Isopods??

[viet-tin]

I think i have a few isopods in my tank. Theyre to small and fast for me to get a pic so i will try and describe them as best as i can. The first one i saw had a slim body with a few pairs of legs. The head was bigger than the rest of the body tapering down to a thin tail. It also had 2 pairs or antennae and 2 small eyes on the side. Then the second one i saw was more round and flat. Can anyone help me find out if these pose any threats to my future reef tank?

 

[bang guy]

I'd need a pic and a guesstimate of the size.

 

[viet-tin]

Ill try and get a pic but they are so small and fast for my junk camera. They are smaller than a grain of rice and are brownish in color.

 

[viet-tin]

I dont think i can get a picture of them...they really blend in with the lr and my camera just wont focus on it. They are very small and dont seem to be doing much swimming. Looks like they just want to hang on the rocks and hide in their holes. Thanks anyways Bang

 

[viet-tin]

Guess ill have to wait until i add fish to see if theyre dangerous. Maybe ill purchase a damsel and check.

 

[bang guy]

I believe yours are harmless/beneficial detrivores.

 

[viet-tin]

oh ok i was kinda thinking that but when i was reading a few threads on isopods it kind of got me worried. Thanks Bang

 

[thomas712]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...t=pics+of+pods
Try that link

 

[viet-tin]

Dont see any isopods that look like the ones in my tank but atleast i know they arent cirolanid isopods. Man those things are ugly:scared:

 

[thomas712]

They could also be juvinile amphipods

 

[viet-tin]

Maybe...I have a few amphipods and the smaller ones dont look quite as flat as these other pods.

 

[viet-tin]

Just as long as theyre harmless then im fine with them being there. Thanks for your help.

 

[harlequin]

There are a few odd thousand species of isopods, many of them non-parasitic. I have seen the bad ones in action and if they havent latched on to a fish so far then you should not have any problems. I had a bait bucket with half a dozen killifish and a couple unattached isopods(bad kind), within a couple hours the killifish were dead with two of them with isopods still attached. Yours are prolly harmless.

 

[viet-tin]

Ill just have to go and buy a tester fish to find out:thinking: My tank is still cycling so itll be awhile. My water gets really cold and i havent bought a heater yet. Will the cold kill them or slow down my cycle process? The water get about 68-70 at night and around 72-74 during the day.

 

[saltynewbie]

brrrrr.... thats chilly..