Parasite??

[bigfalcon36]

Guys,

Looking for an answer on this please...I notices the encrusted base of my ORA Pearlberry colony looking a little nasty today. It was fine last night...local buddy brought over some Revive and this is what came off of it. This is the biggest one, but there are plenty of others smallers one in a bucket.

What is this???


Travis

 

[returnofsid]

Looks like a fairly common and usually harmless Isopod. I found a couple in one of my tanks awhile back, took a bunch of pics, panicked, and then got some pretty definite IDs. From the IDs, and from some, here on RC, who really know their "bugs," I determined that it's harmless.

I actually found mine, while dipping a couple new Zoanthid colonies in Melafix.

As for your problem with your Pearlberry, check your Alk. Low Alk can cause similar problems.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I thought Isopods were a parasite that can kill your fish.

I would not regard them as harmless.

David
:strooper:

 

[bigfalcon36]

Looks like a fairly common and usually harmless Isopod. I found a couple in one of my tanks awhile back, took a bunch of pics, panicked, and then got some pretty definite IDs. From the IDs, and from some, here on RC, who really know their "bugs," I determined that it's harmless.

I actually found mine, while dipping a couple new Zoanthid colonies in Melafix.

As for your problem with your Pearlberry, check your Alk. Low Alk can cause similar problems.

Very nice, thank you so much. Will follow up with some Alk tests this afternoon after I get out of jail...I mean work.

 

[MrMarth]

Not all isopods are bad, it just happens that when you hear about them it usually is the ones that attack fish.

 

[returnofsid]

I thought Isopods were a parasite that can kill your fish.

I would not regard them as harmless.

David
:strooper:

A very small portion of all the many species of Isopods, are parasitic. This one is completely harmless. If the search function was working, I'd find my old thread, in which mine was ID'd. I do believe the one pictured in this thread, is identical.

 

[No1_2SayNo]

A good natural control for Isopods would be a Lunare Wrasse. A friend of mine had a problem with these guys jumping on her large fish and thought that it was very annoying to the fish. She took my suggestion and added a large Lunare and the problem was solved very quickly. I would bet that in a smaller tank that a wrasse like a Leopard Wrasse might do the same thing.