Isopod infestation-now what?

[LockeOak]

Wow, this is one of the first times I've seen someone freaking out about isopods in their tank and they actually have what appear to be parasitic isopods in their tank (instead of amphipods, nonparasitic isopods, etc.). Good luck with them, the trap idea is a good one. If you wouldn't mind periodically updating this post with your capture counts it might be educational.

 

[danceswithfish]

Those things give the me the willies.

 

[Barry69]

Last nights results
4 in trap
1 caught by turkey baster
add
3 previously taken out of filter sponge

total thus far = 8

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Do you have any fish in your tank?

 

[Barry69]

No, my tank has no fish. I wasnt expecting to get any fish for another 3-4 weeks but this is going to cause havoc with my water, Im sure.

First we'll see how long it takes me to get these buggers then I'll work on getting my water back to where it should be. Im trying to balance both but it isnt easy with all the disruption.

 

[Barry69]

For those of you who care to follow the progress, I will post my catches daily.

This morning in the trap were 5, bringing the total to 13 cirolanids.

 

[Barry69]

Well, the past 2 nights I have caught NO isopods! Though that is a great thing, Im not yet convinced they are completely gone. I think I will wait a week or two and try the traps again. I will certainly be checking out my tank at night.

Again, thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Logzor]

Barry is there a chance you can post a clearer image of those pods or post a link to the ones in question.

I have tons of different pods in my tank and have noticed some that around round shaped, kind of like those isopods.

All my fish have been doing well but awhile ago I lost a wrasse that had some kind of stomach parasite (that was my guess, bloated stomach).

 

[Barry69]

Sorry but those were the best pics I was able to get. I did bring a couple of the larger ones to my lfs and they are definately cirolanids. The owner of the lfs was very interested in seeing them.

I am happy to say that I have not seen any more. I hope that is the end of them. They REALLY went for that shrimp in the trap.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out on this thread!

 

[Larah]

WOW! those goggle photos of the doritos bag OMG!
Are those seriously pods?
I am going to have nightmares now you know

 

[xtm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11863009#post11863009 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Larah
WOW! those goggle photos of the doritos bag OMG!

same thought here. I thought they only preyed on fish

 

[briangg57]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11778214#post11778214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Radioheadx14
Some isopods are parasitic to fish and can decimate a tank.

Tell me about it. I lost a couple hundred dollars worth of fish 4 years ago. I saw this small but really cool piece of liverock that would look great in my tank but 4 weeks later the only thing that was still alive was my damsel. I tried everything that the largest publc aquarium in the northeast told me to do but nothing worked, and the said it might not. I want to add more liverock to my sump, but I'm considering boiling it first and letting it recolonize in time from my rock.