Can anyone ID this??? and is it ok for my Reef Tank???

[enomadra]

I just wanted to see if anyone can ID this for me. It came in on some live rock. I just don't want to put it in my tank if it is going to kill fish or mess with my corals.
Thanks,

 

[enomadra]

Cool. I keep wanting to say Shrimp but then it just does not look like one for some reason. Oh well I hope someone can ID it cause I have no idea what it is.

 

[agro]

Bad for fish. At least some are. Do a search for Cirolanid Isopod. Is this Florida rock?

 

[enomadra]

Yes this is Florida Rock. And I just looked at some pictures of cirolanid isopods and they look dead on to what I have. So I guess I will send it packing.
I have my fish in another tank right now being treated for Ich anyway.
Thanks for the help on this

 

[agro]

I got a few in my Florida rock too. I took them out because some of them attach to fish and drink their blood. After lights out they would come out and swim around very fast. If I put my hand in the tank they would go for it...

 

[agro]

Here is a pic of mine...

 

[birdy]

OMG, those are scary looking up close, I think I will have nightmares about those things.

 

[curtis12282]

88888888888888888888888888888888888888
Comments like that are absolutely not needed...please avoid foul language!

 

[agro]

waterfaller1 - The camera is a crappy Sony DSC-S50, but it does OK on macro shots.

 

[enomadra]

Well here we go again. I know that these things are bad and I got ride of the big one that I saw on my rock but now I am seeing several small ones moveing around the tank. they are much to small and fast for me to catch. Does any one have any idea how I can get ride of these thing.
All my fish are in Hyposalinity in a different tank and I am going to keep them there for another 3 weeks. Does anyone know how long I would have to wait for these things to die off? Oh I still have my green star, two shrimp (one scarlet, one pepermint) and the scavengers in my tank with thoses things. Does anyone know if they are in danger or do these things only feed on fish like the Ich virus.
Any help would be great. I am willing to keep my fish out of the tank for what ever amount of time is needed to get ride of these things.
Thanks in advance

 

[agro]

I have read it can take 8 months for them to starve. I had a few small ones in my tank that disappeared, and never bothered my fish. The large one I had in the pic never tried to get any fish, it seemed to be a scavenger but I removed it anyway. FWIW not all of them are predatory, but some don't want to risk it.

 

[cowbuoy]

those pics are DEFINETLY Cirolanid Isopods
VERY BAD
It is true - it can take 8-9 months for them to die off
It is near impossible to catch them
they are ok with inverts but will attach to fish and eat their flesh
I even read about them atttaching to sharks in the wild and burrowing to their hearts and then eating their hearts till they die
no natural predators that we could concievable keep in our tanks either

 

[enomadra]

This helps alot thanks for all the great input. I guess I just need to keep my fish out of the display for 8 - 9 months. Oh well got to do it. All my stuff is in a 55 gallon that will be moving to a 250 gallon so I want to make sure I don't take anyone with that is not good.
Thanks again

 

[enomadra]

Oh one last thing
Last night when the moonlight came on I stayed and watched as tons of these things very very small in size came out and started moveing about. Looks like the big one I got rid of had babies or something.
Does anyone know what this things natural enemy is. If it is a reef safe creature I may just put it in my tank, being that I can't have any fish it it now for at least 9 months.

 

[michaeltx]

there probably not all isopods there are many many pods that come in the rocks that are good. unlike the one above.
and i really dont know of anything myself that will eat or kill them maybe someone else does.
MIke

 

[memnoch]

I see the dilemma, why not as a solution empty the display tank, freshwater dip your liverock, and recycle the display? It would be more like a month than 8-9mos. I doubt a creature like this could tolerate a change in specific gravity like a freshwater dip.

 

[sammystingray]

Beautiful shots Agro, and nice work on the ID..........didn't he bite you?

 

[johnnymas]

Originally posted by Memnoch
I see the dilemma, why not as a solution empty the display tank, freshwater dip your liverock,
would that be ok to do... dip your liverock in freshwater?
is that tap water or distilled water? sounds like a good idea rather than waiting 8-9months

 

[enomadra]

That sounds like a good Idea. So do I use just regular tap water or RO DI? And how long do I leave the live rock in it? Just a quick dip or for several hours?
Plus I am not sure if that would work. I was looking at them again and they are everywhere in the tank. In the live sand, on the live rock, and the corals. I don't think I can dip the corals right.

 

[agro]

Originally posted by sammystingray
Beautiful shots Agro, and nice work on the ID..........didn't he bite you?
Thanks. I was around when these guys were the bug of the week, and that one stuck in my head. No, mine didn't seem to be predatory. It would root around in the sand bed.