Little White Critters??

[Kris&Dad]

What are these little (dull pencil point sized) creatures in our new NanoCube DX? We have some snails, hermit crabs an emerald crab and a banded coral shrimp and 10# Live rock. Its been up for about a month and the "bugs" have been visible for just over a week. They are mainly on the glass and will "swim" away if disturbed. Do we need to be concerned about them? We are also seeing a few glass anenomes and a few bristle worms. Do we need to do anything about these prior to adding corals?

Thanks (in advance) for all input!

Tony and Kris

 

[dannyd]

No don't worry about them that is part of you biological filtration. You will eventually see all kinds of critters.

 

[Kris&Dad]

Thanks, Danny. That we thought, but just wanted to be sure. We are also starting a 55 gal. Just put water in on Sunday, Live Rock should arrive today.

 

[CarlaW]

I would definitly want to do something about the glass anenomes. Make some kalk paste and nuke these guys, or they could become a real nuisance. They will sting corals!!!!
If worse comes to worst, pick the rocks out, get a knife and dig them out while you can. Make sure you get all of the anenome, or it will grow back. Do it while you can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HTH

 

[Kris&Dad]

We are not sure what "Kalk paste" is. Do we just stick it over the top of their crevase? How much can we use before it begins to effect the water chemistry?

 

[CarlaW]

Get some kalkwasser, maybe about a teaspoon, and mix it with some RO water to make a paste like solution. Just thin enuf to get it into a small syringe, and then squirt it right into the anenomes mouth. In a nano, I wouldn't use to much! I am used to dealing with larger quantities of water, where I don't have to worry to much. Do you have any critters in your nano yet? Kalk paste will raise your ph if you use to much, especially in a nano. Just be careful and watch your parameters.

 

[Kris&Dad]

Yesterday I attemped to use lemon juice. I'm not sure how successful I was. A couple of the anenomes that I treated are not showing themselves today. My trouble is most of the buggers are smaller than my 19g needle. (I work for a biotech, so I have ready access to needles and syringes). The lemon juice had no effect on the water chemistry, but I could tell the emerald crab and the snails didn't like it. It appeared the crab was actually "blowing" the juice cloud away from him. The snail, that was near one of the anenomes I was treating, released when the Juice cloud arrived. I will also try your suggestion.

 

[CarlaW]

I use one of the syringes that come with the salifert test kits, you might want to look into that. Good luck, and keep us updated, someone is always around to help!

 

[mojoreef]

If they are white and look like dots with legs and move when disturbed they are not glass anenomes. Thye are hydroid jelly fish. They usually bloom when a tank is first setup and then die off not to be seen. heres a pic.

Mike

 

[NaH2O]

Kris&Dad - Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

Mike may be right about the hydroid jellyfish on your glass, do they resemble the photo? There is another picture of them in the ID Gallery/Hitchhiker section - Staurocladia oahuens. I'm slowly building this section, so feel free to look at the other photos.

As far as what to do about the glass anemones you are seeing on the rock(?) - Here is a link to Let's Talk About ~Pests~. One particular post from this thread on Aiptasia removal Single Post - Aiptasia

Hope these help!

 

[Kris&Dad]

I don't think the "white critters" are the jelly fish. They are more rod shaped. Kris says they look like "Plankton" from Sponge-Bob, just not green. Thanks for the other links.

 

[Angelscrx]

Kris&dad welcome to Reef Frontiers.

My tnka has been set up since may and I still see these little jelly fish things. At first I thought they were snail eggs and that's what some folks said they maybe. But the picture here nails them right on the head. How cool is that?

 

[NaH2O]

Check these out. Sounds like it may be a pod of somesort if it resembles "Plankton" from SpongeBob...

Isopods
Amphipods
Crustacean List by Species Name

 

[Angelscrx]

Aren't the isopods the bad kind though? I learned something new I have been caling my Amphipods Copepods. Now I know better.

 

[NaH2O]

Not all isopods are bad. There are some that are parasitic, as noted in the article below, they are helpful algal grazers. Here is a quote from: Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium

The isopods in the family Idoteidae of the suborder Valvifera are characterized by having a long narrow body, often with a long tapering final segment or telson. Idoteids are generally considered to be algae-eating animals, and many are often colored to match the algae they are found on. In reef aquaria they are benign or helpful algal grazers.

Here are a couple of images of Copepods, too:

Copepod Image 1
Calanus - Image 2

Article: Bitty Bugs: Copepods in the Reef Aquarium

 

[Kris&Dad]

I think they most resemble the copepod in image 1. I will not worry about them. Thanks a ton for all your research!

 

[Angelscrx]

Not all isopods are bad. There are some that are parasitic, as noted in the article below, they are helpful algal grazers. Here is a quote from: Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium

This is the same article I read about Isopods so that's how I remembered the name. Since I am not good at identifying them I don't want any kind of Isopod in my tank.

Yep according to the pics I have been identifying my Amphipods wrong. Thanks for helping me clarify that Nikki. Now if I could identify some of my coral frags? :lol:

 

[NaH2O]

Angelscrx - don't stress about isopods. Most of the time they are harmless, similar to bristleworms. Occasionally, you'll read about the Cirolanid isopods in reef aquaria. Here is another link: Cirolanid isopods. I like a quote in this link saying winning the lottery and getting these in your tank are about the same odds.

Also, you can check out this link for more pics. *you have to copy and paste the url because of the way the address reads*
http://www.rshimek.com/rogue's_gallery.htm#Cirolanid%20Isopods

 

[Angelscrx]

Thanks Nikki, I appreciate the info. By the way I see you got your picture back as your avatar! Much prettier than the last one!

 

[mojoreef]

Hey I thought Nikki looked pretty good dressed up as a walrus!!!!!!


Mike