Isopods???

[Milez803]

I have notice that my refug has a lot of small white big that hang around on the glass tank day and night. I found out they they are not copepods or Amphipods , i identify them to be isopods. Anyone know if they are harmful to the tank, and can they be consider food for gobys. any advices would be grateful..thanks

 

[NaH2O]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!! (if I missed ya before )

Cirolanid Isopods are the ones that are predatory. It can be a vary daunting task to get rid of them. Check out the first article, and see which variety of isopod you have. In the first article, there are pictures of the differences, including the differences between Sphaeromatids and Cirolandids specifically. If you can take one out of the fuge and get a good photo, that might help us to identify them if you aren't sure. Hope this helps!


Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium by Ronald L. Shimek

Cirolanid Isopods by Keith Clarke and Ron Shimek

Cirolanid Isopod Capture Techniques, Feeding Habits and Mortality Testing by Brian Plankis

 

[Milez803]

here is a picture of the pods..can anyone identify them..i have so much in my refug..i hope they ain't no pest..

 

[NaH2O]

That doesn't look like a cirolanid isopod to me, but another type of isopod. Check this pic out for similarities Stenetrium

Habitat and Distribution:
Stenetrium lives among algae and other sedentary growths on the subtidal sea floor.

General Biology:
Although very small and appearing quite fragile with its thin legs, stenetrium is a very active animal. Its sharp claws suggests it may be predatory on even more tiny prey but this is not certain. There are numerous species, all very similar to each other.

The article You Can't Tell Your "Pods" Without A Program, says

Isopod- These animals are crustaceans, like amphipods or copepods. Unlike amphipods, they are flattened from top to bottom. All of their appendages look alike, hence the name iso (=same, or alike) + pod (= feet). These animals may be predatory or parasitic such as the cirolanids, or they may be harmless scavengers. Many of the latter are small and may be the "pods" to which some aquarists refer.

I would suspect the pod you have is harmless to your livestock.....or if they are predatory, they may only be predatory to organisms smaller than themselves (based on the general biology description given in the first link). Either way, if noticed them in my tank (and they may be there), I wouldn't be extremely concerned about them, but look at them as part of the microcrustacean diversity . The cirolanids, however, are a different story...

 

[Scooterman]

Looks like a young munnid isopod found on rocks.

http://www.reefreaders.com/content/view/34/

 

[NaH2O]

Ahh - Scooty those pictures are better than the ones I found searching Munnids! Ron's article I have linked above, you can't see the detail.

 

[Boomer]

I think they are Munnids and that is about all one can say. The posted image is not good enough to go any further. If one was removed and with a good microscope then

http://www.crustacea.net/crustace/world_crustacea.htm

http://www.amonline.net.au/invertebrates/cru/index.htm

http://www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/isopod/

 

[Vicki]

I think I've found what are isopods (sphaeromatids) in my 450 gallon tank!

I've read all the articles and checked all the pictures in this thread and many more I've found on the Internet.

I believe the ones I have are the 'good' (or okay) kind, but I'd like to be sure of that.

I usually find them in my filter sock, though I have seen them on a fish once in a while. They don't stay on the fish long and I've never seen any damage caused by them. They don't bite me either! They DO roll in to a ball, as one of the pictures shows.

My camera doesn't do well with macro shots, but I've tried to get the best shots I could.

Thanks!
Vicki

 

[Scooterman]

Maricoccus brucei?

http://isopods.nhm.org/databases/isoimages/index.html

Well could be one of many! LOL

 

[Vicki]

Maricoccus brucei?

http://isopods.nhm.org/databases/isoimages/index.html

Well could be one of many! LOL

That is quite the website. I'm still looking through all the species trying to figure this out. Size is slightly less than 5mm on the largest one.

Do you agree with my thoughts that it's an okay isopod though?

Thanks!
Vicki

 

[Damsel13]

humm, knew I should have found a Latin class in High School. So glad for the links even though I get about one half of the information. No hijacking here, just a bump for us newbies.

 

[Scooterman]

http://calacademy.org/Research/izg/SFBay2K/sphaeromatid%20isopod.htm

This one doesn't look like it exactly but according to Ron It would be ok.

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic74969-11-1.aspx

 

[Vicki]

I think the isopod database web site is having too many visitors. It's sure slowed down.

This picture was the best I'd found as well.
http://calacademy.org/Research/izg/SFBay2K/sphaeromatid%20isopod.htm
THANKS for sending all these links.

So, your guess it's okay and I can quit worrying?

Vicki

 

[jezzeaepi]

From what I have found in my isopod research online, there are ones that eat meat, and ones that eat algae. The algae eating ones are ok, but if you find them scavenging on meat based foods, then you might have a problem isopod. The meat scavengers in theory will grow untill they are capable of attacking the fish, and can eventually lead to death.

Take the isopods, and put them in with a small piece fo shrimp and se if they go nuts for it. If they do, then you probably have the bad kind.

I have been trying to identify some ispods in my LR tank, and they rolled up the same as the one in your pic, but to me that doesnt look like a ball, more like a half ball. When I think ball, I think of the "rolley polley" bugs we used to pay with as kids. If anyone can confirm that pictured isopod is in fact "rolling into a ball", or if its a half ball and therefore means its a bad one.

Peace

 

[Vicki]

Hey Jesse,

I tried your experiment, but added a little more to it. I put in a small piece of shrimp and a small piece of nori. One is hanging on to the shrimp piece, but I *think* he's just hanging on. All the rest (about 6) are eating the nori. I sure hope this means something good.

Vicki

 

[Scooterman]

Well that sounds good they are eating algae, there are so many variants of them it isn't easy to identify the exact species.

 

[Boomer]

I don't think that is is Vicki, look at the length to width ratio. Yours is much longer and narrow / width and the link is much shorter / width.

 

[Vicki]

I don't think that is is Vicki, look at the length to width ratio. Yours is much longer and narrow / width and the link is much shorter / width.

Glad you've jumped in on this Boomer.

I'm not sure if the 1mm in the picture is a legend or the size of the critter. If it's a legend, then that critter is much bigger than mine. It is the closest picture in coloration I've found so far.

All the ones I've captured are less than 5mm long.
The fact that they eat nori is encouraging.
The fact that I've seen them on my fish is scary!
(I haven't seen any damage done by them to the fish.)

I'm really not too concerned to figure out which species they are, but more interested to know if they're the good or the bad.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!
Vicki

 

[Boomer]

That 1 mm is scale like on a map, so that on is 6 inches long Sorry but way back I some how forgot to post this

So with that said it look like maybe a female Sphaeromatid. But go through the article, as you will be able to tell more as the pic is not that great.

Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php