Isopod infestation-now what?

[Barry69]

Well, I have Isopods. Lots of them all sizes. I got three out of my sponge filter but there are plenty more that come out at night. There is just no way Im going to catch them all.

Is it possible to put put live rock in non-salt water and see if the bugs scatter out and maybe die? If so, how long can that safely be done?

I just dont know what to do. I feel like this is a death sentence to my tank. Someone suggested a Copperband Butterfly fish but I don't see anything where they will eat isopods, only brine shrimp.

Any help is appreciated. I had a hard time getting good pics, even on my camera's macro setting but I have no doubt of what they are. They are clearly isopods.

 

[Blindmelonbob]

Is this a joke? :/ If not, isopods are a good thing.

 

[Radioheadx14]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11778157#post11778157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blindmelonbob
Is this a joke? :/ If not, isopods are a good thing.

Some isopods are parasitic to fish and can decimate a tank.

 

[Blindmelonbob]

Are we talking cirolanid isopods?

 

[Anemone]

Yes, you really need to determine the type of isopods in your tank. Most are not problematic.

Kevin

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

If you are catching them in a sponge, they are likely okay (not necessarily though). Have you observed them on your fish?

 

[useskaforevil]

i would bet that if you had a major infestion of bad isopods it would be too late to help your fish.

 

[Drake1]

they make a great snack for almost all fish, if they were the bad type then your fish would already be sick...look to see if any are hanging off the sides of your fish at night to see if there the bad type
jeff

 

[SDguy]

Do they look like this? These are good harmless amphipods.:

Bad isopods usually attach to fish, and have black eyes, like this:

 

[rbursek]

Nice pics, get a canavore fish.
Bob

 

[jman77]

do they look like any of these ?

 

[SDguy]

LOL, I tried to pick the least gross picture from the google image search...you clearly went the other direction

 

[ACBlinky]

OMG those make me shudder. Barry69 -- do they have big, black eyes? Are any attached to the fish? As people said, most isopods are fine and just make up part of the mix of 'pods' in our tanks; isopods, amphipods and copepods are all 'pods', and most that show up in our reefs fall under the category of fish snack.

 

[dendro982]

If small, like this:

wrasse takes care of it in two days. Scutter dragonet should help, but later you will have to feed it. Neon goby may help, as I had read, but not tried.

 

[jeffbrig]

I've been down the cirolanid route as well, and was able to rid my tank of them.

There are many different species. Some are simply scavengers, some are parasites that feed on live fish, others will do either. I noticed mine before I started adding fish to the tank. I knew they were scavengers, but I didn't know if they would harm my fish.

I set a simple trap - a tall glass with some shrimp in the bottom. At night, they would swim into the trap to eat the shrimp. I pulled them out 5-10 at a time at night. Eventually the numbers started dwindling, and I stopped when I didn't see any after the trap spent 24 hours in the tank. I repeated a few weeks later, and still nothing. Haven't seen any signs of them since.

 

[Untamed12]

I also successfully did battle with ciranolid isopods. I first identified them because they were often still attached to my fish first thing in the morning. (they are nocturnal)

I set baited traps built from 500 ml plastic soda bottles. Cut the top 1/3 of the bottle off and invert the top into the bottom. Drill a ciranolid sized hole in the cap.

Add some shrimp bits and some weight to hold the bottle down. Put the bottle(s) in the tank just before lights out and go to bed. In the morning remove the bottles along with your captured victims.

It is VERY effective and wonderful in that the only creatures that can get into the bottles seem to free-swimming ciranolids.

Repeat until you stop catching them.

 

[Barry69]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply.

My tank is only 4 weeks old so there are no fish. I have 3 Astrea Snails, 1 Peppermint shrimp, 2 Hermit Crabs and a couple of brittle starfish that were hitchhikers. So far, none of the invertabrates have been affected.

I have been reading some articles on isopods and there is nothing that has been proven to eat them that can be held in a tank such as mine.

Yes, the isopods have black eyes and the blunted tails. They will curl up also. And are they ever fast!

Thanks for the ideas with the shrimp! Im definately going to try that. It gives me hope!

Here are a couple of pics...sorry, I tried to get better ones but this is the best I could do...

 

[Drake1]

well they need fish to live, don't add fish for 4 months and they will all be dead
jeff

 

[Drake1]

I'm sorry I should say breed, there life span is around 3 months so 4 months is a safe bet

 

[Barry69]

I took Untamed12's suggestion and built a trap. I looked in and the first 2 hours there are 3 in there! I'll keep doing this and maybe this will be my tanks saving grace!

Thanks for everyones suggestions!