'pod explosion - good thing or bad thing?

[SeaMountain]

My 'pods originally came along as hitchhikers on a zoo frag from JP.com a couple of months ago. At first you'd only see them once in awhile during the day, then they would come out en masse at night.

 

Now the buggers are everywhere all the time crawling on everything. Popping in and out of holes in the LR. In and around my zoos, ric and torch. Even during the daylight hours with the lights on they are all over the place. And some are getting to be Boone & Crockett trophy sized.

 

Is there a bad side to having a ton of 'pods in your tank? They don't seem to be hurting anything, but I've never seen this many in any of the LFS or other SW tanks.

[cmoreash]

they're good d00d, waddya mean you got em on the JP.com frag did you use river rocks for your live rock? j/k, but pods are good, they produce plankton, can eat algae, clean up the sandbed, and maintain biodiversity. If you have too many for your liking, a fish will take care of them

[Crakeur]

scoop me up some pods sea. the more the merrier

[Graywolf57]

Dan'el Boone Kill'd a Pod

 

LOL You're funny,

[~_~]

Wish I had that problem

[Twobuck40]

wanna send me a scoop of sand?

[Dustin]

more like a rock, but id take both

[Gunfury]

think "6 line wrasse" if things get out of control. I experienced the same population boom except things got nasty when the food started to run out. They started in on my zoos.

 

for 3 days the wrasse had a fat stomach (little buggers will eat until it looks like they'll explode) and the zoos could finally recover.

[SeaMountain]

I've been doing a bit of research on them and they will get after the zoos. A couple of polyps are looking like nubs but I haven't seen any 'pods working them over too bad. They are crawling on - and over - everything though.

 

A wrasse may be needed at some point. But I hate to drop another fish in there. The first one , a yellow-tail damsel died on me after a few weeks. The second, a clown, went carper surfing on me. I did read on About.com where peppermint shrimp might grub on them. Anyone know for sure?

[Crakeur]

peps will eat zoos too. fish is your only real source or relief.

[kennerd]

copepods or amphipods?

[SeaMountain]

amphipods. Like fleas on a coonhound!

[kennerd]

 

GOT A FUGE YET?

[SeaMountain]

That would be a small one.

 

This morning I had one holding two babies on each hip banging on the front glass of the tank. Apparently wanting additional food stamps. Three others were mugging a redleg for it's 40 ouncer and yet still more were huddled around a small fire in a barrell. Yup, I gots myself a 'pod hood.

[kennerd]

as bubbly-tinged accapella can be heard in the background

 

 

You have to get a picture of this: are you sure you're not looking through the tank at the sirloin steak you left onthe counter right next to it last weekend?

[Crakeur]

winter and his family are in your tank?

 

sea, get a net, scoop em out and ship em to me.

[kennerd]

I'll take a frag of Winter....set up a Central Heartland Biotope Tank

[SeaMountain]

No chit Crak. There is one making it's home in a small hole in the LR. Damn thing reminds me of a clawless crawdad the way it snipes in and out of it's hole grabbing food. I'll try to get a pic of it later today or tonight. Yesterday I saw my own reflection in it's eyes! Creepy.

 

At times there are a minimum of 4-5 per square inch on the sand all across the bottom at the same time and the LR is equally covered. The word infestation springs to mind after the lights go out. Is this a normal up and down cycle with them. Keep in mind I don't have fish in there any longer. PM me with the best way to get some to you.

[kennerd]

holy crap: I have never heard of something this bad: bristle worms, yes, but pods, no.

 

I'll do a quick RC search.

[SeaMountain]

They're even crawling up my back and side glass since I've quit running the magnet over it. Front glass is clean and smooth so they can't run up it. The last couple of days there has been a marked increase in their numbers. Hope they don't change the front door lock while I'm at work. At least I drank the last of the brew the other night. But there's still Cuervo, Capt. Morgan and some Bacardi left. Cr@p. There goes my Security Deposit.

[kennerd]

Originally posted by kennerd

I'll take a frag of Winter....set up a Central Heartland Biotope Tank

 

Actually found these decorations that will make them feel right @ home!

 

Jalopy for the yard:

 

 

Big barrle of moonshine:

 

 

Hilly background

 

UFO sighting

 

And of course, the HOME:

 

[Crakeur]

funny, I noticed a change in the way sea was posting in the jct. I wonder if it's the pods posting in his absence

[kennerd]

Pod populations normally even out to the source of food available (they must be eating something in your tank), and they have a reasonably short life span. Also, without predators in the tank, or even fish that even SEEM a threat to the pods, they will be out all of the time. That said, your population may not have incresaed by much, just their noticable activites. Sounds like my 65 gal @ night: creepy crawlies everywhere (pods, mysid shrimp, plankton, snails) It's kind of amazing to think they're in there all day, too.

[kennerd]

I thought you knew: NEVER FEED YOUR PODS AFTER MIDNIGHT!

[Crakeur]

well, he went and got them wet so they multiplied like mad. the feeding after midnight is just additional stupidity on his part.