Amphipods Eating Palys/Zoas

[CodyRVA]

I've made a few threads about my suffering paly and zoa colonies. After returning home from a short vacation, I noticed my Sunny D palys had a spot that appeared to be eaten away. My first thought was my hermits went rogue. I decided to inspect at night time, here is what I found. I've invested in a mandarin, but these pods are far to large for him to eat. I've been told a wrasse would do little to the population as these pods only seem to come out at night. Another reefer suggested a coral banded shrimp... Thoughts?

 

[CodyRVA]

Looping in: @Lionfish Lair, @saltyfilmfolks

 

[cloak]

I didn't really see anything out of the ordinary from that video. There have been some reports of Amphipods eating zoanthids before, but these reports seem to few and far between IMO. Are you sure it's not something else?

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

 

[CodyRVA]

I didn't really see anything out of the ordinary from that video. There have been some reports of Amphipods eating zoanthids before, but these reports seem to few and far between IMO. Are you sure it's not something else?

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

Nothing in that link looks relatable to what i've experienced. When I hit the rock with the turkey baster, the only areas that sent pods flying were in area's with problematic palys/zoas. The Sunny D's were the most recent target. You can see in the video the section of them that's chewed up/melted away. I've had zero issues with those palys prior to discovering the pods.

 

[Quah]

I've also heard of amphipods eating on zoa's and paly's but usually I feel their decline is due to something else and amphipods are fulfilling a scavenger role, have you tried dipping an entire colony if possible. I found some zoa spiders that way.

 

[CodyRVA]

Here's a better video, this is exactly what I'm seeing in my system. And no I haven't dipped any of them yet, but these are perfectly healthy colonies, no issues what so ever. IMO these pods are vastly over populated and indeed playing the scavenger role. If nothing else i'd like to find something to eat them (rumors of coral banded shrimp) in which case I can at least rule them out if the palys/zoas continue to struggle.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I think I'm experiencing this as well ever since I've removed my fish for a tank transfer. I have a huge increase in amphipods and I'm considering adding a fish soon just because of this.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Looping in: @Lionfish Lair, @saltyfilmfolks

This is one discussion I tend to dodge, because there never is a good answer. As common as amphipods are, there's only one video that I know of (which is the one above) that I have ever seen one actually clasping and eating the zoa. I don't think that was it's primary intention, but ended up being a munch of interest. When he gets up under the zoa, he can tear up through the tender tissue giving him access to whatever is in the zoa's "belly". He might have been picking up under a loose edge and one thing led to another. I've seen a lot of videos where people said "See! they're eating my zoas, when they clearly were not".

So most people have amphipods in their tank. There are many videos out with amphipods in there. There's only one video that shows one actually eating the coral. SOMEone has to win the lottery, but I figure that's about the odds of someone having a coral eating amphipod. If there are 100s of amphipod videos and they were really into munching coral, we would see more of it..... not one lonely video. There would be many.

 

[Naiad]

As for saying the pods are solely responsible for the corals decline that is almost impossible. With so many species it would be foolish to say none eat coral but they are obviously not common. As for number control wrasse help but I would look at nocturnal fish

 

[CodyRVA]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try and take a better video tonight. It has become a regular occurrence to see these large pods nested under the polyps. I also think this is what has attributed to my freshly cut frags all melting. Whether they're actually "eating" the flesh of the polyps or irritating them enough to melt away, the result is the same. I have no natural predator for these guys in my system, as stated, my mandarin can't manage the large pods. That's why I think the population exploded and on top of already having a ULN system, are these guys starving? Over populated, no predators, insufficient food supply? I haven't seen any other disease, bacteria, critter, etc that could be causing the palys/zoas to have these problems. This is not to say that there isn't one, i'm just saying i've been inspecting for some time and i have only ever found pods. Considering there are a plethora of other healthy paly/zoa colonies in the system, lends me to think its not a parameter issue either.

Anyone have any experience with coral banded shrimp eating these things? Suggestions for nocturnal fish?

 

[Ol' Salty]

Usually, amphipods are a clean up crew. They might be eating your zoas because something is wrong with them and they are cleaning them up like any dieing material. Is your water chemistry all good? I would check that first if you haven't.
Amphipods are usually a good thing in tanks. Most fish will eat amphipods, if they find them, so they are free food. They also clean up left over food. Best way to keep them under control is to make sure you are not over feeding your tank. Good luck with your zoas.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea I have to go with Renee. Possible I suppose but I've had crazy nuts blooms of some crazy bugs. Yea possible but...
Fwiw my royal gramma will snatch those little suckers right out the water like they're popcorn.

 

[CodyRVA]

Looping in @Jonathan Presseau. All, will be posting a video soon, just checked those pod jerks and they're doing a number on my Sunny D's as we speak. Will post video asap. Also got a coral banded shrimp to test his taste for pods. Getting a leopard wrasse from a local reefer tomorrow as well.

 

[lozorjefe]

Ive had the same problem every so called expert told me its not possible, but when a zoa colony is closed up i fresh water dip it and bunch of big pods die. Ive got a 6 line, mandarin and a coral bandit shrimp havent had a problem since

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Looping in @Jonathan Presseau. All, will be posting a video soon, just checked those pod jerks and they're doing a number on my Sunny D's as we speak. Will post video asap. Also got a coral banded shrimp to test his taste for pods. Getting a leopard wrasse from a local reefer tomorrow as well.

You'll totally make my night.


Of course it's possible, there's a video right there above us and there's no doubt he's holding colored flesh and tearing into it like a starving kid at a hot dog eating contest. Gammarids are not a species or even a genus, they are a suborder and their variety is eye crossing. It may not be a "nice" amphipod gone rogue, but could be a particular one/group. It could be the closed environment we have them in and a situation of pods that are adapting to current abundant food sources.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1207

 

[CodyRVA]

Take a gander, this was shot with an iPhone 6 so quality is not ideal, but should be good enough. Love to hear everyones thoughts...

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Looping in @Jonathan Presseau. All, will be posting a video soon, just checked those pod jerks and they're doing a number on my Sunny D's as we speak. Will post video asap. Also got a coral banded shrimp to test his taste for pods. Getting a leopard wrasse from a local reefer tomorrow as well.

Hey Cody not being nosy but what part of the country are you in and where did you get your rock and coral. Is it Caribbean and Florida by chance.
I'm no expert but always Interested in the regionally of species. As most of our coral on the west coast is from Indo and aus and Hawaii and live rock from the ocean seems unheard of here. Like some of the rather virulent strains of diatoms red bubble algae seem to come from the east coast from viginia south to Texas east coast gulf areas. Ive never seen documentation on what's going on in your tank except for rumor. But out here we don't get mantis shrimp and as many crabs either.
So yea totally possible. Bummer if it is. Totally fascinating.
:mad:I need to get home so can see the video better.

Is a softie ZOA frag qt and nuke an option ? Until you clear them by predation?
I always hate to think about nuking the inverts in a tank

 

[CodyRVA]

Hey Cody not being nosy but what part of the country are you in and where did you get your rock and coral. Is it Caribbean and Florida by chance.
I'm no expert but always Interested in the regionally of species. As most of our coral on the west coast is from Indo and aus and Hawaii and live rock from the ocean seems unheard of here. Like some of the rather virulent strains of diatoms red bubble algae seem to come from the east coast from viginia south to Texas east coast gulf areas. Ive never seen documentation on what's going on in your tank except for rumor. But out here we don't get mantis shrimp and as many crabs either.
So yea totally possible. Bummer if it is. Totally fascinating.
:mad:I need to get home so can see the video better.

Is a softie ZOA frag qt and nuke an option ? Until you clear them by predation?
I always hate to think about nuking the inverts in a tank

I'm in Virginia. This system was kickstarted after sitting idle for i'd say at least 10 years. My dad ran it back in the 90s, so I have no clue where the rock originally came from, but it was mostly dead by the time i got the system. I didn't have pods when i re-cycled the system. I believe they came from a piece of live rock i scored a with a RBTA on it. I've never had a pod eater in the system and this is where I am now. Most of the local reefers around here get their rock from Florida I do believe, but no guarantee on that; I might be able to find out though.

Ironically enough I have found red bubble algae growing amongst my chaeto.

I'm really not sure what direction i'm going to take. I saw this thread on Melevs Reef about using interceptor, the stuff you treat dogs with, but I really have no desire to eradicate the inverts in my system. I'm really hoping that this leopard wrasse I get tomorrow, in addition to that coral banded shrimp and mandarin will knock these guys back.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hmm not ironic I think. Or coincidental.
Folks don't qt thier live rock or dip it.
And if there were the right predators in the other tank that's never know. Like some Nudi's flatworms etc. def planarian out west here.
Oh get that red Bubble OUT. Carefully.
That is a thing of nightmares from each and every account I have ever read.

 

[Tahoe61]

Because you have a mandarin Interceptor is not a viable choice

Interceptor will not kill off all the inverts in your system though. It will significantly cut down the population of pods, and yes it will kills crabs and shrimp. I have used it and find it to be a fairly benign treatment and quite effective. One just has to remove crabs and shrimp. My brittle stars and bristle worms did seem stunned by it but quickly recovered.