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Unread 07/19/2010, 12:47 AM   #54
tmz
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: West Seneca NY
Posts: 27,691
Gary, I went through some acanastrea lordhowensis losses a few years ago. Randy O and Brent T were having some luck with interceptor( heartworm med for dogs) which was originally touted for red bugs on sps as a full tank treatment. Others noted success with red bugs on the sps forum and some spoke of success with acans. So a theory about micro crustaceans effecting acanastrea, and various chalice species from Australia in particular was born. As far as I know both Brent and Randy and others had success with repetitive whole tank interceptor treatments.
I got the interceptor but had some shrimp I didn't want to kill nor did I want to kill all the critters with extoskeletons in my whole system so no I did not do a whole tank treatment. I took out affected corals : set up a separate heated bin and treated them for 12 hours. Seemed the deterioration slowed down but it didn't solve the problem. Probably since the eggs or bugs themselves were still in the tank.

If I have that problem again I'll probably set up a separate tank for all affected species and treat that tank with Interceptor . I'd give the corals a Revive dip before placing them in the interceptor tank.I wouldn't return corals to the main system for a few months in the hope that the bugs if any in the system would starve.
The whole issue makes a good case for quarantining at least certain if not all corals and I may do that at some point particularly if my appetite for Aussie acanastrea lordhowensis returns.


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Tom

Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.
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