Cirolanid Isopod Modified Hunting Techniques

[BrianPlankis]

Hey all,

I thought I would start this thread to report on some modifications people have been reporting on my stinky water hunting method.

A RC user has been PMing me about her Cirolanid hunting and she has noticed that very few of her Cirolanids actually find their way into the trap. She would see a lot of them gathered around the trap, but only a few in the trap. So she has made up a new method:

1. Do the stinky water trap as described in my article.

2. When the Cirolanids are trying to find their way into the trap, take a length of plastic tubing and attach a filter sock onto one end.

3. Place the filter sock end into their sump and start a siphon.

4. Start sucking Cirolanids into the tubing. They get caught in the filter sock, but the water goes into the sump, so you can siphon and catch them for a long time.

This is a great idea as the Cirolanids come out and are attracted to the trap and stinky water and the siphon can remove some before they get away. I hope it helps more people in the future.

Brian

 

[Alatriel]

Journal of 55 Gal Tank

Journal of 55 Gal Tank

Thank you Brian for all your Help.

We got our first shipment of live rock in on the 6th of May, and the second on the 12th of May.

We have pulled out 4 large Cirolanids and we're seeing a bunch of little ones. I know you should leave the tank fallow but I have a problem, Hitchhiker fish.

I read Brian's article and decided to use his stinky water trap.

(Saturday June 3rd)

We set up the trap and had the lights raised for easy access. Laid the trap on the sand and left the tank alone for an hour.
Upon checking the trap with a red flashlight I noticed that our Cirolanids are morons. Many were trying to get into the trap but are too stupid to find the opening. Me being the control freak that I am grabbed a hose, attached a mesh bag to the end and started a siphon into the sump. Started sucking up the little monsters as they were hovering around the trap. First capture attempt 2 in the trap probably 50 in the mesh bag all within 40 or so minutes.

(Monday June 5th)

Cleaned out the filter sock (actually just a mesh bag) from the overflow and have removed another large Cirolanid and three more small ones. I'll be trapping tomorrow and will update the progress.

 

[Skipper]

Brian: if you'd like to make an addendum to the article, let me know.

 

[BrianPlankis]

Skip,

Thanks for the offer, that might be a good idea but I'd like to let a few months pass to see what other creative ways come up

Brian

 

[Alatriel]

Update

Update

June 10th

Started out the usual way of making stinky water, getting the trap ready and making sure the siphon hose was handy.

Raised the lights and set the trap 5 minutes before the lights go out. Checked the tank after 10 minutes and :eek1: time to start the siphon. After 50 minutes of battle I'd had enough for the night.

Removed the trap and emptied the mesh bag (from the hose) to count the spoils of the night.

Trap= 15 small Cirolanids
Mesh bag=107 small 1 large Cirolanids

Total 122 small 1 large for one night’s work

Total caught to date........
170 + small Cirolanids
7 large Cirolanids

 

[BrianPlankis]

WOW, that is one big haul! At least those aren't in your tank now.

How is the hitchhiker fish doing?

B.

 

[Alatriel]

Hitchhiker fish has taken up residence again with 1 of the 3 pistol shrimp inside the old mantis home. I've been checking on it every night and so far so good. This weekend we're gonna try to remove the rock from the tank without letting the Gobi get away. Last attempt he darted from the rock faster than a bullet as soon as it was moved. :furious:

 

[Alatriel]

June 19th

Did a little tank cleaning and found 1 large one in the filter sock. So it's time for another round of Stinky Water!!

June 20th

Followed the usual tactics with making the water, getting the siphon and trap ready. 10 minutes after placing trap and water into the tank started the siphon. This time around 2 large and 4 small were all that I captured. Left the trap in the tank and waited another 30 minutes and to my surprise nothing else showed their ugly head.

I'm getting more hopeful that we'll have store bought fish in there in no time. As for the hitchhiker fish...... We went to pull out his rock to place it into the quarantine tank. He moved out and took up residence in a base rock that would entail us breaking the whole tank apart to get to. So I guess he wins and will just have to stay.

 

[BrianPlankis]

Good to hear the capture rate is decreasing. Don't be too quick to pull the trigger on store bought fish though. I would suggest that you have a least 4, preferably 6-8, trapping sessions over a period of 60-90 days with no captures before fish are added.

This gives time for any Cirolanids that are pregnant or full to get hungry and be attracted to the trap.

Definitely a good report though, thanks for continuing to share with us

Brian

 

[Alatriel]

Thanks Brian

I don't plan on putting any "store bought" fish in just yet. I'd hate to rush things and have the poor thing suffer because of it.

I'm just happy that I'm finally seeing improvement and that is what's keeping me going. When we did our trapping on the 10th of June I got very discouraged and was seriously thinking about ditching everything and starting fresh.

 

[BrianPlankis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7608942#post7608942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Alatriel
Thanks Brian

I don't plan on putting any "store bought" fish in just yet. I'd hate to rush things and have the poor thing suffer because of it.

I'm just happy that I'm finally seeing improvement and that is what's keeping me going. When we did our trapping on the 10th of June I got very discouraged and was seriously thinking about ditching everything and starting fresh.

I have definitely been THERE!! I was almost ready to quit at the peak of my captures too. Hang in there, since they are attracted to the trap, it should get better!

Cheers,

Brian

 

[Alatriel]

June 25th

Another update.....

Cleaned out my filter sock and found 3 large "tank roaches" :eek2: so we decided to do another trap.

10 minutes into trapping nothing.
25 minutes nothing.
1 hour nothing.
2 hours nothing.

Searched the sand and found 1 medium hiding in the corner. Sucked him out with the siphon and noticed he was dead. Decided to call it a night.