copepods taking over and stressing my corals!

[nano reef]

Help! Copepods are aggravating my corals!. They are crawling all over my new frags all 18 of them. Most of which I won. My hubby had this great idea to bring some tigger ones home for the picky yellow clown goby. I already had some anyway, naturally that I saw the fish picking off the glass so I dont think the fish was starving to death like my hubby assumed. My corals are totaly stressing not only from them but had a huge drop in salinity when I did the last water change. I am assuming I mixed it wrong because after a week and I was doing a new change it was 1.020! At that point I noticed my refractometer was giving in consistent readings! Anyway, I brought it back to 1025 in 2 days time. They barely open now and I see them crawling all over them!

How long does it take until they starve to death? Will they live off of reefroids from when I feed my corals? What kind of fish will eat them but not be dependent on them after they die off? I originally wanted these in my large tank but after this I dont think I do. Maybe if they would have gotten picked off by the fish at the baby stage they wouldnt have gotten big and crawly! I know they will even get bigger. Right now most are the size of ants, some big ants some small. None of them are swimming though. I did just scrape a bunch off the glass! What should I do? I have heard of them eating corals like zoanthids My zoas wont open so I cant even feed them!

They are in a ten gallon and I have plans to move most of these frags to my 36 gallon anyway, but I am in the process of figuring out lightening, plus I dont want to turn light on to soon after cycle because of algae and new tank syndrome. I never had any algae in my 10 gallon! Has anyone ever heard of death by copepod for a coral haha I just know with the salinity problem and n ow this. Plus they are new and adjusting to my tank. I have sucked some up through a tiny looking turkey baster that you use for water on refractometer and have smashed some but not sure if I should wait it out or get a fish or hurry up and figure which light I want and move them! Then again acclimating them to a new light is adding more stress. I would not be surprised if the salinty drop alone dosnt end up killing them from what I read! If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them...Thanks
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REPLY

 

[joseserrano]

get a mandarin or some other type of copepod eating guy.

 

[BighohoReef]

Do you have a picture, that's a small water column for what you are describing. I would love to help but need a little more information to go on. It sounds like you're rushing through the process for your tanks and the livestock can't keep up with the changes.

How many pods did you put in the tank to start with? What is your fish population? Is it just the one clown?

 

[BighohoReef]

I wouldn't just add fish to clean out the pods...

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’m going to guess the large salinity swing may have stressed out your coral and the pods are cleaning them by eating dead bits of tissue or coral slime.

 

[homer1475]

I’m going to guess the large salinity swing may have stressed out your coral and the pods are cleaning them by eating dead bits of tissue or coral slime.

This ^^

 

[Fishbird]

I’m sorry your corals are stressed! One thing to consider, if your salinity dropped that much and then came back up your corals also experienced a large alkalinity swing and that is also very very stressful for corals. I would focus on keeping your salinity and other parameters stable going forward. I think the length of time to recover from an alk swing depends on a lot of variables so you could be looking at weeks but I also bet that eventually whatever pods you’re seeing will die off and hopefully at least some corals will recover.

I would be very hesitant about getting a mandarin. They definitely need a constant supply of pods as long as they live. They aren’t for short cleanup jobs. But more importantly, if you can see these pods and they are the size of ants, they aren’t copepods. Maybe amphipods? Can you get a picture? You can see the adult form of large copepod species like tigger pods but they get to be 1.5mm long and that’s very very large for a copepod. Most species are much less then a millimeter long as adults.

 

[nano reef]

Do you have a picture, that's a small water column for what you are describing. I would love to help but need a little more information to go on. It sounds like you're rushing through the process for your tanks and the livestock can't keep up with the changes.

How many pods did you put in the tank to start with? What is your fish population? Is it just the one clown?

no Thats the last thing I am doing is rushing! I waited almost 3 monthhs to turn lights on and add coral to my 10 gallon that I am speaking of and my 36 gallon is cycled a few weeks now and I have a small coral life led that really wasnt being used on there and barely have it on. Maybe a few hours a day and lot of time on blue when it is on. I just keep the room well lite and a lamp next to tank with lampshade off it. I moved my 2 clownfish i there and this 10 gallon is bare but corals. I am having an amonia spike as well. My corals looking worse! Duncan has died for sure. I blew off some sand on it with turkey baster and it blew the skin right off the skeleton. I am afraid the skim maybe just attached and most of these 18 frags are dead! Now they arent responing to food even and shrivling up! My toch is open quite a bit and one big duncan colony, 2 baby toadstool seem okay.

 

[nano reef]

get a mandarin or some other type of copepod eating guy.

then I am stuck with copepods forever! I hate the little bugers!

 

[nano reef]

I’m going to guess the large salinity swing may have stressed out your coral and the pods are cleaning them by eating dead bits of tissue or coral slime.

oh no, this is bad right?

 

[TriggerFinger]

The pods are not attacking or harming your coral, a salinity swing can though. The best thing you can do is keep your parameters stable, as that will help the coral recover. You’re stuck with pods though...we all have them and they are actually very beneficial.

 

[Squidward]

Musts be ampiphods and not copepods.

 

[F i s h y]

I’m going to guess the large salinity swing may have stressed out your coral and the pods are cleaning them by eating dead bits of tissue or coral slime.

I agree with this. I agree that just because the pods are on them doesn't make them the issue. Quite the opposite, healthy corals may even eat them. The fast swings in salinity are most likely the cause of your issue. Some words of wisdom i live by "nothing good happens fsst in a reef tank"

 

[nano reef]

I’m sorry your corals are stressed! One thing to consider, if your salinity dropped that much and then came back up your corals also experienced a large alkalinity swing and that is also very very stressful for corals. I would focus on keeping your salinity and other parameters stable going forward. I think the length of time to recover from an alk swing depends on a lot of variables so you could be looking at weeks but I also bet that eventually whatever pods you’re seeing will die off and hopefully at least some corals will recover.

I would be very hesitant about getting a mandarin. They definitely need a constant supply of pods as long as they live. They aren’t for short cleanup jobs. But more importantly, if you can see these pods and they are the size of ants, they aren’t copepods. Maybe amphipods? Can you get a picture? You can see the adult form of large copepod species like tigger pods but they get to be 1.5mm long and that’s very very large for a copepod. Most species are much less then a millimeter long as adults.

They are all sizes so I am assuming they are breeding! They are definetly tigger pods. They are red in center and thats what we put in there! I could kill my hubby! We had a picky fish and he went to get water and was asking the guy about brine shrimp like I asked him to do and the next thing he comes home with this big bottle that the kid at the lfs told him to get! Tiggers to. I believe the largest kind and this was for a yellow clown goby! Anyway, Things are way worse now! I forgot to even mention the ammonia spike!

While we were trying to feed the yellow clown goby we were putting in a lot of food so I would take out the live rock and clean leftover food out under rock and I also sucked out so much in the last 6 months from cleaning that I had to replace some sand. I am assuming some of the bacteria died from adding sand and rock being out for short periods. I added some dr Tims, no avail, then added microbe lift bacteria that you are supposed to add daily. I did it 3 days. I googled amonia and coral health and stuff and read several people saying their corals had reactions to bacteria products like vibrant and others. My duncan has skin hanging off it after I blew sand off it with turkey baster. Makes me wonder how many corals just have skin on them but dead underneath! Most of my zoas arent opening. My acans are shriveled up and blasto. Toadstool are fine. One duncan is okay but has opened alot less today and I tried to feed them last night and no feeding responces from any of them .

THey were doing so much better when they were in the high salinity! They seem to get worse daily! What should I do? I have a million things happening at once? I am not going to add anymore bacteria and thought I would add seachem prime? What do yall think? I have removed the two clown fish and they were removed when I wrote this so maybe one reason why copepods are taking over. I dont think they would eat them anyway. They dont swim and are crawling and so fast! I cant catch anymore! I dont know how I manged to the other day!

I wonder if they would be better off in my other tank, or just try the seachem prime for the amonia. I just wish I knew what was the worst of all the problems, so many things at once. The amonia, the additives, the salinity, the copepods and if I moved them I could add adjusting to a new light as another stresser and one they wont use for long because I am light shopping for that tank anyway. I had planned on keeping about half in that tank and half in ten gallon! I won a lot of them from unique corals so thats good that I am not out of my money but still sucks if they dont make it!

I now this is not a typical situation and probably just a guessing game. Does anyone know if seachem prime is safe and works on ammonia? St least I can alleviate one problem with that!

 

[nano reef]

Do you have a picture, that's a small water column for what you are describing. I would love to help but need a little more information to go on. It sounds like you're rushing through the process for your tanks and the livestock can't keep up with the changes.

How many pods did you put in the tank to start with? What is your fish population? Is it just the one clown?

I also forgot to mention that after having a cycled tank for 6 months I had a amonia spike. I took the 2 clown fish out and the yellow clown goby jumped! I always have it covered but I left in for a short period while I was feeding my acans, waiting for them to digest the shrimp or swallow. Takes a little time. We put in about 2/3 of a small bottle.

I have so many things going on, I guess I cant expect anyone to be able to help beacuse I am unsure of what is causing it! I searched the web on wheter or not to up the salinity quick in a situation like this and couldnt find anything. I should have put it in here but I upped it about 2 1/2 points a day, beacuse they were stating to look a little bad, but its been days since and they look worse and one has for sure died , unless it can come back after skin is ripped off and you can see the skeleton! Thats only one area. Its a 6 or 7 head duncan! One of my bigger frags!!! When corals die is it usually a slow process? Is there anyway to speed them along the way to recovery? LOL Maybe a dip? should I dip the duncan in an iodine dip or something? I also put in some bacteria additives that might have made things worse! Unless its just taking a little while to totally kick the bucket from the salinity! I know that is considered an real bad situation to be that low and for the life of me I cant figure it out! I know that I have a hanna checker now and the one I was using is suddenly off by about 5 points! So I suppose I mixed it off, not realizing it changed that much. I iwll never trust a refractometer again without double or triple checking and against my hanna checker and I will calibrate that often!

 

[Difrano]

You had one initial issue and wasn't the pods, in the wild pods and coral need each other, pods feed on dead tissue and avoid coral decease and corals feed on them. Your issue was the low salinity 1.020 may be ok for fish they tolerate high salinity swings, but corals don't like low salinity that means low alk and low calcium, then raising the salinity to 1.025 in 2 days is too fast and that big swing in elements ticked and stressed your corals to death. Now you say that you have ammonia, means that your bacteria is not able to handle the new bioload. You need to realize that your tank is crashing and not from the pods, they are just doing their work. Try to get stability, move out all your fish, dose bacteria and let your tank cycle again. Then reintroduce the fish slowly.

 

[nano reef]

I agree with this. I agree that just because the pods are on them doesn't make them the issue. Quite the opposite, healthy corals may even eat them. The fast swings in salinity are most likely the cause of your issue. Some words of wisdom i live by "nothing good happens fsst in a reef tank"

oh I know but what choice did I have but to bring it up in a few days? I wanted to bring it up all at once when I found out but I read how dangerous low salinity is!

 

[WallyB]

I thought the same thing you are worrying about (years ago). I thought my pods were attacking my Zoa's.

Turned out to be quite the opposite.

When Coral get stressed and start dieing off...the Pods are actually cleaning off the dead loose parts.
So in essence they are doing clean up work and the problem is the Coral not the pods.
If there is any chance the corals can heal and recover, the pods are actually helping.

Focus on the tank and corals, and don't worry about the pods.
Key is get your tank stable. Water within resonable parameter (ie Salnity) and Lighting lower rather than higher, since damaged corals can get hurt more when they are weak. Even very low, or off for a little while.

Little extra flow if possible will help the shed any die off, that the pods can't clean up.

If your damage to corals is extensive some may not recover, but don't just give up.
The most dead looking corals can sometime make a comeback. It takes time, lots of time, and the more you mess around the smaller the chance is of recovery.

No promises, just want you to have hope and less worry.

Just to give you an idea on how Some Corals, beyond death can make a comeback.

This happend to my Tank (Total Wipeout, overnight), photo on right was night before.

I awas going to toss everything into the Garbage, but I didn't have time, and after some minor cleanup, left the tank fish ONLY wiht dead corals skeltons.

Sure I lost the Clam, and the Leather my mistake for throwing out,

But the Nothing but DEAD LOOKING SKELTONS, start showing litle spouts of life. So I waited and watched.
Not overnight, but months.
The Trumpets, and LPS slowly grew back and years later did very very well.

I wish the Palys died, since they to this day control the tank.

My point is get things corrected/stable and don't give up.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

They are all sizes so I am assuming they are breeding! They are definetly tigger pods. They are red in center and thats what we put in there! I could kill my hubby! We had a picky fish and he went to get water and was asking the guy about brine shrimp like I asked him to do and the next thing he comes home with this big bottle that the kid at the lfs told him to get! Tiggers to. I believe the largest kind and this was for a yellow clown goby! Anyway, Things are way worse now! I forgot to even mention the ammonia spike!

While we were trying to feed the yellow clown goby we were putting in a lot of food so I would take out the live rock and clean leftover food out under rock and I also sucked out so much in the last 6 months from cleaning that I had to replace some sand. I am assuming some of the bacteria died from adding sand and rock being out for short periods. I added some dr Tims, no avail, then added microbe lift bacteria that you are supposed to add daily. I did it 3 days. I googled amonia and coral health and stuff and read several people saying their corals had reactions to bacteria products like vibrant and others. My duncan has skin hanging off it after I blew sand off it with turkey baster. Makes me wonder how many corals just have skin on them but dead underneath! Most of my zoas arent opening. My acans are shriveled up and blasto. Toadstool are fine. One duncan is okay but has opened alot less today and I tried to feed them last night and no feeding responces from any of them .

THey were doing so much better when they were in the high salinity! They seem to get worse daily! What should I do? I have a million things happening at once? I am not going to add anymore bacteria and thought I would add seachem prime? What do yall think? I have removed the two clown fish and they were removed when I wrote this so maybe one reason why copepods are taking over. I dont think they would eat them anyway. They dont swim and are crawling and so fast! I cant catch anymore! I dont know how I manged to the other day!

I wonder if they would be better off in my other tank, or just try the seachem prime for the amonia. I just wish I knew what was the worst of all the problems, so many things at once. The amonia, the additives, the salinity, the copepods and if I moved them I could add adjusting to a new light as another stresser and one they wont use for long because I am light shopping for that tank anyway. I had planned on keeping about half in that tank and half in ten gallon! I won a lot of them from unique corals so thats good that I am not out of my money but still sucks if they dont make it!

I now this is not a typical situation and probably just a guessing game. Does anyone know if seachem prime is safe and works on ammonia? St least I can alleviate one problem with that!

Yes prime will neutralize the ammonia.

How old is the tank has it finished cycling? If so do you know why there is ammonia in the tank? What is your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

Did you and do you know how to calibrate a refractometer? If not salinity could be off.

I read that you took the two clowns out of the tank. Are there any other fish in the tank?

 

[nano reef]

Musts be ampiphods and not copepods.

No they are copepods, maybe ampiopds too some are bigger and white but they only come out when lights out and I have seen a few large white ones hide right when the light goes on. The ones that appear to be harassing my corals are the small copepods. The bigger ones seem to move around more and hide more the little red ones I can plainly see on the frag plugs and occasionally on the corals. I did see one of my duncans eat one a few days ago.