Super Aggressive Isopod

[Amazon4]

I had purchased a bunch of ceriths and took a long time one evening acclimating them. It was after lights out by the time I was ready to add them to the 180. The room light was on, but the tank lights were out. So I could see a bit in the tank.

I had about a dozen snails, and had one hand in the tank, letting each attach the glass before I put the next one in.

I saw some blackish things darting around in the tank. Then one landed on the back of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. Before I had much time to react, chomp! The bugger bit me!

I took my hand out (without flinging the snail) and looked at the bugger and flicked it (should have smushed it).

It was about 2mm, dark brown, oval, and look like a tiny isopod (the things you see attached to a fish).

The darn thing took a small chunk out of me and drew blood.

I washed it well, and drew a circle around it. No reaction.

But I wondered about having something like that in the tank with my fish. Is this something that can be harmful, or predatory, to the inhabitants? Can they be trapped and removed?

 

[Flightpipe]

Wow ummmm I dont want to reach in my tank now.......

 

[ctenophors rule]

that sucks, are you sure their was only one?

they can be very harmful, often what they do is latch onto the side of a fish, or if lucky, in the gills and suck the blood until their is no more blood to suck, dependingon size this can take from days to weeks. the best way to rid them is to starve them, and that means taking all fish ou of your tank for a month. or you cN CATCH THE FISH YOU FIND WTH THEM, and prey they didn't breed too much.

may the swarts be with you

 

[Amazon4]

Yah, that's my concern. This tank's been up for over a year. No fish losses (touch wood). I do have an African cleaner wrasse in, there since November, with the tangs. Perhaps he manages to keep any such critter at bay.

A local club member told me he thought there was a way to attract and trap them. But didn't remember what he read. I was hoping my post would attract the answer

Where there's one, I'm guessing there's more. Well...I suppose I know how to attract them one at a time!