Parasites or Good Bugs?

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by teevee

I think what you're looking at there would be copepods.

No, not copepods, which were also on the glass, unless immature copepods have the ability to swim. These little bugs sort of vibrated against the glass, while some swam into the water column, then back to the glass. I was watching some of our big transluscent-white flatworms approach the tiny bugs, thinking the flatworm would eat them, but it passed them by everytime. Gonna keep watching those itty bitty bugs over the next few nights to see what they grow up to be.

You know, while watching the tank over the last few nights, I've seen red swimming worms about 1/8" long and white swimming worms about 1/4" long. PLUS!!!!! We have found another hairy crab in that tank It doesn't have red eyes though and has not taken the bait in the glass of food we have set up to feed the tank. This crab is either very smart not to get caught in the trap or is not a predator.

[One_Divided]

Whatever they are, you should have no trouble finding a preditor for them.. Get a nice wrasse or something and I'm sure they won't last long!

[Beverly]

One,

If they are harmless detrivours, I don't want to get rid of them. Besides, wrasses eat every dang thing that'll fit into their mouths

Had a look at the 72's glass last night and the teeny tiny bugs have really grown over the course of a day. They have noticeable forked tails similar to the bugs we initially pulled out and put into the 5g test tank, so I'm thinking these pinhead sized bugs are babies of the bugs in the photos.

Looked in the 5 gal last night and found one original bug about twice as big as when we put the three of them in there. It was climbing the glass along one corner. Another of the three originals was on the sandbed.

I'm beginning to think these guys are harmless. I could suck up a few of the babies from the 72 and put them into the 5 to see what happens. Will probably do that tomorrow night.

[Quinn]

If you can catch that crab and hold onto him until the 6th, I will take him. Maybe he could hang out in a yogurt container submerged in the tank with holes in it to allow passage of water.

I did some research on isopods and found that the young hatch from eggs carried by the females and resemble adults but with one less pair of legs (six versus seven). Copepods, on the other hand, hatch as nauplii and grow into copepodids then finally into copepods. Copepods, throughout their life cycle, are able to swim.

Having said that, there are also parasitic copepods out there. Therefore what you are going to do with the ones you've been catching is up to you.

http://www.at-sea.org/missions/maine...copprimer.html

http://www.wellfleetbay.org/pond/isopod.html

[Beverly]

Quinn,

If the crab can be caught, I'll save it for you. Have had a really yummy trap set for it the last few nights, but no crab in the morning. Doubt I will catch it

[Lofus]

I've noticed a bunch of these in my tank as well. I'm working on a fish trap to get them.

You might want to read this :
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/clarke_shimek.html

If the one you caught has small eyes you should be ok. If the eyes are bigger you could be infor it.

I'd also check the wetwebmedia.

[Beverly]

Lofus,

Good link. Scared the cr*p outta me. Did a Google search for more info on cirolanids.

Here's a photo, looks similar to my bug:

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic...cirolanid.html

Here's another cirolanid photo that doesn't look like my bug:

http://www.tamug.edu/cavebiology/fau.../B_mayana.html

Here's a page on isopods:

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

Photo from the above page says the way to ID parasitic isopods is by comparing eye sizes. Large eyes = parasite:



Mine doesn't look like this:

http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/mov1559i.html

Compare mine with these. I can't see any antennae on mine, though, but could be there:

http://tolweb.org/tree/eukaryotes/an...caplate07.html

http://tolweb.org/tree/eukaryotes/an...caplate08.html

Here's a discussion on RC:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=196239

Anyway, the best thing to do if I have parasitic isopods is to keep the tank fallow for 3-4 months, according to Dr. Ron. I was shooting for 2 months, but if 3-4 months is what it takes, then 3-4 months it will be

Thanks for the link, even though I'm not happy now

[Beverly]

Well, the chromis has been in the 5g test tank with the three mystery bugs for over a week now. No sign of infestation. Still not convinced these bugs are non-parasitic, though.

Sent the photos to the folks at wetwebmedia for ID. They couldn't tell me if they were parasites, either. However, they did mention a prolonged fallow period of 4-6 months in the event they, or their young offspring, turn out to be parasites. During this fallow period, the tank should not be fed any meaty foods. Dang, and I have been feeding mysis and other frozen meaty foods for the past 3 weeks

Would like opinions of what I could feed the tank instead. Some of my suggestions are nori, dulce, or plain old lettuce that has been previously soaked in SW to remove any pesticides. I also have Selco and Selcon that I am no longer using which I could feed the tank with. I'm sort of thinking the HUFAs in the Selco/Selcon would be enough "meat" for the parasites to live off, but am not sure.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[Beverly]

Just got a reply at RC from Dr. Shimek. He IDs these bugs as sphaeromatids, and they are scavengers

It's almost five weeks since the last fish died from velvet. I think I'm going to begin restocking soon, but with only one angel this time, though

[Lofus]

Good news Beverly!