Red bugs (Tegastes acroporanus) are tiny copepod-like crustaceans that infest Acropora coral. Yellow-orange specks on the surface; cause polyps to retract and growth to slow.
Hitchhiked in on un-dipped Acropora frags. Spread between Acropora pieces via water column.
Always treat in a separate quarantine tank.
Dip every Acropora frag before placement. Quarantine new SPS for 30 days.
Tiny yellow-orange specks crawling on Acropora surface. Acropora polyps retracted or pale. Slow or stalled growth.
Hitchhiked in on un-dipped Acropora frags. Spread between Acropora pieces via water column.
Interceptor (milbemycin oxime): Veterinary heartworm medication used at 25 mg per 10 gallons. Effective in one dose for adults; second dose 7 days later for hatchlings. Toxic to crustaceans (CUC).
Dip every Acropora frag before placement. Quarantine new SPS for 30 days.
Moderate - slows SPS growth, rarely fatal
Browse the full disease database for 45 aquarium conditions with treatment protocols, or check the care library for prevention-focused husbandry guides. Use our symptom matcher to rank likely diseases from observed signs, the water parameter checker to diagnose related water-quality issues, or the QT timeline calculator to plan a treatment schedule.