishguy242]

hi,welcome to the reef...
let's get some help here ... [HASH=10531]#reefsqaud[/HASH]

 

[Dave763]

The tank is a 65g mixed reef with 1 clown 1 tomini tang 1 long nosed hawkfish, 1 pajama cardinal and 4 green chromis. 5 SPS colonies 6 euphyllia (2 Torches 2 branching hammers and 2 frogspawn),1 caulastrea 3 mushroom colonies 1 fiji leather and 1 green finger leather.
Tank is lit with 4 39w ATI and 2 Kessil A360x led's. 7 stage RO filter, Tunze ATO, Red sea dosing pump dosing B-ionic 2 part, Sicce DC main pump, 2 icecap gyre pumps, Reef octopus 110 Int skimmer. Filter sock and the skimmer are the only filtration. Salinity 35ppt Alk 9
25% bi-weekly water changes Reef crystals salt mix

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Sand bed is about 1 inch The tank has been running for two years All the corals are growing. New heads on the hammers and torches all the SPS is growing so fast I have had to cut them back. In fact, everything is looking great except the two frogspawn colonies.

 

[fishguy242]

@MERKEY @Big G ??

 

[MERKEY]

I've seen these before on torches.





No one could identify them other than "white bugs"





No dips worked except interceptor.

 

[MERKEY]

But I did not have them it was another reefers tank who ended up getting rid of most of his torches.

He did say the interceptor worked on the visible ones tho. Can't say about eggs and long term cure.

 

[Dave763]

But I did not have them it was another reefers tank who ended up getting rid of most of his torches.

He did say the interceptor qorked on the visible ones tho. Can't say about eggs and long term cure.

Yes I saw an old thread that mentioned Interceptor as a dip but that is all I could find. My torches are fine. I only see these on my frogspawn

 

[Big G]

Those "white bugs" are most likely pods feeding upon the declining tissue. Something else is happening there. How's your salinity and mag?

 

[Cabinetman]

They are euphillia eating white bugs. Simple to eradicate using interceptor flavour tabs used for treating heart worms in dogs. Treat affected coral In display or seperate tank for 6 hours. You can’t overdose it from my experience. But it will kill any crustaceans in a display treatment.

 

[Sidsreef]

My two frogspawn colonies have been in decline. Not extending and losing tissue. There are tiny white bugs on both. My hammers and torches are unaffected. SPS are doing well. Everything in the tank looks good and is growing, except the frogspawn.https://youtube.com/shorts/AbeyFZH2iM0?feature=share

I’m currently using interceptor for red bugs. I had to call my vet and tell them it was for my dog or they won’t prescribe it. This medication will harm your hermit crabs or shrimp so try to take them out. Your snails and what not will be fine. The 23ml interceptor tablet will treat 400g. Half tablet can safely dose 160gallons. And 1/4 tablet will safely dose 80gallons. You have to crunch it up and mix it with tank water in a cup then dump back into tank. Unplug airline for 12hours on skimmer and leave everything running to get medication in all points of the filter system. After 12 hours the medication goes inert and is not detectable in tank. Repeat this process 3 times a week for 3 weeks. And your tank will be big free

 

[Dave763]

Thanks for the replies. I have Interceptor coming from Canada. I am not sure if I will dose the DT or set up a separate tank for them.

 

[Dave763]

Started treatment today. Took out my hermits and treated the DT. I'll see how it goes. Frogspawn both look like they may not make it.

 

[Dave763]

Update. 3 times a week for 3 weeks with Interceptor. Both frogspawn colonies look so much better. The white bugs were gone within 3 days of starting. The frogspawn are puffed up and growing again. Amazing recovery/turnaround. Thank you so much for saving my frogspawn colonies.

 

[epicfatigue]

If you were to take the coral out and treat in another tank would they still be in the display? I worry about a mass die off of pods and worms

 

[Dave763]

Update. No white bugs, frogspawn are doing great. All the fish and corals look good. I think a die off has caused a bubble algae explosion. Doing water changes. The skimmer was off during the 3 weeks of treatment. It put out way more gunk than normal when I turned it back on.
I have not seen a bristle worm in weeks, so possibly they were killed. I am not sure.

 

[epicfatigue]

I treated my torchs this week. One died before I got the chance to treat it the other 3 had not extended for nearly 2 weeks so I figured what did I have to loose they were almost certainly going to die. 24 hours in QT with interceptor then back into the display. They extended in 12 hours like it never happened.

I used 1/2 a large tablet in 90L of water

 

[Dave763]

Saw a bristle worm today. Frogspawn looks great. No sign of the white bugs.

 

[epicfatigue]

Hey Dave I thought I should update on mine. Been 18 days no sign of bugs yet either so looks like they might only live on the coral and might be live breeders

 

[ccole]

Update. No white bugs, frogspawn are doing great. All the fish and corals look good. I think a die off has caused a bubble algae explosion. Doing water changes. The skimmer was off during the 3 weeks of treatment. It put out way more gunk than normal when I turned it back on.
I have not seen a bristle worm in weeks, so possibly they were killed. I am not sure.

This is really interesting. I've seen similar white bugs on my frogspawn though it isn't negatively effecting the colony.

Do you have any wrasses? I see my leopard wrasse regularly pick stuff off the frogspawn, I wonder if she's keeping the population in check.