1/2" isopods crawling around late at night!?!?

[ggg111]

Hi,

 

I have a 5.5 gal set up. I've seen teeny tiny isopods crawling on my glass before and my fish just eats them off. Late last night I turned on my light and saw giant (in comparison), like 1/2 inch isopods crawling on the glass. They look just like this:

 

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u302/He...0use/isopod.jpg

 

From the ID sticky in this forum. They looked like ants crawling around. I know it says isopods are good, but is that true if they are this big? What should I do with them? They freak me out! Are they just going to keep multiplying and take over the tank? My fish is only about an inch long and definite can't eat the, plus he sleeps at night.

 

Thanks for the help!!!!

 

EDIT: they look like the munnid ispods on this: http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchpods.html But, does that sound right if they are about 1/2"?

[lakshwadeep]

1/2" could be maximum size for munnid isopods. My goby eats most of them, but the largest ones I usually see are 1/4". ALternatively, it could be an idoteid. Here's an isopod article and a gallery of idoteids.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=e...q=&gs_rfai=

[idrm350]

1/2" could be maximum size for munnid isopods. My goby eats most of them, but the largest ones I usually see are 1/4". ALternatively, it could be an idoteid. Here's an isopod article and a gallery of idoteids.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=e...q=&gs_rfai=

Jesus. That reefkeeping article is frightening.

[danthenewreefman]

mine are 1/4 inch too, they get massive compared to the tiny ones

 

mine will sometimes "ball up" in the current to float down and once they hit the sand they spread out and take off running.

 

really cool to watch.