Bug of the Week - Munnid Isopods

[bang guy]

This weeks study is a relatively common "Pod" that is even more commonly mis-identified as an Amphipod - The Munnid Isopod. While many Isopods are undesireable parasites or even predators, the Munnidae are actually very beneficial herbivores. These 1/4 - 1/2" animals scurry around like ants scraping Diatoms and other microalgae off glass, rocks, even macro algae. That is, until they are scooped up by a hungry fish.
The female has a brood pouch which gives this class of bug a distinct advantage over others. The eggs hatch and the larvae develop in the relative safety of the mothers brood pouch to emerge finally as fully functioning Isopods. Since there is no planktonic period they are not subject to the sweeping/filtering/pecking that free floating Zooplankton are normally subjected to.
Here are a few scraping algae from the glass:

 

[grouperhead]

Very cool little bug indeed. I've seen a couple of these guys in my tank, and had no clue as to what they were. Thanks for clearing it up for me .
Bo

 

[yosemite sam]

I've got a small "bloom" of those guys in my refugium right now. Cool.

 

[thomas712]

Been crawling around my 55 for some time now, have read a couple of articles with these guys in them. Very neat.
Thomas

 

[bridge man]

The neatest thing is to watch my clowns stalk these guys as they scurry around on the glass. The clowns will stair at the glass and wait for movement, then bam, dead isopod.

 

[reef fool]

Been trying to get a pic of the bigger ones in my refugium for months. Glad to finally know what they are. There are dozens, maybe hundreds in my refugium.
This is by far the best "Sticky Thread" on the board!
Thanks Bang Guy

 

[snowbear]

Cool!! Thanks, Bang Guy! I'm actually finding myself looking forward to these bugs of the week.

 

[pbuck]

This post prompted me to get out the old magnifying glass. Yup, I have some of those clinging to my glass. This is a pretty cool thread, keep it up.

 

[jonthefb]

if you have access to a microscope, try scarping some of the algae off the glass, and look at it under the scope....you will be amazed at all the copeopods, iso, amphi, etc, as well as worms and single celled flagellates. nothing like shaking hands with th ebugs in your tank!
good luck
jon

 

[koiman6]

I have at least 500 in my new 20H. I tried to count them but there are just so many. I was wondering if they eat algae because i always see little trails of clean glass left behind them, thanks for the info.

 

[clownfish1452]

This is a great post. I was wondering if this is what everyone says that mandrians (spelling) eat. Thank You for the help.
Sarah

 

[gsxr750dgo]

Thanks for the info..........i HAVE them in my tank>>>>>>>>>>>
LATER

 

[pbuck]

For the past few weeks I have been adding live phyto to my tank. I think this new phyto I am adding is increasing the number of "bugs" I have in my tank. Before the phyto, I was never really able to see them on my glass. Now I feel bad using the mag float to clean the glass, I don't want to kill 'em. I guess the phytoplankton is really working.