Any advice on what’s eating my corals?

[Nifftiness]

I recently ordered a Macro Algae package and a couple Acro frags. I dipped everything but the Mangrove. I unfortunately did not quarantine but put it right into my sump and the frag into the tank. The frags I recieved are doing great but since then one coral that was growing and doing great was a complete skeleton after about a week. This coral in the picture was perfect two days ago. I can see a few tiny bugs in the water bowl I put the coral into. I can’t tell if they are red or what color because they are so tiny, just that they move kind of sporadically and jerky like. Iv never had red or black bugs before so not sure what I’m looking for. Does this look like damage they might cause? I can’t see any directly on the corals but it may be that they are so small? Any advice on what to look for would be great

 

[bhodges82]

Look up sps pests on google and see if the bugs resemble any pictures. Also try taking a pic with phone and zoom in for better look of use a magnifiying glass.

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[Nifftiness]

Look up sps pests on google and see if the bugs resemble any pictures. Also try taking a pic with phone and zoom in for better look of use a magnifiying glass.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

I did try googling the bugs but they are so small, like specs, so it’s hard to compare. I’m going to try to find a magnifying glass.

 

[hiimsean]

Could be AEFW. The flesh usually seems like it’s missing in a patch and expands from that patch. I can’t tell but it looks kind of like something may be rubbing on that coral.

 

[Adam]

The focus point seems to be on the tweezers close to the plug and not the coral itself.
If your phone has a macro function try using it and focus directly on the area you want.

This also comes in handy in these instances. Or if you want to show off a nice piece.

Robot Check

 

[Nifftiness]

Could be AEFW. The flesh usually seems like it’s missing in a patch and expands from that patch. I can’t tell but it looks kind of like something may be rubbing on that coral.

The coral is in a spot all on its own. Other then seeing a snail and my urchin near it, nothing it close enough to rub on it. The white spots are right down to the skeleton and are rough spots. It could be AEFW? I had them years and years ago in another tank and I had an easy time seeing them back then. I have not seen any in this tank or in any of the dips I have done yet, but it’s possible.

 

[Nifftiness]

The focus point seems to be on the tweezers close to the plug and not the coral itself.
If your phone has a macro function try using it and focus directly on the area you want.

This also comes in handy in these instances. Or if you want to show off a nice piece.

Robot Check

I totally should have taken a better picture. It’s back in the tank after a dip but I’ll take another pic when I’m home tomorrow.
That phone attachment is neat, I’ll definitely look into one. Thanks for the link.

 

[Doberman13]

For an idea on how good one of those cheap clip on macro lenses can be...

 

[FutureInterest]

It's hard to tell from the pic but that coral looks like a monitpora digitata to me. If that's the case red or black bugs won't do anything to it. The only pest that will really go for it is the monti nudi which is a true terror but that's not typical of the damage I would expect. They usually start from the bottom or areas where they can conceal themselves and not in a spot like that. How is it doing now?

 

[ActiveAngel]

It's hard to tell from the pic but that coral looks like a monitpora digitata to me. If that's the case red or black bugs won't do anything to it. The only pest that will really go for it is the monti nudi which is a true terror but that's not typical of the damage I would expect. They usually start from the bottom or areas where they can conceal themselves and not in a spot like that. How is it doing now?

I agree. As for these guys, dipping isn’t enough to kill them, only to weaken them. You must also blow or brush them off after the dip has weakened them. I use a pipette to gently blast the frag. And as Jin mentioned; focus on the underside and/or any cracks or crevices. They are generally white or cream colored.