Friend or foe? Pest? Idk

[Greg B.]

Well today I was cleaning my sand bed. I usually take a turkey Easter and kick up the sand while the pumps are on and then clean the sand bed after. Today I find these little boogers and I'm not sure if it's good or bad.

 

[Borat]

Don't put your fingers in - they will bite them off in no time..

 

[Greg B.]

Don't put your fingers in - they will bite them off in no time..

What is it?

 

[Borat]

What is it?

It is a baby bugzilla!

 

[Greg B.]

It is a baby bugzilla!

 

[Rjukan]

It's just an amphipod

A good guy..

 

[Borat]

..kidding - they are amphipods, most likely gammarus.. every tank has them and they are good to have!

 

[Greg B.]

..kidding - they are amphipods, most likely gammarus.. every tank has them and they are good to have!

What are they? And what do they do for the tank?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Can't get the video to load. Any chance you have a pic of what you're trying to identify?

 

[Greg B.]

Can't get the video to load. Any chance you have a pic of what you're trying to identify?

 

[Crabs McJones]

I agree with Amphipods. Great part of a cleanup crew and free fish food. They'll eat algae and detritus.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Amphipod, harmless/beneficial and a valuable part of every tanks ecosystem

 

[Greg B.]

Thanks everyone. I was worried for a bit. Do they eat zoas? I noticed my people eaters have been destroyed the last 2 weeks

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Thanks everyone. I was worried for a bit. Do they eat zoas? I noticed my people eaters have been destroyed the last 2 weeks

Check for zoa eating nudibranchs or zoa eating spiders, amphipods shouldn't eat them

 

[Greg B.]

Check for zoa eating nudibranchs or zoa eating spiders, amphipods shouldn't eat them

I haven't noticed any other pests in the tank. Been set up for 1 year. And only the people eaters have been affected

 

[kevgib67]

Amphipods won’t eat or bother your zoas. Do you have any fish that are questionable reef safe?

 

[Greg B.]

I have 3 clowns and 2 3striped damsels. In a 40 br.

 

[kevgib67]

I have 3 clowns and 2 3striped damsels. In a 40 br.

Well, we can rule out fish. I would look closely at your zoas after lights out using a flashlight, zoa eating spiders are small. Nudibranch’s are larger. Sometimes zoas just melt for no apparent reason. There is a whole thread on this forum about this. That’s a lot of aggressive fish in there. How did you get it to work out?

 

[Greg B.]

Well, we can rule out fish. I would look closely at your zoas after lights out using a flashlight, zoa eating spiders are small. Nudibranch’s are larger. Sometimes zoas just melt for no apparent reason. There is a whole thread on this forum about this. That’s a lot of aggressive fish in there. How did you get it to work out?

Not sure really. Bought 1 clown, then another. About 1 month apart when the tank was started. Then added 2, 3 stripe damsels about 5 months later. Then added the other clown 2 months ago. The clowns stay to their side and the damsels pretty much keep to themselves. They can get aggressive when they lay eggs and the clowns get close but other than that they work well together

 

[kevgib67]

Not sure really. Bought 1 clown, then another. About 1 month apart when the tank was started. Then added 2, 3 stripe damsels about 5 months later. Then added the other clown 2 months ago. The clowns stay to their side and the damsels pretty much keep to themselves. They can get aggressive when they lay eggs and the clowns get close but other than that they work well together

Well this is a rarity, I’m going to keep following, you might be pulling off what I thought was impossible.