Black Bugs

Huskymaniac

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Is this them?

20190610_180227.jpg
 

SuncrestReef

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Possibly, but hard to tell without a good macro photo. I have both red bugs and black bugs on a few frags, and found when I turn off my powerheads they will move around quite a bit. I shot this video of them:



There’s a good read on them here: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/3/corals

I put a couple dragonface pipefish in my tank and they peck at the bugs occasionally, but not enough to eradicate them.

21B8CFBB-E958-4889-936E-8211507C0F9E.jpeg

After 4 months I still haven’t seen any noticeable problems caused by the bugs on my acroporas.
 

jsak1976

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Possibly, but hard to tell without a good macro photo. I have both red bugs and black bugs on a few frags, and found when I turn off my powerheads they will move around quite a bit. I shot this video of them:



There’s a good read on them here: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/3/corals

I put a couple dragonface pipefish in my tank and they peck at the bugs occasionally, but not enough to eradicate them.

21B8CFBB-E958-4889-936E-8211507C0F9E.jpeg

After 4 months I still haven’t seen any noticeable problems caused by the bugs on my acroporas.


Usually what happens is the Acropora bugs live in the polyps and disturbs them enough they stay closed all the time and eventually over time the Acropora usually dies off slowly.
 
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SuncrestReef

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Usually what happens is the Acropora bugs live in the polyps and disturbs them enough they stay closed all the time and eventually over time they usually die off slowly.

I've been lucky because the bugs don't seem to be bothering my acropora polyps. Here's a macro shot of that same frag today from my video above from 2 months ago. Lots of polyp extension, and you can see some of the bugs next to them.

Screen Shot 2019-06-10 at 4.11.05 PM.png
 
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Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

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I can pretty confidently say they are not red bugs. Have seen those before. These are grey and black specs. Looked over everything with a magnifying glass and that is the only coral they are on.
 
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Huskymaniac

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Yes. Would have to get shrimp and crabs out. Other option is to dip the coral and see if they come back. This is the only acro I have seen them on and the numbers are very small.
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

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