caietaro Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 I've had a few new fish in QT for about 6 weeks now and today I just saw for the first time an isopod cruising around the tank like crazy. I was able to catch it, have it in a glass, and took a few pictures. I did put a few pieces of LR rubble in the tank when I added the fish to help seed some bacteria so I'm assuming it came in on that. I just want to make sure it isn't a harmful isopod that will attack the fish (I haven't ever seen one like this in my main display tank). I checked the article on Reefkeeping.com (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php) but still am not sure which one it is. Any ideas? It swims extremely fast and seems to be upside down most of the time. Link to comment
Weasel Baron Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 No sense in risking it, it'd get rid of it or throw it in the sump or something. Reminds me of that terrifying isopod that eats it's host's tongue and lives in its place Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 I strongly believe it to be hostile. Remove it. Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 No sense in risking it, it'd get rid of it or throw it in the sump or something. Reminds me of that terrifying isopod that eats it's host's tongue and lives in its place Exactly what I was thinking! I'm worried now though that there might be others in the tank hiding away. Wonder if I should treat the QT with copper? My DT has been fishless for over 2 months now so hopefully if any were in there they've all since died (if they are the parasitic kind). Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Get a minnow and see if the isopods latches on, if so he's dangerous and must go, of not he's fine. Parisitic ones physically can't survive with no host, if they could they wouldn't be parasites. Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Unfortunately I'm not sure where to get a minnow. Any idea how long they can survive with no host? Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Unfortunately I'm not sure where to get a minnow. Any idea how long they can survive with no host? try a local bait shop, where do you live? Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 try a local bait shop, where do you live? In MA, near Boston. I've had this pod in a glass for well over 24 hours now and I'm surprised it's still swimming around! Link to comment
Weasel Baron Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 looks like a Cirolanid or Aegid http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/ "The vast majority of Cirolanids seen in the aquarium hobby seem to be obligate parasites of fish and will starve to death in your tank in two to six months if no fish are present." I dont know about you, but im not cool w/ waiting that long. throw it in your sump or buy a tiny in-tank fuge if youre not comfortable killing it Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 In MA, near Boston. I've had this pod in a glass for well over 24 hours now and I'm surprised it's still swimming around! go get you some glass minnows at a sea side live bait shop, that should do the trick Pick healthy ones. Also lol energizer bunny has competition. Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Thanks Weasel, it does look almost exactly like one of the Cirolanids pictures in the first link in your post. I have no problem killing this thing, that's for sure! go get you some glass minnows at a sea side live bait shop, that should do the trick Pick healthy ones.Also lol energizer bunny has competition. I'll see if I can get there today - heading to the OSRAS conference so I might not make it back in time. This thing may very well still be alive tomorrow though! Link to comment
Pinner Reef Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 It'll be alive, It's a Cirolanid. Those things will survive damned near anything. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Keep it as a pet in a tiny pico.... it would be a unique pet Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I kept mine as a pet in a pico. fed it bits of meat. Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Keep it as a pet in a tiny pico.... it would be a unique pet Not a bad idea! Bring it to work and keep it on my desk Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 They are neat creatures, just generally very undesirable. Would be wonderful to keep it in a pico and allow it to exist a while longer and be able to view it. I found mine quite a funny character. Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I kept mine as a pet in a pico. fed it bits of meat.yours probably isn't a parisitic species, there is a difference between parisite and predator. And not all cirolanids are parisites. Not a bad idea! Bring it to work and keep it on my desk even if it's a parisitic one that would be an awesome thing to keep in a desk top tank, good thing minnows are cheap. Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The one I kept actually made a dive at me. it got my thumb, I got out before it could bite and that was how I caught the thing. Link to comment
Weasel Baron Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The one I kept actually made a dive at me. it got my thumb, I got out before it could bite and that was how I caught the thing. nightmare fuel Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The one I kept actually made a dive at me. it got my thumb, I got out before it could bite and that was how I caught the thing. lol that's a pretty savage isopod Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 It freaked me out. It was neat to look at though. It is not near as scary as the op's though. Link to comment
amphipod Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 He's kinda cute in my opinion Link to comment
metrokat Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Keep it as a pet in a tiny pico.... it would be a unique pet I did that, I found an isopod, it wasn't the evil kind with huge eyes but Iw as still wary of putting it back in my tank so I put it in the pico to give my sexy shrimp something new to look at. Link to comment
Sunstar Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Why I kept mine amphipod. Kinda cute. Link to comment
caietaro Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 The one I kept actually made a dive at me. it got my thumb, I got out before it could bite and that was how I caught the thing. This thing I have looks like something that would try to bite me! Good thing it can't jump out of that glass. It's still going strong sitting in 1/4" of water on my kitchen counter. Link to comment
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