Cirolanid Isopods

[adamwheel]

First, I'm still happy with my decision to purchase the package from TBS for my 178 gal aquarium and 25 gal display refugium. The diversity has been a joy to witness firsthand. I do think it's important however to inform those considering the purchase what I'm seeing.

I did get some (8 caught individually to this point) Cirolanid Isopods. They are parasitic and attach to fish. Unfortunately, they drop off the fish in the morning and you may not notice them. I first noticed 2 of them attached to my Chevron Tang (they have expensive taste apparently). Mine have varied in size from ~3 mm to ~1 cm and they are freaky looking (Zoomed in iphone photo of 7 of them. Apologies for poor quality).



If I had it to do over again, I would allow the aquarium to sit fallow for 2 or 3 months after part 2 arrived. This would've given me the opportunity to monitor the aquarium for these guys and hopefully starve them out/catch them.

I'm beginning the trapping method mentioned in the attached article tonight.

http://http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

I've trapped and removed all fish to QT except one fairy wrasse that's eluded me to this point.

If you've purchased the package, I suggest you stay up late tonight and check for these guys as they are nocturnal and very fast. They've been on the front glass in plain sight. In the article, he uses a turkey baster but I've found that a net is more effective.

Cheers and I'll update after a few nights of traps if I'm getting more,

Adam

P.S. I'd love to hear some success stories with respect to removing them or starving them out.

 

[liverock]

First, I'm still happy with my decision to purchase the package from TBS for my 178 gal aquarium and 25 gal display refugium. The diversity has been a joy to witness firsthand. I do think it's important however to inform those considering the purchase what I'm seeing.

I did get some (8 caught individually to this point) Cirolanid Isopods. They are parasitic and attach to fish. Unfortunately, they drop off the fish in the morning and you may not notice them. I first noticed 2 of them attached to my Chevron Tang (they have expensive taste apparently). Mine have varied in size from ~3 mm to ~1 cm and they are freaky looking (Zoomed in iphone photo of 7 of them. Apologies for poor quality).



If I had it to do over again, I would allow the aquarium to sit fallow for 2 or 3 months after part 2 arrived. This would've given me the opportunity to monitor the aquarium for these guys and hopefully starve them out/catch them.

I'm beginning the trapping method mentioned in the attached article tonight.

http://http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

I've trapped and removed all fish to QT except one fairy wrasse that's eluded me to this point.

If you've purchased the package, I suggest you stay up late tonight and check for these guys as they are nocturnal and very fast. They've been on the front glass in plain sight. In the article, he uses a turkey baster but I've found that a net is more effective.

Cheers and I'll update after a few nights of traps if I'm getting more,

Adam

P.S. I'd love to hear some success stories with respect to removing them or starving them out.

Isopods....I rarely have folks report this....but I have noticed that they only seem to be around in the dead of summer like it is now. I have had for or five reports over the years. Brian did the write up...great stuff in that article.

The good news is they don't make it in captivity and without a host will disappear.

I had a customer once that used a regular saltwater Mollie as a collecting host..and got one..just netted it out.

Had a Canadian customer get one...she should respond.

Usually it is a onesey twosey kind of deal but seems like you got the family. Hopefully all done....keep us posted!

sea ya
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[Jiinx]

that's me

Any updates, Adam? I did let the tank run without fish for a few weeks. I put a yellow tang and it died from them as I saw a few on it one night and fished him out to remove them. I waited a few more weeks and I just saw a couple when I turned the lights on just now..

I put two fish thinking they were gone since I hadn't seen any for a few weeks

I think they're okay to live for awhile without a host even - they seem very adapted to conditions without a host and perhaps live on detritus.

ETA: I added the inverted bottle and within 5 minutes I trapped two pretty big ones (gross..1 cm it seems). I'm going to keep it until dawn and take them out. Hopefully they don't find the way out!

 

[liverock]

that's me

Any updates, Adam? I did let the tank run without fish for a few weeks. I put a yellow tang and it died from them as I saw a few on it one night and fished him out to remove them. I waited a few more weeks and I just saw a couple when I turned the lights on just now..

I put two fish thinking they were gone since I hadn't seen any for a few weeks

I think they're okay to live for awhile without a host even - they seem very adapted to conditions without a host and perhaps live on detritus.

ETA: I added the inverted bottle and within 5 minutes I trapped two pretty big ones (gross..1 cm it seems). I'm going to keep it until dawn and take them out. Hopefully they don't find the way out!

easy way to catch them is to get a regular freshwater sail fin molly...acclimate it slowly and make sure it is the only fish in the tank, they are not fast and easy to net....when you see one....

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[adamwheel]

I'm up late tonight and just netted 4 (good haul). I'm having luck netting them in the current. They like my 2 MP40's.

I've done the trap twice to no avail but will attemp it again tomorrow.

All fish will remain in QT until I'm certain the coast is clear.

I am also curious about their life cycle without a host and may ask in the advanced forum.

In the meantime, I'm getting all parameters dialed in and staying patient.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[CuzzA]

Anyone see that giant isopod take down a shark on Discovery Channels Shark week? I've serached for the video online but can't find it. Nasty bastards.

 

[silentscream]

I'm pretty sure I've identified 2 of these isopods attached to my female clown. The fish has been a lethargic over the last couple days, are the two linked? The above article doesn't describe the isopod's affect on fish? I guess I'll do some more research tonight. I'd hate to lose this clown, as she's been with me since the beginning.

 

[silentscream]

Ok, so this is not anything to take lightly, by my reading. These bastards are killers, and I just had a mysterious fish death a week ago on a seemingly healthy fish. I never noticed any parasite attached to it though...

I'm going to try and catch the female tonight and pluck those things off her and get some confirmation on identity here.

 

[figuerres]

Ok, so this is not anything to take lightly, by my reading. These bastards are killers, and I just had a mysterious fish death a week ago on a seemingly healthy fish. I never noticed any parasite attached to it though...

I'm going to try and catch the female tonight and pluck those things off her and get some confirmation on identity here.

best thing to do is have a qt system for the fish.
take all the fish out of the live rock system and keep them in qt. kind of reverse qt.
keep the reef with no fish for as long as you can and use a molly like Richard said. if you can run the reef for a month with no fish or even two months.
then do the molly to see if any of the bad pods are still in the tank.

in time they will starve or you will catch them on the molly and remove them.

also be aware that other critters may be hiding in the rock that might kill a fish
like a mantis, a large crab or a large anemone for example.
so look things over with care and also get a red light for checking at night.
you can get flashlights with a red filter or led lights that come in red.
they will not disturb the tank critters at night and let you see them .... many things hide in the day and you will only see them at night.

 

[adamwheel]

I've come to rely on the traps and am currently one week without seeing/catching any. I think the traps in concert with a fish (like a Molly) in an acclimation box to make catching them easier may be the way to go.

Plan on at least 2 months without fish from what I've seen.

Hoping I'm close.

Good luck,

Adam

 

[figuerres]

I've come to rely on the traps and am currently one week without seeing/catching any. I think the traps in concert with a fish (like a Molly) in an acclimation box to make catching them easier may be the way to go.

Plan on at least 2 months without fish from what I've seen.

Hoping I'm close.

Good luck,

Adam

that's the thing is to take time , critters like them are tough so they can survive live in the wild. and as I have always heard
"in a reef tank only bad things happen fast."

and I think the idea behind that statement is darn well right.
take time, go slow, measure, watch, make small adjustments and repeat.

 

[adamwheel]

I believe they are all gone. I haven't seen one in a month and actually started to reintroduce fish 10 days ago.

It's been an exercise in patience/stamina but being off all summer (teacher) made it easier.

Regardless, I still highly recommend going this route for rock and sand.

Fingers crossed,

Adam

 

[figuerres]

I believe they are all gone. I haven't seen one in a month and actually started to reintroduce fish 10 days ago.

It's been an exercise in patience/stamina but being off all summer (teacher) made it easier.

Regardless, I still highly recommend going this route for rock and sand.

Fingers crossed,

Adam

yeah they only show up at times, and when they do you just have to out stubborn them and they will starve even if you can't catch them.