huge amount of isopods

[BrianBell1974]

I just noticed hundreds of little baby isopods on the glass. They are the beneficial isopods but I am wondering at what point are their numbers so great they create a problem. Currently my tank is fallow due to an ich outbreak but when there where fish in it I never saw them eat any.

Is there a need to reduce the number of these isopods or should I let them be.

has anyone heard of them bothering corals clams or anything. I always see them crawling on corals. Some look to be almost a quarter inch in size.

thanks

 

[zimmy1979]

I would think a huge amount of isopods is a great thing (free food!). I could be wrong though.

 

[MiddletonMark]

Are you sure these are isopods, or could they be copepods/amphipods/others?

I would think that lots of `micro life' is a beneficial thing, a positive sign. There's a lot of varieties of such `pods' ... whether they're a problem for the corals or not would very much depend on the type.

 

[Shooter7]

I had to let my 26 gal tank go fallow due to ich before and I had a population explosion of all small critters, including isopods. I wondered about their numbers as well, especially since I had never seen a fish eat an adult one. Well, after putting fish back in the tank, I guess the fish would eat the young isopods because the numbers gradually cut back until you only occasionally saw them. So I would say not to worry about it and let life take its course. Good luck.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Not to worry as they usually become fish food in pretty short order.

 

[BrianBell1974]

Thanks for the advice. I think I just saw a cleaner shrimp eat a couple.