Bugs?

[klee5887]

We have a 75 gal with just our marbled cat shark and some live rock. On the live rock we have noticed there are little bugs about 1/2 to 1 centimeter long. They are pretty much see through and we were told by our LFS that they are harmless. When I get home I can post a picture, but does anyone have any thoughts about them? And if they are harmless they seem to be over running the tank, does anything eat them? Would hermit crabs help?

Thank you for any input..

 

[paulamrein]

They are copepods and amphipods and other types of pods. They are great for the tank. They eat algae and detritus. They are also great live foods for your fish. They usually come in from the Live rock. A lot of people buy more and put them in for the benefits they provide.

 

[Percula9]

What you have is cope pods. Totally harmless. They will eventually reduce in number. Hermit crabs are herbivores generally. They might eat them. Mandarin gobies will eat them and other fish. I wouldn't worry about it to much.

 

[JHemdal]

Folks,

While I agree that these are PROBABLY harmless amphipods, be careful about making blanket generalizations. Why not wait for the picture? Or at least ask if the organisms are laterally compressed (amphipods) or dorsally compressed (isopods and copepods). Cirolanid isopods and Ergasilid copepods come to mind as two creatures that have caused horrendous problems in aquariums. I think there have been some threads about the isopods here on RC.
That said, the fact that there is a sedentary shark in the tank and no mention was made of its skin getting chewed up, indicates to me that there is most likely no problem... still, 1 cm seems really large for an detritivoric amphipod.

JHemdal

 

[paulamrein]

I have them bigger than 1cm in my tank. Although I partially agree with you jhemdal. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

[klee5887]

Well i googled all the names you guys gave me and the one that looks like it is the amphipod. But I will post a picture tonight if at all possible. Between work and school I don't have much time.

Thanks for all your help

 

[sml41]

same thing

same thing

while my fish are out of the main tank in QT ; they had time to flourish, copepods etc ; my tank was infested or so I thought; I put a mandarin in andn now I can't see any which makes me think that my mandarin will starve ; now I am buying them and adding them in

Hermit crabs, shrimp do eat them

 

[paulamrein]

They will also be in the rock work. I've noticed that once I got a fish in the tank, they weren't hanging on the glass too much. Either, they can sense there is a fish in the tank, or the ones on the glass were the first to go and all that is left are the ones in the rocks. Either way, I honestly don't know, I'm just speculating.

 

[klee5887]

pic

pic

here is a link to my picture so you can see it in full size. Its the best I could do.

Thanks

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q270/pollup/bug.jpg

 

[klee5887]

I posted the picture linked to my photobucket, i hope everyone could see it.

Thanks

 

[paulamrein]

Looks like amphipods to me. They are good for the tank. No problems.

 

[JHemdal]

Are those antennas? They look huge. I'd say that is some type of copepod. Are you inlcuding the length of the antenna in your size estimate?

JHemdal

 

[klee5887]

Yes they are antennas and it is only showing half its body. The picture is extremely zoomed up; the whole picture is maybe 2" X 2". Now that i look at them the average is 1/8 of an inch. The one i took a picture of was the biggest.

They don't seem like they are harming anything, but just over running the tank. I ordered a cleaning crew and maybe that will help.

Thank you for all your help