Amphipod Explosion! I fear for my corals!

[subversion]

Hey guys! I was watching my tank last night and noticed a small pod of some sort running around on my rocks. As I got closer, I noticed there wasn't one. There were at least 15. They're about half a centimeter long right now, clear with a whitish tinge, and are flat with long antennae. I'm guessing they're amphipods, and not the good kind. I haven't managed to get a picture but they look a lot like this: http://images7.fotki.com/v126/photos/2/28482/235116/DSC04012_Amphipod-vi.jpg

They're very flat against the rock, and I haven't seen them swim at all. Their bodies are really smooth and not visibly segmented like with some species.

I added a fish November 11th, and was told it was quarantined. It died a week later of an unknown cause. So my tank may have been contaminated at that point.

My zoanthids for the most part seem untouched, but I have one frag that's touchier than the others and several heads have gone missing. I also have a huge chunk of starburst polyps that has stopped opening entirely.

My candy cane pistol shrimp is constantly snapping too, so I think he's killing them but I haven't seen him do it.

What can I do? My tank is only 10 gallons so adding a large pod eating fish isn't an option, and it's still technically under lockdown from the last inhabitant's death.

Thank you!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

One thing comes to mind to try is a bottle trap. Sure you might catch everything you don't want to catch so set it up at night and see if you can catch them. Other alternatives will ruin your tank.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

It's not uncommon to see a large population of pods when there are no longer fish in the tank. It's really nothing to worry about.

 

[rt67ghy]

You could add a banggai cardinal or two. I have one and I actually witnessed it catching and eating an amphipod. They're nice fish to have and don't need much space.

 

[subversion]

Okay, thanks guys. I'll try bottle trapping them and see if that works. There are even more today. Almost every surface is covered, and my purple passion zoas went from ten heads down to three last night. The plug is coated in pods.

I was hoping to get another goby. Are there any small species that will eat these guys? If not, I do like the cardinals so that's definitely an option.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

You could get one of any of the mini wrasses, all ok in a 10 gal. There are two different possum wrasses and a pygmy wrasse all look similar. You can read about them at this link from Live Aquaria. You will also need a tank cover as all wrasses are known jumpers.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/...m?c=15+2124&s=ts&count=24&start=25&page_num=2

This is copied from one of the possum wrasse links in the above link

According to guest Wrasse expert Scott W. Michael, "These microcarnivores will feed on tiny worms and crustaceans that associate with live rock. They also readily take aquarium foods, like mysis shrimp, frozen preparations and flake food. My Wetmorella seemed to prefer CYCLOP-EEZE®, which they pick out of the water column. Even though they will eat introduced fodder, I think it is still best to house them in a tank with live substrate because they are so reclusive (especially when first added to a tank) and prone to being dominated by tankmates. This will enable the possum wrasses to feed throughout the day on the minute prey living on the rock. A productive refugium can also be helpful to ensure that they get enough to eat."

 

[subversion]

A wrasse might just work. I'll see if I can find one locally. Thanks!

 

[mzkrista]

I had an infestation of amphipods in my macro tank. I got a Pygmy possum wrasse to eat them and keep them at bay. It worked get a Pygmy possum wrasse

 

[jbvdhp]

If you're getting a wrasse, get a nice one. Any wrasse will hunt for pods all day

 

[Dkuhlmann]

If you're getting a wrasse, get a nice one. Any wrasse will hunt for pods all day

So true! However, not many wrasse will live comfortably in a 10 gal tank. :hmm5:

 

[Calappidae]

It's not uncommon to see a large population of pods when there are no longer fish in the tank. It's really nothing to worry about.

Honestly, I'm just watching this thread and seeing how the last part of this post is being less noticed despite being the most accurate.

Like Magnolia said, its nothing to worry about. Amphipods are actually harmless and won't damage coral, infact they help improve your aquarium by being a massive clean up crew. I've had times where millions of them crawled all over the glass in the night hours. I miss not having them as they benefitted the system greatly, and since their decline I've noticed more and more dirt build up.

Additionally, they are a good breeding food source for your fish, if you want to buy a special wrasse or madarian, go for it, but keep in mind you're removing a highly benefitical factor to your system's stability. If you're buying them because you like the fish, good, but if you're buying them just to eliminate pods specifically and no other reason, that's a mistake.

It's the same case as bristleworms, except you don't need gloves and they don't reach a foot long.

 

[A1t2o]

I always saw pods as being good for a tank as well. There is probably something else wrong with your tank, such as the possibility of it being too clean. With no fish in there, where are your zoas getting their food from? Are you feeding your corals? Lack of nutrients can make them die. Also do you have enough light? What are your parameters? Look into everything before you blame the pods.

 

[subversion]

I thought they were a good thing and then I did a search here. I don't know if it's true, but it seems some people have had trouble with amphipods, which is why I was blaming them.

My parameters are: temp 79F, sg 1.024, ph 8.1, alk 9.0, mg 1310, 0/0/0 ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. I haven't been testing calcium.

I do a 25% water change weekly. I have one PAR38 bulb on, and will be adding a second when it gets here, but they've had the same light since I started. One hydor koralia nano 425 on one side of the tank, and a HOB filter with nothing in it (yet, waiting for my chaeto to come in) running on the other side, away from the corals.

All the other zoas are happy, as are the mushrooms that came in on the rock.

I haven't seen any hitchhikers, either during the day or under a red light at night.

I've been mainly feeding mysis. The big chunks go straight to the shrimp and I pour the small bits in for the zoas.

Any ideas what else it could be?

 

[subversion]

Here's one of the pods:

 

[mav3rick478]

Looks similar to pods I've had in my tank, pretty harmless in my experience. They always used to crawl all over my zoas and hide underneath them, they also liked to hang out by my frogspawn because there used to be a big ball of algae that would form there. Now most of them that were that size are gone and I only see tiny ones here and there, probably because of the fish I've added percula clown, coral beauty and pajama cardinal.

 

[gnasher]

Don't worry about them, they're good to have. Populations tend to fluctuate, so it's unlikely that you'll end up with so many all the time anyways.

 

[subversion]

Hmm, I wonder what's messing up my one frag of zoas then... Everything is still testing stable. Oh well, thanks guys! I might still get a wrasse just because they're so different looking.

 

[Reefstarter2]

Take the zoas out and dip them , most likely anudi eating at them . or maybe you have a big toadstool ? Or goni ? either of those will release toxins in the water causin SOME issues with zoas , and SPS

 

[subversion]

Dipped everything again to be safe. I don't have anything except zoas and a few hitchhiking discosomas. Hopefully the dip helps!

 

[Opcn]

Almost any fish you add will eat pods. It's a huge part of what they eat in the wild and it's a huge part of what they eat in between feedings in your tank. Don't worry about them. They don't harm anything and their population will slowly fall when you add almost any fish to your tank.