Isopod ID?

[EHWhite]

New to the Forum.

About 2 months ago I bought some Cheato from Algae Barn. Since then it has been in a newly-established quarantine tank, which contains nothing but water, the Chaeto, and the usual aquarium equipment. No substrate, nothing else. I now have hundreds of little isopods in the tank, that seem to be scavenging on the Chaeto and the aquarium walls.

I have tried to ID these, but can't determine if they are Sphaeromatid, Cirolanid, or something else. On the one hand they LOOK like female Sphaeromatids, with body shape and the small eyes set to the side - and they are thriving on scavenging a tank with zero prey animals. On the other hand of the dozen or two I have examined I have not spotted a single one that looks like a male Sphaeromatid, I have not been able to induce one to curl up into a ball, and they have visible antenae.

Most of the individuals are quite small, like the example in the grid photo (0.1 mm grid spacing) but there are several about twice that size - like the one in the clearer photo.

Before I put the Chaeto in my refugium I would like to be reasonably assured that I did not just turn my fish into isopod food, rather than the other way around. Any help resolving this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Erik White

 

[Formulator]

I’ve never heard of trying to ID pods in a fuge. I have such a huge diversity of bugs in mine, I can’t imagine. I didn’t think there was such a thing as a “bad” pod…. A year from now I think you will drive yourself nuts if you are trying to ID every pod that pops up. Just my 2 cents. Not an expert, but I’ve been doing this for almost 9 years and have never heard of a fish eating pod LOL.

Also, if they are in your fuge, they are already in your display.

 

[EHWhite]

They aren't in my fuge yet, and I don't want to put them there until I am sure that they aren't Cirolanids. Cirolanids are predatory, can and will feed on my fish, and can be difficult to distinguish from harmless Sphaeromatids.

Isopoda

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

They aren't in my fuge yet, and I don't want to put them there until I am sure that they aren't Cirolanids. Cirolanids are predatory, can and will feed on my fish, and can be difficult to distinguish from harmless Sphaeromatids.

Isopoda

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Sorry, I responded so late to this on the other thread:

Sorry for the slow response - can you get some pictures or describe the underside of the isopod's tail? More specifically, is the underside of the tail area between the last legs and the tip of the tail domed/rounded, or is it flat?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I’ve never heard of trying to ID pods in a fuge. I have such a huge diversity of bugs in mine, I can’t imagine. I didn’t think there was such a thing as a “bad” pod…. A year from now I think you will drive yourself nuts if you are trying to ID every pod that pops up. Just my 2 cents. Not an expert, but I’ve been doing this for almost 9 years and have never heard of a fish eating pod LOL.

Also, if they are in your fuge, they are already in your display.

Yeah, the vast majority of pods are good, but some pods can be parasitic and/or predatory (or "micropredatory" where they take bites out of something living then run away).

For example, Black Bugs, White Bugs, Red Bugs, and Gray Bugs are coral-parasitic copepods, and - in addition to the parasitic ones like Tongue Lice - some isopods (Corallanids and Cirolanids) are micropredators that will even take bites out of people:

Blood sucking/flesh eating isopod

Hah, the joys of owning a reef tank. I've restarted my tank with fresh live rock 3 months ago because of several issues. It was running fine since then but it seems l have introduced some kind of isopod pest into my tank. One of the flesh eating kind. How do I know that? Well I was bitten while...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Formulator]

Yeah, the vast majority of pods are good, but some pods can be parasitic and/or predatory (or "micropredatory" where they take bites out of something living then run away).

For example, Black Bugs, White Bugs, Red Bugs, and Gray Bugs are coral-parasitic copepods, and - in addition to the parasitic ones like Tongue Lice - some isopods (Corallanids and Cirolanids) are micropredators that will even take bites out of people:

Blood sucking/flesh eating isopod

Hah, the joys of owning a reef tank. I've restarted my tank with fresh live rock 3 months ago because of several issues. It was running fine since then but it seems l have introduced some kind of isopod pest into my tank. One of the flesh eating kind. How do I know that? Well I was bitten while...

www.reef2reef.com

Wow! Learned something new today. Thanks! Also now slightly afraid to stick my hand in my fuge

 

[EHWhite]

I can't make out the configuration - especially since they are quite small and I don't really know what I am looking for. Here are some photos and a short video of a couple representatives. Many of them exhibit the "flapping" you see under the tail, which I speculate may be oxygenating eggs. Don't really know.

Again, given how they are thriving in a prey-free environment, I am inclined to believe that they are harmless. I just don't want to bet my tank that I am right.

Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Sorry, I responded so late to this on the other thread:

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Sorry, I responded so late to this on the other thread:

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I can't make out the configuration - especially since they are quite small and I don't really know what I am looking for. Here are some photos and a short video of a couple representatives. Many of them exhibit the "flapping" you see under the tail, which I speculate may be oxygenating eggs. Don't really know.

Again, given how they are thriving in a prey-free environment, I am inclined to believe that they are harmless. I just don't want to bet my tank that I am right.

Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide

I'm ~95% sure these are Sphaeromatid isopods (the good kind), as it seems the underside of the tip of the tail (the pleotelson) is vaulted/domed. If you can get a really clear pic of the posterior half from the top (the half with the tail) so that I can see the segmentation on it, that would help with the other 5%.

I would guess but don't know for sure that the "flapping" is them breathing, as Sphaeromatids have a branchial chamber (gill chamber) in that section.

 

[Borat]

Nice pod pet!

 

[EHWhite]

I'm ~95% sure these are Sphaeromatid isopods (the good kind), as it seems the underside of the tip of the tail (the pleotelson) is vaulted/domed. If you can get a really clear pic of the posterior half from the top (the half with the tail) so that I can see the segmentation on it, that would help with the other 5%.

I would guess but don't know for sure that the "flapping" is them breathing, as Sphaeromatids have a branchial chamber (gill chamber) in that section.

Here's the best I can get on the posterior. The little buggers won't sit still. I did have a significant development with the batch I pulled out for this photo shoot: two of them curled up into nice tight little balls - which pretty much seals the Sphaeromatid deal (I hope). I included a shot of the head in which you can see that they have four antennae (it was a little more obvious in live view).

I am now reasonably confident that they are Sphaeromatids, but I appreciate your confirmation and your help so far.

Thanks

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Here's the best I can get on the posterior. The little buggers won't sit still. I did have a significant development with the batch I pulled out for this photo shoot: two of them curled up into nice tight little balls - which pretty much seals the Sphaeromatid deal (I hope). I included a shot of the head in which you can see that they have four antennae (it was a little more obvious in live view).

I am now reasonably confident that they are Sphaeromatids, but I appreciate your confirmation and your help so far.

Thanks

Yeah, the posterior looks like the typical Sphaeromatid from what I can see, and them balling up (conglobating) confirms it - so yeah, you have good isopods there.

 

[EHWhite]

Yeah, the posterior looks like the typical Sphaeromatid from what I can see, and them balling up (conglobating) confirms it - so yeah, you have good isopods there.

They and their Cheato will be migrating to my refugium tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help