what is riding my goby? please help id

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
here is a quote from ron shimek and keithclarks article on cirolanid isopods
"If you notice a cirolanid in your tank, and it leaves the fish, there is almost nothing that may be done to catch it. They are very fast, small, and quite capable of avoiding a net. And if it is a pregnant female (remember all isopods have brood pouches), and the brood hatches, you have REAL problems. There are only three courses of action in this situation; and I truly am not jesting about these responses. The first is to remove all the fish from the tank and wait the two or three months until you are certain that all the isopods have died from starvation. The second solution is to effectively nuke the tank. Remove all live rock and discard it as the isopods may hide in it, and as some of the isopods bury in the sand, you should also remove and discard the sand.
You may of course take the third option and do nothing. The most likely outcome in this situation will be that the isopods will kill your fish one by one. You may not even know they are attacking a fish until the fish is dead. Some years ago there were several large sharks that washed ashore in Florida. Examination showed that they were all killed by cirolanids that had burrowed into the shark and eaten their hearts.
Masterfully designed predators, these isopods. Hope fervently that you never have to deal with them." -end quote
scary stuff indeed. if you read the rest of the article you'll hear how when disposing of an isopod the isopod attacked his student and started eating her flesh just like it would a fishes. no joke.
Yikes, yeah, I remember reading about the shark thing recently on the boards here. I would certainly be a bit apprehensive about sticking my arm in that tank, sorry...
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
if you read the rest of the article you'll hear how when disposing of an isopod the isopod attacked his student and started eating her flesh just like it would a fishes. no joke.

WTF
That is nuts... I just watched a show the other night and it was parasites in general. Scary scary stuff indeed...
 

m0nk

Active Member
Yeah, there's a link in there to Bang Guy's writup, which is the one I originally read on these things when I signed up here. It's pretty scary stuff.
 
funny thing is i had read bang guys article when i first found this site... thought "cr4p, hope i never get those things"
did not remember the article when i found the parasite on my fish.
of course i would get the nastiest bug in the sea in my tiny aquarium! i am not detered. if i gotta take the damsels out and put them in the 42 and have coral only in the mini, that what i will do. for now, just looking out for more cirolanids.
All my LR is Tonga btw. that seemed to be a question in another thread.
 

mie

Active Member
This is truly amazing i had no idea. I mean i have heard of fish lice, but did not think it could be that bad.
How common of a prob is this in your average tank?
 

renogaw

Active Member
anything is possible with the addition of live rock. i'd think it's not all that common, but still happens
 
Originally Posted by zeke92
i don't know what it is but it's kinda cute
i want one!

haha
I should have kept it and put it on its own tank with a bunch of damsels to see how big it could get. now that would be an interesting tank diary thread...
imagine...
"my cirolanid is now the size of a kitten! i take it to ***** to freak out the staff! they think it is a rare aquatic guinea pig."
lol---kidding.
 
Originally Posted by renogaw
anything is possible with the addition of live rock. i'd think it's not all that common, but still happens
i got a new peice with green mushrooms that came with a brittle star... that was cool :)
no more baaad isopods!
 
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