Red Bugs?

Snaz · #1 04-23-2009, 02:18 AM

I came home today with a couple of frags and during the wash I found these microscopic guys. Definitely a crustacean of some kind. Seems like two parts, an articulated thicker body and thinner articulated tail. Both segments about the same size. The whole organism sorta rolls up like a potato/pill bug.

I can't express how small, less than a grain of sand. The images where shot against a white napkin with a macular lens. Hard to photograph with my ghetto setup.

I have no quarantine tank and I can't risk any nasties in my only tank so I think the frags, zoas, will end up in the toilet tonight unless someone wants to take a chance and pick up tonight in Surrey. Free. Call me before 10:00pm
604 721 5707
Keith

Aquattro · #2 04-23-2009, 02:26 AM

They certainly look like a red bug, but not THE red bug. Real red bugs look more like copepods, and these don't. The pics are pretty good. I've looked at red bugs through a dissecting scope and these are different, IMO.
However, I probably wouldn't add ANY red bug to my tank, so caution is good.
Don't have any interceptor around the house?
Also, red bugs only live on acros, so if none of your frags are acros, then you're safe from the typical red bug.

Aquattro · #3 04-23-2009, 02:27 AM

Also, red bugs don't usually wash off like that, you have to kill them to get them to release from the acro.

Myka · #4 04-23-2009, 02:40 AM

Do you have any acros in your tank? If you don't then the red bugs will just die off without a host (I think...), but I also agree that those aren't "thee" red bugs.

Powertec · #5 04-23-2009, 02:48 AM

Not what i just treated for.

And yes as Aquattro said they don't wash off. I had to treat with interceptor to get rid of them.

I would be leary though on introducing them to your tank not knowing what they are and what they eat etc...

michika · #6 04-23-2009, 03:09 PM

Photos of the Red Bugs, not like the ones you have: