Living with Transmitted Diseases (in a reef tank)

If you've been choosing Abstinence to avoid sexually transmitted diseases in your life, reef keeping is not for you. You may have already read about the three SPS terror “bugs” before you even glue down one SPS in your pristinely kept saltwater tank. In fact, you probably know them by heart: 1) Montipora-eating Nudibranchs, 2) Acropora-eating Flatworms (AEFW) and, 3) Acropora “red bugs”. Of these, I’ve read that AEFW is absolutely the worst one you can get.

Dirty Little Bugs

I thought, “Those dirty little 'bugs' won't end up in my tank; I'm not as popular as a high school cheerleader”. But, there they were on my first prized possession: Montipora-eating Nudibranchs on my Rainbow Montipora from Reef-a-Palooza 2007. I submitted it up for discussion on SDReefs before I removed one and was able to snap a picture of it under a microscope. It was easy enough by loosening it with a pipet and sucking it up to be poured down the toilet. The lesson to be learned: don't trust big events like Reef-a-Palooza or cheap hotels in Phoenix, or any party with the word "White".

My First Reef Tank STD

Sad Reformed Hussy

But, like a sad reformed hussy, I brought home a nice chunky frag of "Purple Haze" Montipora along with some other SPS frags. Upon initial inspection, I noticed what looked to be some sort of egg sacs on its underside. At first thought, I guessed they were probably snail eggs and would be quite harmless. Then, on second thought, I decided to brush them off with a toothbrush and not take any chances. I already had egg laying snails in my tank and didn't really need any more. Then, I placed the frag in my refugium so that I could closely monitor its activity before I decided on a spot in my main tank. For a few days, it looked "normal" with its polyps extending and nice coloration. Then, as time passed, the polyps stayed retracted and the color began to fade.

Success!

Then, one day, I actually found an adult Nudibranch slithering up the walls of the refugium tank. As part of my denial, I guessed that it was a Berghia Nudibranch which is known to only have Aiptasia on the menu. So, I used a pipet to drop it on a nearby Aiptasia where it was promptly guided into the anemone's oral disc for digestion. Woops! I didn't know you were supposed to introduce them to the base of the anemone! After monitoring for several weeks and sucking out any Nudibranchs I found, the Montipora regained its color and polyps extended once again. I placed the frag in my main tank where it continues to grow in the absence of those pesky “bugs”.

"Joe's Got Crabs"

Lately, I've had to admit to myself (yes, the first step is...) that “I've got crabs”. Why didn’t I learn my lesson about STDs? Where one is present, there are probably others that hitch along for the ride. Only, this time, it's not as easy as extracting Nudibranchs or shaving a few strategic locations and applying 1% Permethrin lotion. This time, the recommended treatment involves nuking the entire tank with “Interceptor” (Milbemycin oxime) where it will interfere with chitin exoskeletons of arthropods like “red bugs” and isopods as well as my hermit crabs, skunk shrimp, coral-banded shrimp and my Goby’s pistol shrimp. If I were to remove all 300 lbs. of my live rock, I might have a good chance to collect them all to be placed in my quarantine tank.

Ugh……UGH…Noooooowwaaaahhh!

Or, I could try a natural predator of which only one is known at time: the Dragonface Pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus). My pygmy angels like the idea of a few new toys to play with. I would hope they would at least let the Pipefish work a wonder before they play hide-and-seek.

Depression

I’ve survived the 90’s drunk as a skunk (but, not on Tuesday nights) and had my share of …..okay, that belongs in an anonymous blog. Now, I have to learn how to keep my tank in pristine condition by quarantining corals and doing prophylactic dips in iodine and Interceptor.

Life...

Have I learned my lesson? Yes…..and maybe not yet: I seem to be traveling in the footsteps of the SPS growers before me. An AEFW attack seems to be the next predictable step. Also, I can’t say “NO” to anyone who offers me a beautiful SPS for a few $$ even if they may have been the source of my infection. It sounds similar to true life (minus the exchange in cash, of course!), aye? Even the most careful of collectors end up having to do the treatment at some point.

...goes on.

Still, life is worth living and I do love those corals when they fluoresce at night!

*And, plus: you can barely see the little "red bugs" which really are light orange!