Help! New tank - Isopod?

LAB

Premium Member
My tank has only been up for 1 1/2 months. I have Trochus, Margarita and Cerith snails. I also have one lawn mower blenny and I just added two tank raised False Clown babies on Saturday. I noticed an odd critter yesterday and didn't think anything of it because I have a multitude of Copepods crawling on the glass and thought it was just a new lifeform that was thriving. This afternoon I found several of my cerith snails piled in the corner and three of these things on top of one. I started noticing that several of the Ceriths have stripped looking areas on their shells. I was trying to find out what the nasty little bugger is and ran across info and pictures that led me to believe it might be a nasty isopod (parasite) trying to feed on my Ceriths. My daughter and I since that time have found pictures that led us to believe that it might be a Marine Pill Bug rather than one of the type that are parasitic to fish. I would feel a lot better if I knew for sure. I am worried about the few fish that I have and will make arrangements to quarantine tomorrow if it is necessary. This is the clearest picture that I could get. I hope someone can help me identify this. Thank you so much.

Isopod.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6692409#post6692409 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
It looks like one of the harmless ones in the family Sphaeromatidae. It's easy to tell - touch it. If it rolls into a ball it's a sphaeromatid. Cirolanids parasites don't roll up. Read this article by Ron Shimek for more information http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php

Thank you so much Leslie! I really panicked when I found these. I figured that it would be just my luck to inherit some nasty varmit :) Things were just going too well. Glad to know that my kids are safe and still in fish heaven. Just a little overprotective.....

LAB
 
Back
Top