amphipods eating palys!

[riotj]

Any one hear of this? Well it is happening. Any advice on how to get rid of the much coveted amphipods since they only come out at night and do their damage. I have this rather large one quarter to half inch and fast! The columns on the palys are constricting where the amphipods have been foraging and the disc/skirt when open is shaped downward like a mushroom you eat and is not fully open anylonger.

 

[msman825]

A six line wrasse, Are mandrin

 

[MinibowMatt]

your pods are not eating your zoos... it doesnt happen. they may be crawling on them, and possibly even annoying them, but not eating them. Pods eat plankton and other micro foodstuffs.. most likely they are eating algeas that is gorwing on the mat of the colony. figure out why you have algeas growing on your colonies, and you wont have issues with your pods anymore.

 

[riotj]

It could be but others have experienced this. Check out his forum on marinedepot.com. I have Ron Shimek helping me out. It seems I'm not the only one who has seen this. There are predator amphipods - read his article on Reef Central. I will be sending him samples of the pods I capture.

 

[MinibowMatt]

I would be SUPER surprised inf this ends up true.. not doubting your or Dr. Ron, but I find it hard to believe it..

 

[msman825]

get you a couple of six lines they will take care of the pods.

 

[Jayreefer]

The fact is that there is a large pod that eats zoo's. I have heard them turmed silver pods. I had some in my tank and I saw a very large one riping the skirt of of my RPE's. The mandarine and four line wrasse has kept them undr control.

 

[cardgenius]

Its true. I literally watched them eat my RPEs to death. They were all over them pulling the skirt lashes off. I agree msman825 on getting a 6 line. I got one and havent had a problem since.

 

[riotj]

Unfortunately my tank is too small for another fish. And yes these amphipods are 1/4 - 1/2 inch. Not silver though. Jayreefer - what do you mean by very large?

Maybe I can make a trap with a test tube with bait and go fishing for the big ones.

 

[DannyUFKC]

I have a colony about 9-10 zoos and only one polyp is just like you described it riotj. The stalk is constricting and the skirt is shaped downward. It seems like something is annoying it real bad. I thought since a new polyp was coming out right next to it, that it might be pushing the new polyp out LOL. I always see little pods on the whole colony but this is the only polyp that is constricted. It's been like that for weeks.
I'm curious now and hope to do more research on the subject.

 

[Jayreefer]

I mean the the PODS are some of the lagest I have ever seen. For some reason they realy like my PE's. The 4-line and mandarine made short work of them.

 

[DannyUFKC]

Hey Riotj, can you post the link to that marinedepot discussion because I cannot find it in the forum. Thanks.

 

[-=Zepplock=-]

6 line = no pods. no pods at all.

 

[riotj]

Here it is. It is under invertibrates. Title of thread "Amphipods overrunning corals.

forum.marinedepot.com/Topic26253-11-1.aspx