Amphipod infestation

Tankssy

Tankssy

New member
I currently have a Mr Aqua 12L which is suffering from amphipods. I have dipped the rocks and corals and they went away for awhile but are back in full force. I would like something that will handle these that will live happily in a tank this size. My other inhabitants are 2 peppermint shrimp, an Anemone crab and 2 Flower Anemones so I will need something that will get along with these fellas. All suggestions whether it be fish or other would be welcome. Thanks.=)
 
Tankssy said:
I currently have a Mr Aqua 12L which is suffering from amphipods. I have dipped the rocks and corals and they went away for awhile but are back in full force. I would like something that will handle these that will live happily in a tank this size. My other inhabitants are 2 peppermint shrimp, an Anemone crab and 2 Flower Anemones so I will need something that will get along with these fellas. All suggestions whether it be fish or other would be welcome. Thanks.=)
Click to expand...

tough one, there are plenty of fish that eat pods. but most of the ones im thinking of either A.Get too big for your tank. B.depend on Pods entirely for food and will quickly decimate the population in that small of a tank and starve, or C. arent trustworthy with those peppermintshrimp and ESPECIALLY the anemone crab.i Dont know of any Pod predatory fish that doesnt fall into one of these categories (wrasse's,Mandarins,Dottybacks etc.) Personally think your best bet is to go with something Very small that falls under C, Such as something in the dottyback family, but that Pom Pom crab could potentially gobbled as well.

Maybe a more experience reefer can chime in with a more suitable species suggestion, but why do you want to get rid of them so badly? concerned they're eating your zoas or something? Most people would kill to have a pod problem(minus zoa eating.)
 
They are after my Zoas so they can't stay. My tank crashed last spring and I have finally started adding new corals only to have the amphis going after then. Just when I think things are turning round the bugs start in. =/
 
are you sure they're after your zoas, and not just being opportunistic on something that is on its way out?

i had a similar situation about two years ago. i was having trouble with my zoas, the worst of which was with my red people eats. they wouldn't open, were starting to disappear, etc...

i waited until night and yanked the rock out, it was covered in large amphipods:

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchpods.html

very similar to this.

CRANGONY.JPG


i blamed them, and removed the zoas to my QT tank. fast forward about a month or two, and i decided to replace my lighting in my main tank with good quality LEDs, previously i was running some junk ones over it. this did the trick, and all the zoas started turning around. the red people eaters went back in the display tank, and were never happier.

so while i did initially blame the pods, it wasn't their fault. they were just doing their job cleaning up the dying stuff.
 
Talk to your LFS about buying(renting) a mandarin goby just till they eat all the amphipods and then return it for a full refund.

skeeter
 
I have never heard anybody think of pods as a pest. I seriously doubt that they are attacking your zoas. I would leave them alone. If you are generating them that fast, then I would think that you could put a small scooter blend in there and he would be fine. They are kind of funny little characters as well. Interesting to watch.
 
What kind of proof do you want? Does it have to happen in your tank, or would a YouTube video suffice? I've never had any problems with amphipods either, but when your zoanthids do take a turn for the worst and your looking for answers, I certainly wouldn't rule out Amphipods. They made that list for a reason, and when somebody does claim that they have seen Amphipods harm zoanthids before, it's not that far-fetched IMO.

On a side note, what are your thoughts on Asterina stars? Lots of people consider them to be harmless, yet they are listed as a Predator on that site. Do you think this should be changed to Irritator instead?

Check this out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2403888&highlight=amphipods
 
Last edited:
Just fyi. The pods in question were the larger stripped ones. I ended up having to move all my zoas onto a rack hanging on side of tank. Since moving them they are growing like weeds. To test if it was the pods we took a 3x2 rock covered in blues my hubby had spare into my tank. All were devoured within 4days bar a few I saved to regrow out. Amphipods WILL EAT healthy zoas. I have added a pistol/goby pair to help stalk them and if a circus goby ever shows up in my LFS he will go in too. Problem not solved yet, but I am working to manage it.
 
These larger amhipods will absolutely eat healthy zoanthids, they especially seem to like Z. gigantus (PE types). I've seen it with my own eyes several times, as have many other zoanthid keepers.

Tankssy, get your hands on some interceptor spectrum or sentinel and treat as if you have red bugs.
 
Fwiw to ya I have a bicolor dotty in with a cleaner and peppermint shrimp and it appears the dotty doesn't even know they exist, but who knows now that I mention it that could change.
 
My Yellow watchman goby once decimated my pod population in my 10g when he decided to take a vacation from the main tank and jump in there
 
I got a red banded shrimp goby and candy pistol few weeks ago so I am hoping that they start hunting the pods down. Just giving them time to see how things work out.
 
Right on Cloak!
On a side note, what are your thoughts on Asterina stars? Lots of people consider them to be harmless, yet they are listed as a Predator on that site. Do you think this should be changed to Irritator instead?

I never could keep zoa until I us a harlequin shrimp to "clean my system now they are not a problem. reefracer
 
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