Copepod vs amphipod

[Betaktical]

So I looked them up and it had a lot of scientific terms and descriptions and I'm still new so what are the differences? Is one better to have than the other? Should I be worried about having too many? Is there a way to tell a difference if they are small? And help is appreciated any one chime in with stories or info


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[chammergren]

As far as I know, none are any more beneficial than others but they are all beneficial. I have heard a couple of accounts of copepods eating zoanthids but I don't know if any of those stories are substantiated.

They are a part of almost all healthy reef systems and are a good source of food for grazing fish. I was running my tank without fish for a couple of months and the munnid isopods I have in my tank would start to accumulate on the glass after a day or two and I would have to brush them off. Getting a small wrasse took care of that quickly.

Other people here with more experience than I have may be able to shed light into any differences between them but I wouldn't worry about having too many.

 

[Betaktical]

As far as I know, none are any more beneficial than others but they are all beneficial. I have heard a couple of accounts of copepods eating zoanthids but I don't know if any of those stories are substantiated.

They are a part of almost all healthy reef systems and are a good source of food for grazing fish. I was running my tank without fish for a couple of months and the munnid isopods I have in my tank would start to accumulate on the glass after a day or two and I would have to brush them off. Getting a small wrasse took care of that quickly.

Other people here with more experience than I have may be able to shed light into any differences between them but I wouldn't worry about having too many.

What do munid Isopods look like? I've got what looks like little feather dusters in a spiral tube on some parts of my glass. I have a sunset fairy wrasse will he eat the pods?


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[chammergren]

Those are likely spirorbid worms, not pods of any variety.

Munnid Isopods look like this:

 

[Betaktical]

Those are likely spirorbid worms, not pods of any variety.

Munnid Isopods look like this:

Awesome!! Great pics!! Sorry for all the dumb questions but are those worms ok? Now that I know what they are I have them all over my live rocks and glass.


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[chammergren]

No problem! Yes they are just filter feeders and clean particles out of the water column. They are no cause for concern. If you don't like them on your glass you can scrape them off but overall they are a net positive for your tank as they help keep your water clean even if it is only a small amount.

 

[Betaktical]

No problem! Yes they are just filter feeders and clean particles out of the water column. They are no cause for concern. If you don't like them on your glass you can scrape them off but overall they are a net positive for your tank as they help keep your water clean even if it is only a small amount.

Thanks for all your help!!! I'll prly let a couple grow just to see what they look like.


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[Pandagobyguy]

Are there red varieties of that spirorbid worms?

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[jason2459]

Copepods

Amphipods

See the difference? [emoji4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2567904

 

[Betaktical]

Copepods

Amphipods

See the difference? [emoji4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2567904

Lol not really. Especially looking at them in my tank considering I can barely see them much less see legs or anything else. All mine are really small or they hide well


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[CindyK]

Are there reports of those isopods eating zoas? JW, because I have lots of them...and some zoas I bought a week ago that haven't ever opened up. The other corals I bought at the same time (2 leathers and a mushroom) seem to be doing well.

Which is not to say there couldn't be multiple other reasons. But I saw one of the little "bugs" crawling on the zoas tonight and it made me wonder.