Good or bad Isopods?

[R6REEFER]

Hello all,

Just curious as the title states. I've never seen copepods this big. They came up to the display rather abruptly as I've seen a few in the fuge but now they're everywhere. I did throw in a batch of my buddies culture a few months back but I don't recall them being so roided out! Maybe came up because of my new sterilizer I installed? Regardless of where they came from, these big guys alright?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Pictures?

If they're everywhere and not on your fish, they are not the "bad pods".

 

[R6REEFER]

Pictures wouldn't upload as usual...

 

[Lionfish Lair]

They are fine, they are munnid isopods.

 

[R6REEFER]

Pictures?

If they're everywhere and not on your fish, they are not the "bad pods".

Not on the fish, all over the montipora though.

 

[R6REEFER]

They are fine, they are munnid isopods.

Sweet, thanks. Kind of unsightly little guys aren't they?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

You're having a bloom and after awhile the numbers will go down. I would be smiling to see that.

 

[R6REEFER]

You're having a bloom and after awhile the numbers will go down. I would be smiling to see that.

Not gonna lie, I got a little happy inside haha, just wanted to verify. Hopefully the sterilizer doesn't kill em off! But when it comes down to it.... Achilles health..... OR copepods...... hmmmmmm

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Like a UV sterilizer? That won't kill them off.

 

[R6REEFER]

Forreal? People have been harping on me the last 2 weeks about the sterilizer saying it'll kill off all my culture. You seem slightly more educated in that field though!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I've had many tanks with isopods and UV filters. They are benthic and have no desire to be up swimming anywhere near your sterilizer. That's not the type of critter a UV targets.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Not gonna lie, I got a little happy inside haha, just wanted to verify. Hopefully the sterilizer doesn't kill em off! But when it comes down to it.... Achilles health..... OR copepods...... hmmmmmm

I just noticed you said copepods. Was that a slip or did you miss me saying isopods?

 

[R6REEFER]

My fault, I always say copepods because of my buddies business! I did put copepods in the fuge though. Any idea why these isopods would be swarming my montipora? I lost an ORA monti stellata in a matter of 3 days and that's all that turned up in the Rx dip. I've noticed a slight bit of tissue recession on a sunset monti as well, I've had it for years and it's survived the worst of the worst without STN.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Don't worry, these are not controversial bugs and are 100% good. There have been zero reports of these going rouge. Theyre after whatever is on your coral to eat. They won't hurt it.

 

[R6REEFER]

Don't worry, these are not controversial bugs and are 100% good. There have been zero reports of these going rouge. Theyre after whatever is on your coral to eat. They won't hurt it.

Okay good deal. How could you tell? What would you say is the giveaway characteristic? Size?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Their size and body shape and them being all over the vertical surface like that.

 

[twreefer]

Time for a mandarin!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Those numbers will wax and wane naturally.

 

[ltrace]

What is the difference between copepods and isopods? Besides a Mandarin what other inhabitants benefits from copepods and isopods?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Most fish that are small enough to see them, will eat them. My lions and scorps get fat bellies when their tanks are full of pods. Corals that are big enough to catch and hold them, will eat them.