sps mites

[coralite]

i have some lil brown mites running round and slowly stressing my acros to death. only affects acros w/ spaced out coralites. fw dip killed the coral before the mites. iodine based dip didnt even slow them down. cleaner shkrimp ignores em. please offer any theory idea or experience.

[Duncan]

Got a pic?

[hcp28]

Have you tried a high salinity dip? I'd say about 1.031 or higher depending on the salinity of your tank. Try dipping them for a minute and see if the mites flee from the coral, this won't kill your coral like the FW dip did and it might just help. Also have you thought of doing a medicated dip with something like malchite green or something? this combined with the high salinity may do the trick... sorry I'm just grasping at straws here HTH

Henry

[Kalkbreath]

now you know why most, if not all coral heads have have those little harry blue eyed polyp pickers within the branches?{inthe wild and most contain them when shipped} Also if the coral died from the fw dip, then dipping it in boiling water or bleach should kill the little buggers with out harming the coral further...

[naser]

i think your pokin in the wrong direction. ive got those on my acro's and seem to do no harm. maybe parameters are stressing them out and those just live there?

[MrSandman]

There is a huge discussion going on about these SPS bugs at ReefCentral here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=26975

and here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=28700

FWIW, i also have these things on my SPS and while they don't kill them, i truly believe they have a negative effect on them. On the acros that they are on, the polyps seem to be retracted a bit more than normal.

I really hope we can find a cure for these buggers.

[naser]

let me rephrase me thoughts..i did have them on a acro when i bought it. dont have them anymore and the acro has colored greatly and opened up. maybe they can attack a unhealthy acro?