isopods???

[netminder34]

I find two bean like shaped critters in my sump not quite sure what they are? are they isopods?how do I get rid of them?

[nolofinwe]

how big? what color? how long have you been up and running?

[MJC]

Do they resemble anything int he following link?

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

[kevin adams]

im at a loss

[Wrassman]

My first thought, netminder, is that they are beneficial to your tank, and that you want to keep them. There are many species of wrasse and pseudochromis that love those little critters and will literally "chow down" on them...

But, if you don't have a fish that is a natural predator for them, I can see why you might have a growing concern. My suggestion to you would be to go to your most trusted LFS tomorrow and look at their wrasse offerings. I'm sure they have a 6-line or an 8-line. They might even have a Pin-Stripe. Get your tank one of these wonderful additions to your population, take it home and let it acclimate for awhile, and then turn it loose. It should make pretty short work fo the little nuscience critters you have...

Let me know if this DOESN'T work, I have a "back up plan;" but we definitely should NOT need it...

Steve

[netminder34]

they are yellowish in color and about 1/2" it had a few black rings on it body. it looked like a shimp cocktail(the shape with legs).I lokked in the link and didn't find. the tank has been running 6 months.

[nolofinwe]

sounds like your common copepod to me.

good food for your fish, most people try to propagate them.

[RichT]

I, had and probably still do have, several of these http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/movstei.html in my 55gal marine fish only. They kinda look like those "Rolly-Polly" things I used to play with when I was a kid. I first noticed one in my filter cartridge while changing carbon one day. Then about 1 week or so later I found one attached to my Powder Blue Tang, on his dorsal fin. I netted him and removed it with a pair of tweezers, at which time I found he was literally attached with claws and/or teeth. No visable damage appeared to be done to the PBT. My LFS couldn't ID it, and told me to use Green-Ex to get rid of them. I didn't dose my tank, though. I haven't found any more attached to my fish, but I have seen several in the algae around the filters. I don't know if they are benificial or not, but until I see anymore attached to my fish I'm not going to mess with them.

[Wrassman]

Very few of those guys attach themselves to fish. In all my years in this hobby, I've had it happen twice. So, don't worry about them suddenly covering your fish and sucking it's blood. It's not going to happen.

For the most part, they are good critters. They eat detritus that other larger critters can't get to. And they are important parts of the food chain, in that fish like to eat them. Especially some species of wrasses. If you think your pod population is getting out of control, go get just about any kind of Halichoeres sp. wrasse and they will keep them under control. So will the ones I mentioned before.

Everything will be fine, netminder. Keep us posted...:CO