Too many amphipods

[Madcat]

I have a Fluval Evo 13.5 and an outbreak of amphipods. I want them gone. They're eating my zoas (yes, I'm sure). How do I get rid of them? What would be safe to introduce (even if temporarily)? The LFS has a scooter blenny who looks pretty chubby - I think he's been there awhile, I could verify that he'll eat prepared foods as well. There's also a yellow clown goby - I've seen people say their green clown gobies eat pods. I could look around for a six-line wrasse. I just want something that'll eat these things reliably. I think they're breeding in my macroalgae so there's a chance of re-population.

 

Current stock is 1 juvenile Ocellaris clown and 1 tailspot blenny. Neither of them touch the pods. Please advise!

[vlangel]

I think you could count on a sixline to eat amphipods.  Some fish with small mouths only eat the smaller copepods.  Amphipods can get pretty big.  The problem with a sixline is they can get aggressive, especially in a smallish tank.

[Tautoo]

1 hour ago, Madcat said:

I have a Fluval Evo 13.5 and an outbreak of amphipods. I want them gone. They're eating my zoas (yes, I'm sure). How do I get rid of them? What would be safe to introduce (even if temporarily)? The LFS has a scooter blenny who looks pretty chubby - I think he's been there awhile, I could verify that he'll eat prepared foods as well. There's also a yellow clown goby - I've seen people say their green clown gobies eat pods. I could look around for a six-line wrasse. I just want something that'll eat these things reliably. I think they're breeding in my macroalgae so there's a chance of re-population.

 

Current stock is 1 juvenile Ocellaris clown and 1 tailspot blenny. Neither of them touch the pods. Please advise!

My clowns devour my pods, amphipods and copeopods alike.

 

Hope you find a solution!

[Tamberav]

The amphipods are usually too large for a dragnet/scooter to be reliable, they like the small copepods. 

 

A wrasse will certainly lower their numbers but sixlines are aggressive and it may become an issue with your other fish in such a small tank. Nothing will completely eliminate them so having a temporary fish won't work either but a permanent one could cull the numbers. Btw, the pods may still come out at night when fish are sleeping and mess with your corals so a fish may not even fix your issue

 

Maybe a possum wrasse? They are peaceful pod eaters. Just not sure if the amphipods are too big for them or not.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Are you sure you don't have zoa-eating nudibranchs?  They're sea slugs with appendages that look exactly like the skirt of a zoa.  They're pretty common.  Amphipods are opportunistic but generally would prefer leftover fish food or other things to eat.  

[Weetabix7]

A Wrasse is your best bet, in my opinion.

[Madcat]

10 minutes ago, tashayar said:

Are you sure you don't have zoa-eating nudibranchs?  They're sea slugs with appendages that look exactly like the skirt of a zoa.  They're pretty common.  Amphipods are opportunistic but generally would prefer leftover fish food or other things to eat.  

I'm pretty positive it's the pods. I've been watching them crawl all over this frag for a few days now and it's steadily deteriorating. It was COVERED in pods when I turned the light on this morning and found it half eaten. I did a pretty thorough dip when I got the frag and removed the frag plug before putting the zoas in my tank.

 

1 hour ago, Tamberav said:

The amphipods are usually too large for a dragnet/scooter to be reliable, they like the small copepods. 

 

A wrasse will certainly lower their numbers but sixlines are aggressive and it may become an issue with your other fish in such a small tank. Nothing will completely eliminate them so having a temporary fish won't work either but a permanent one could cull the numbers. Btw, the pods may still come out at night when fish are sleeping and mess with your corals so a fish may not even fix your issue

 

Maybe a possum wrasse? They are peaceful pod eaters. Just not sure if the amphipods are too big for them or not.

I didn't think of a possum wrasse.  I'll maybe call around to a few stores and see if anyone has one in stock. Thanks!

[Madcat]

What's my next best option if I can't find a possum wrasse? I forgot how limited we are here in the Great White North...

[1891Bro]

I'm with whoever said a six line earlier. I had one a long time ago in a bc14 and it decimated the pods. It even ate up all the brittle stars. I didn't have it long enough for aggression to factor in and it was a long way from full grown. Just give it away or trade it back later. They do get big eventually.