Can you have too many pods?

[sloshesv]

Sorry, I can't post pictures. I've had a real explosion of tiny critters occur over the last month. Mainly shrimp/krill looking critters. The tank is 1 1/2 years old and the only thing different over the last 6 months is the loss of a clown and a gramma after Wilma. As the population has really taken off I've noticed some of my corals are in a down phase more often than usual.

 

[sloshesv]

I just read 3 of Shimeks' articles. The shrimp looking critters seem most like branchiopods but he says those aren't common for aquariums. The others I see look mainly like amphi. I didn't read anything about harming corals.

 

[capncapo]

Pod populations ( like most other populations ) are self-limiting. When there is plenty of food there will be plenty of pods and vice versa.

I have never read of pods harming anything. If there are a bunch walking on your corals, they may irritate them causing the polyps to close temporarily but they should cause no harm.

It's entirely possible that the loss of your clown and gramma has allowed the population explosion to continue unchecked. I would consider reducing the amount of food being fed or replacing your two lost fish.

 

[sloshesv]

Thanks cap.