Red Planet issue

[Troylee]

You’ve got me thinking…. I don’t have any wrasses in the tank. I had ordered a few but all were doa. I wonder if I put in a yellow corridor, Melanurus and, a pink streaked fairy if they would keep the population in check? These bugs are so small, would they even see them??
Could be an alternative to tearing down and setting it back up with new rock.

any thoughts anyone?

Yellow corris or six line are pest destroyers.. I’m sure they would help but don’t know how much they could keep them in check.. or how many are in your tank… I mean it’s worth a shot.. cool fish either way

 

[sculpin01]

I absolutely would not buy any Florida live rock unless you are prepared to treat it for SCTLD. Your risk of at least one SCTLD bacterial species being in your rock at this point is extremely high. I would consider getting Australian live rock from UC though.

Did the fish deaths occur post ivermectin? I wasn't clear on that in your post.

 

[Syntax1235]

I absolutely would not buy any Florida live rock unless you are prepared to treat it for SCTLD. Your risk of at least one SCTLD bacterial species being in your rock at this point is extremely high. I would consider getting Australian live rock from UC though.

Did the fish deaths occur post ivermectin? I wasn't clear on that in your post.

I lost one chromis so far, another seems to be hanging on. The deaths occurred about 24 hours after an extreme dose of milbemycin, four 23mg pills. I have not used ivermectin in the tank.

I ordered a few wrasses from dr. Reef and will try those next. All corals will be moved to a qt tank and I will observe to see if the bugs die off with no coral in the tank.

I don’t want to dose any more medication, the fish have had enough, and frankly I’m fairly exhausted from this battle. Time to sit back and see if the wrasses can clean this up, or if the bugs die without coral.

edit: what is SCLTD?

 

[sculpin01]

Thanks for the update.

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. Actually worse than what you are dealing with (if you can believe it). It's a collection of essentially super pathogenic bacteria that are decimating corals throughout the Caribbean. There have been numerous reports of it getting into reef tanks and destroying all of the corals therein. It originated from Florida (Biscayne Bay) and comes in on live rock and live sand. I promise that you absolutely do not want this.

 

[Justdrew]

One benefit of intercepter…. This guy came in on some tbsw rock….. never saw him.

View attachment 3104412

Not necessarily a bad crab. Notice the flat pincers. From the Mithrax family, same as emerald crabs. the flat pincers are for picking at algae.

 

[sculpin01]

Not necessarily a bad crab. Notice the flat pincers. From the Mithrax family, same as emerald crabs. the flat pincers are for picking at algae.

I sumped one of these recently for having the gall to mosey on top of a stag and starting eating polyps right in front of me recently, so I would assume omnivore with potential for corallivore.