Interceptor: when can I add pods and crabs back?

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Hi All,

I have just finished 3 rounds of interceptor (1 week apart) at 4 times the dose (for typical red bugs) for an infestation of white bugs causing some trouble to my acro collection. After the third and final dose I have done a 50% water change and added carbon, wet skimming. It’s been a few days. When would it be safe to attempt to rebuild my pod population and start adding back in some hermits? Should I wait a few weeks or am I being too over cautious? I did do a pretty heavy dose based on recommendation for the more stubborn white bugs.

Thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

Drop in one crab and see if it makes it. Carbon should have been effective, but just in case put in the meanest crab you have and check on it in an hour. I might put it in a place where you can observe and recover it to be sure of its fate. GL.

 

[ScottB]

Drop in one crab and see if it makes it. Carbon should have been effective, but just in case put in the meanest crab you have and check on it in an hour. I might put it in a place where you can observe and recover it to be sure of its fate. GL.

That would be my suggestion as well. Drop a couple hermits into a basket and observe. How long have you been running carbon?

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Great idea guys, I can give that at try. Last dose was Wednesday, so Rox carbon has been running since Thursday evening. I ran carbon a few days in between all 3 doses as well. I know some say the interceptor eventually just gets subdued in the water column due to time alone, but I have noticed some increased algae since removing my crabs and the pods dying off. Want to get on top of it before it gets too bad.

 

[rongy]

Great idea guys, I can give that at try. Last dose was Wednesday, so Rox carbon has been running since Thursday evening. I ran carbon a few days in between all 3 doses as well. I know some say the interceptor eventually just gets subdued in the water column due to time alone, but I have noticed some increased algae since removing my crabs and the pods dying off. Want to get on top of it before it gets too bad.

Sorry for interrupting the conversation. I found out that there are some bugs crawling on one of my acro and it doesn’t have good PE as before. I just ordered interceptor (for large dog), and wondering if you can answer a few questions before I dose:
1. When you say 4x dose (for typical red bug), are you referring to 4 times 1pill (23mg)/400gallon? I’m not sure what bug do I have, so I’m dosing 4x for safety
2. Did you do water change after each treatment? Or only after final treatment?
3. How long did you wait before you turn on skimmer and run carbon after each treatment?
4. Did you see any side effect besides more algae? Nitrate/Phosphate spike?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Sorry for interrupting the conversation. I found out that there are some bugs crawling on one of my acro and it doesn’t have good PE as before. I just ordered interceptor (for large dog), and wondering if you can answer a few questions before I dose:
1. When you say 4x dose (for typical red bug), are you referring to 4 times 1pill (23mg)/400gallon? I’m not sure what bug do I have, so I’m dosing 4x for safety
2. Did you do water change after each treatment? Or only after final treatment?
3. How long did you wait before you turn on skimmer and run carbon after each treatment?
4. Did you see any side effect besides more algae? Nitrate/Phosphate spike?

Thanks in advance!

1. I dosed two full dog chews (23 mg X 2) on my tank, 90 gallon total volume. May have been overkill, but was recommended by a few fellow hobbyists I trust. I’d guess a chew and a half for 3 rounds, 1 week apart, would have done the trick probably. Do a search…I can’t say my corals were happy during this experience, but most were just fine.

2. I did a small water change after the first two treatments, then a larger water change after the third. Some have said they just run carbon and skim wet…so opinions don’t seem to be consistent. I am believer in water changes so I just kept to my normal schedule and dosed the tank with the meds 24 hours prior to that routine water change I do each week.

3. I wasn’t too precise with duration, as long I hit at least 12 hours…I’d guess anywhere from 18-24 hours… I would throw in carbon and crank up skimmer the next day near the same time I dosed.

4. I didn’t bother testing nutrients, but I assume they spiked a little because algae got worse for me after each dose. It could have been the beef flavor junk in the
Meds I used to that caused this. Most of the sps did just fine. Some of my LPS looked ticked off but recovered each time. Polyp extension on a few corals was less than ideal, but I did do a pretty strong dose. The worse impacted corals were a few that were already in bad shape to begin with. All in all, if your tank is healthy and stable, you’ll be just fine. My biggest issue was my Ph nose dived due to cutting air to the skimmer which I didn’t like. On the 2nd and 3rd treatments I left the skimmer air going, just took off the cup and let it overflow.

Hope that helps…those were kinda 3 long weeks for me…

 

[rongy]

1. I dosed two full dog chews (23 mg X 2) on my tank, 90 gallon total volume. May have been overkill, but was recommended by a few fellow hobbyists I trust. I’d guess a chew and a half for 3 rounds, 1 week apart, would have done the trick probably. Do a search…I can’t say my corals were happy during this experience, but most were just fine.

2. I did a small water change after the first two treatments, then a larger water change after the third. Some have said they just run carbon and skim wet…so opinions don’t seem to be consistent. I am believer in water changes so I just kept to my normal schedule and dosed the tank with the meds 24 hours prior to that routine water change I do each week.

3. I wasn’t too precise with duration, as long I hit at least 12 hours…I’d guess anywhere from 18-24 hours… I would throw in carbon and crank up skimmer the next day near the same time I dosed.

4. I didn’t bother testing nutrients, but I assume they spiked a little because algae got worse for me after each dose. It could have been the beef flavor junk in the
Meds I used to that caused this. Most of the sps did just fine. Some of my LPS looked ticked off but recovered each time. Polyp extension on a few corals was less than ideal, but I did do a pretty strong dose. The worse impacted corals were a few that were already in bad shape to begin with. All in all, if your tank is healthy and stable, you’ll be just fine. My biggest issue was my Ph nose dived due to cutting air to the skimmer which I didn’t like. On the 2nd and 3rd treatments I left the skimmer air going, just took off the cup and let it overflow.

Hope that helps…those were kinda 3 long weeks for me…

Thank you so much for your answer. Still waiting for my interceptor to come. I have a 65g system. I think I’m going to use 1 dog chew each time (about 6 times the regular dosage). Do you think that works? Also, do you know if starfish will be impacted by the medicine?

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Thank you so much for your answer. Still waiting for my interceptor to come. I have a 65g system. I think I’m going to use 1 dog chew each time (about 6 times the regular dosage). Do you think that works? Also, do you know if starfish will be impacted by the medicine?

I know of a few individuals that used 1 dog chew (large dog) for their tanks that had roughly 50 gallons. I think you should be fine. Just be sure to do the 3 rounds, which is what was stressed to me the most. I am not sure on the starfish question...you'll definitely lose any crabs and all your pods...

 

[MrPike]

I would use a peppermint or a cleaner, or some amphipods if you have a separate system. I have seen hermits and porcelains survive 4x dosage for 4 weeks.

 

[jda]

One of the chemists on a reefing board once (cannot remember if on here or on RC) said that the chemical structure of the MBE probably won't survive 48 hours.

I don't have large starfish, but mini brittle starfish can get stunned and die if you overdose. They can get stunned with even a normal dose. They all come back, but it can cut back on their populations.

Most things are fairly safe at the dosage that Dustin at ORA recommended. That is all that I have ever done. Water change and GAC afterward. My frag tanks are like reefs with sand and rocks, so they do have starfish, pods, etc. I have never had any white bugs, so never tried a higher dose.