Strange little hitchiker

[salty joe]

I saw a swarm of about 20 swimming 'bugs' just after the sun went down. They stuck together and swam with a twirling or undulating motion. About 1/2 inch long, 1/16 diameter and reddish brown. I could not make out which end was the head. They mostly swam in an upright position. Then they promptly disappeared. If anyone is interested, I might be able to get a video, but I've only seen them this one time.

Surely others have had these little oddities...

 

[cloak]

Mysid shrimp perhaps?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/rs/index.php

 

[salty joe]

Thanks cloak-I think you nailed it, I need to get another look to be sure.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Might also be epitokes.

 

[salty joe]

Might also be epitokes.

Never heard of such a thing-had to look that up

Would epitokes swarm together?

 

[cloak]

They might be attracted to light, but other than that I would think that they just kind of ride the currents, wiggling to maneuver. The movement of a Mysid shrimp would look more like a house fly underwater.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/rs/AVI.htm

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Never heard of such a thing-had to look that up

Would epitokes swarm together?

http://www.ryanphotographic.com/epitoke.htm

 

[hogfanreefer]

I had a swarm of epitokes last night in my tank. I was using a flashlight after lights out to see what I could see. Some of mine were orange and several were blue...at least they looked blue to me.

While I was watching my pyramid butterfly started eating them. I would use the flashlight (which they followed) to lead them to him and he was decimating them. It was cool to watch.

 

[salty joe]

Wow! Thanks for those pics of swarming epitokes. Kinda creeped me out, kinda cool too.

I caught one that's much bigger-maybe 2 inches- than the others I've seen. Its tail is the reddish part and it moves in an undulating motion. It has two beady little black eyes. If this is a bad guy, I'm in trouble...

 

[hogfanreefer]

I found the video I was looking for. This was shot in Belize earlier this year. At the very end (the boxfish) there's a swarm of epitokes attracted to my dive/camera lights.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Wow! Thanks for those pics of swarming epitokes. Kinda creeped me out, kinda cool too.

I caught one that's much bigger-maybe 2 inches- than the others I've seen. Its tail is the reddish part and it moves in an undulating motion. It has two beady little black eyes. If this is a bad guy, I'm in trouble...

Yep, epitoke. Harmless.

 

[salty joe]

Cool, thanks.