Acropora white/gray bugs

[Slack Tide Reef]

Are white/gray bugs acropora specific? Trying to find out if they will die out after some time without acropora in the tank. I treated with sentinel at 11.5 grams for 50 gallons 3x a week apart and a month later I’m seeing polyp extension decreasing again. I don’t have many acros in the tank at this point and thinking it may be easier to toss them and wait to start over.

 

[willpower]

Not sure if they are acropora specific, but I would toss and start over since you do not have too many acros. I had a few tanks over the years and have been coming across more and more pests in coral sold from all sources.

 

[Slack Tide Reef]

I agree but at the same time I don’t want to toss them and just have the bugs survive off a different coral until I put Acropora back in there. I can’t seem to find if they die off without Acropora like red bugs do.

 

[underwaterwonders]

Absolutely not Acropora specific. Have found them in several lps species with regularity.

 

[Slack Tide Reef]

I have yet to see them on any other corals in my tank so far. Not sure if they would switch if I pulled the acros though. Do you have reason to believe they aren’t a different bug? Meaning have you seen the ones on lps spread to acros?

 

[underwaterwonders]

I have yet to see them on any other corals in my tank so far. Not sure if they would switch if I pulled the acros though. Do you have reason to believe they aren’t a different bug? Meaning have you seen the ones on lps spread to acros?

I have seen them spread to Acropora from frogspawn, and vice versa. I have microscoped them, and while I’m not a taxonomist, they appear to be identical. They are fairly unique looking relative to other copepods.

 

[underwaterwonders]

Here is a bug taken from acid trip Acropora Millipora

Here is one taken from a very irritated orange frogspawn.

 

[Slack Tide Reef]

Great information. Thanks