red bug cure!!!

[Reptoreef]

After some research for natural removal of red bugs, Foster and Smith have discovered the cure... Dragonface Pipefish!!! I will be ordering one immediately as I've found some of the little critters in my reef and couldn't imagine ripping things apart to QT the acros or killing off a pod population that is 7 years old.

Do a google on the dragon pipefish, dragonface pipefish.

Jason

[lReef lKeeper]

well its about time a natural predator was found for these dang "bugs". great info repto. i know there will be a lot of happy reefers out there !!

[jerryc]

If it works their will be a lot of happy reefers

[graphixx]

JAY, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN MY SUPERMAN MONTI HAD REDBUGS!!!!!!!! BUT THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW NOW. I MAY HAVE TO GET ONE OF THOSE LITTLE GUYS. LET US KNOW HOW THE LITTLE GUY WORKS

[dakar]

Be interested in seeing your results.... pipefish generally thrive in the same tank conditions as seahorses, low flow and shady lighting, not sure how well they will fare in a higher light rapid flowing reef rank. Looking forward to hearing though!

[Reptoreef]

The major no no I encounter is a possible problem with my blenny and she-devil maroon clown.

[Reptoreef]

Thank you for your interest in the Dragonface Pipefish. I apologize for not getting back with everyone here sooner as I have just returned to the office, and the videos were located on my PC. As Mr. Wrobel stated earlier we have experimented in the last 8 months for a natural predator of the dreaded “Red Bugs” in order for hobbyists to control and possibly eliminate the infestations that are now plaguing some frags that are traded among hobbyists. Our Aquatic Services staff has numerous aquariums on site for continuing education and training, and one of our quarantine aquarium used for SPS corals was infested last year from acquisition of several Acropora sp. from a hobbyist in the Southeast. Our goal with this project was to find a non-toxic solution to the problem. After several months of experimenting with different species of fish with appropriate mouth structure and feeding habits, we have found that the Dragonface Pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) from the Coral Sea is the ideal candidate. Once the fish settle into the aquarium they quickly seek out and consume small copepods and amphipods, as well as the “Red Bugs” that seem to prefer specific species of Acropora. To our surprise these fish actually seem to tolerate fairly strong turnover rates in a closed system. Our quarantine aquarium where the fish reside uses a wavemaking device and has a total turnover rate of alternating current at 19.5 times the aquarium volume per hour, excluding the flow rate of the filtration. The fish were not stressed but rather seemed to enjoy the current, and used their tails to anchor themselves to the branches of Acropora. These pipefish as well as other species can be sustained in a smaller, well establishes aquarium with plenty of live rock, and can be fed an alternate diet of baby brine, small mysid shrimp, and Cyclopese.

I want to apologize in advance for the poor quality of the videos. These were shot with a Sony digital camera and are not of the quality needed to place directly on our LiveAquaria.com web site. Anyone who is interested in viewing the videos can download them from the following three URL’s. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions. Happy reefing!


http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/videos/pipefish1.cfm
http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/videos/pipefish2.cfm
http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/videos/pipefish3.cfm

Sincerely,

Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria