Full grown amphipods chewing on my palys!
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This was my experience too, but after they eat the skirts they finish off the colony. Lost full sized healthy dingdangs and almost lost all my magicians to them. They DO EAT HEALTHY POLYPS!!!! Amphipods probably eat certain polyps (PE) first because they have fewer/less potent toxins than others.
Got a sixline and it took care of the problem. I rotate him back and forth with another tank containing peppermints to alternately knock out aiptasia. If I leave the sixline out for too long skirts start disappearing again.
Interceptor is not a bad short-term solution IMO, if you have a valuable collection of polyps under attack.
-Tim
Got a sixline and it took care of the problem. I rotate him back and forth with another tank containing peppermints to alternately knock out aiptasia. If I leave the sixline out for too long skirts start disappearing again.
Interceptor is not a bad short-term solution IMO, if you have a valuable collection of polyps under attack.
-Tim
It's funny when this subject comes up, people never believe it but there are some ampipods that DO eat polyps. You can view them at night literally seen dicapiating the polyps. it won't be just one but a swarm of them. I've lost large frags, colonies even brand new healthy pieces over a couple days from Large Ampipods almost 3/8th of an inch.
Best is get a yellow or green coris, IMO Mandarin have small mouths with is geared to eating copepods and probably smaller ampipods.
If you don't want fish in there to do the job then you can nuke the tank using interceptor which would wipe out the inverts in the tank. :tongue:
Best is get a yellow or green coris, IMO Mandarin have small mouths with is geared to eating copepods and probably smaller ampipods.
If you don't want fish in there to do the job then you can nuke the tank using interceptor which would wipe out the inverts in the tank. :tongue:
OP
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nanodude87
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Yes, I can say that 100% without a doubt the amphipods are in fact chewing away at perfectly healthy polyps. Additionally, they are my GPE's which also appears to be a trend. I flipped on the lights and the swarm scurried off of the colony. I'm going to put the colony in my buddies 90 where he has a pretty heavy fish load for the time being. I'm hoping that they don't switch to a different colony of zoas/palys but we will see what happens I guess.
Yes, I do have an ich problem so any sort of a wrasse is out. I may just try a dragonette in the mean time since they are pretty inexpensive. There's always something going on isn't there? lol
Yes, I do have an ich problem so any sort of a wrasse is out. I may just try a dragonette in the mean time since they are pretty inexpensive. There's always something going on isn't there? lol
I suggest using interceptor, fast and easy way to kill off all pods in a couple days.
The last method, developed by Dustin Dorton at ORA, involves treating the aquarium or quarantine aquarium with Milbemycin oxime. This chemical is the active ingredient in Interceptor, a de-worming medication for dogs only available by prescription from a Veterinarian. This medication has been found to directly attack crustaceans, and is the most invasive and risky treatment mentioned thus far because it does not discriminate between pests and other inhabitants like shrimp, amphipods, copepods, and crabs. Since this treatment may cause all crustaceans in your system to perish, it is important to either remove and treat the infected colonies in a separate aquarium, or to remove the crustaceans that you wish to save to a different holding aquarium. Exact guidelines for the dosages and treatment regime are still in the testing phase, yielding positive results, but the long-term ramifications of this new treatment are still not known.
Some good reading here.
"Why are my Zoanthids closed?" - Care, Pests, and Troubleshooting - Reef Sanctuary
The last method, developed by Dustin Dorton at ORA, involves treating the aquarium or quarantine aquarium with Milbemycin oxime. This chemical is the active ingredient in Interceptor, a de-worming medication for dogs only available by prescription from a Veterinarian. This medication has been found to directly attack crustaceans, and is the most invasive and risky treatment mentioned thus far because it does not discriminate between pests and other inhabitants like shrimp, amphipods, copepods, and crabs. Since this treatment may cause all crustaceans in your system to perish, it is important to either remove and treat the infected colonies in a separate aquarium, or to remove the crustaceans that you wish to save to a different holding aquarium. Exact guidelines for the dosages and treatment regime are still in the testing phase, yielding positive results, but the long-term ramifications of this new treatment are still not known.
Some good reading here.
"Why are my Zoanthids closed?" - Care, Pests, and Troubleshooting - Reef Sanctuary
seafansar
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I have the same problem. I have two mandarins in my 150 and they have done nothing for the larger pod population. The problem actually started after I'd had the mandarins for several months. I recently added a yellow wrasse, so we'll see how he does.
But the quickest non-fish or chemical solution is to leave bright LED's or some other light on at night. The pods are afraid of the light and will stay off the corals. You could at least do this until your tank is ich free and then get a wrasse.
But the quickest non-fish or chemical solution is to leave bright LED's or some other light on at night. The pods are afraid of the light and will stay off the corals. You could at least do this until your tank is ich free and then get a wrasse.
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My sixline eats peppermint shrimp too, and I've seen him carry around big pods and bash them against things to break them apart. He is a little arthropod terminator.
GrouperGenius
Active Member
I wonder if that's what has been getting some of my z/p's. I get big pods in my filter socks all the time but never see them alive in the tank. I see their molts floating around once in a while though.
I have a large yellow coris and a leopard wrasse.
I have a large yellow coris and a leopard wrasse.
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
having the same problem right now also. i have a mandarin at the moment, but what elae should i get? a sixline or coris wrasse?
I always recommend a Yellow Coris wrasse. Nice colors, doesn't bother other fish and hasnt bothered any inverts in my tanks. I had 3 previous other YC's. I traded them or sell them once they get too big for my tank. I usually get them a small as possible, they act like little bee's constantly checking every nook and cranny, also starts inspecting newly added frags or colonies, even while there still on my hands being introduced in to the tank. best work horse IMO for predator eradication for polyps.
deepbluesea
Community Member
6 line yellow coris and green coris as people have sugested are all good choices. i have seen mandarins and scooter dragonets eat them as well but the wrases have that neat bash them to bits trick for the ones to big to fit in the mouth.
