Amphipods Molting? - 09/05/06
Hello Crew,
<<Hey Brian>>
Quick question I'm sure you have been asked this before...
<<Mmm, maybe...>>
I looked all over and no answer for my questions.
<<Ok>>
I bought 1 piece of live rock from the local pet store a week ago and yes it was cured.  And today these little clear white bugs with legs are floating around my tank dead?
<<No, not dead...empty.  What I believe you are seeing is the cast-off (while molting) exoskeleton of a small crustacean called an Amphipod...a beneficial detritivore to your tank and food item for many reef inhabitants>>
Is this normal?
<<Indeed>>
My water tests are all perfect.
Thanks for any help,
Brian
<<Nothing to worry about here.  Regards, EricR>>

Amphipods For Free...Too Good To Be True?   6/23/06
Hi there,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
I have a quick question. A while ago I had to treat my 29 gal. for saltwater ick. During the isolation there were no predators for the pods that I had and they flourished. There were hundreds of them everywhere swimming around. Because of this I had thought it a good idea to purchase a mandarin Dragonet. Unfortunately, with the reintroduction of the fish, the numbers of pods have gone down significantly. I'm now afraid that the Mandarin might starve. I was wondering, since money is a little tight, are cold water 'pods similar to warm water ones? I was thinking it would be easy to just capture some of these guys and set up a breeding tank for them. Would it be alright to feed these guys or not? From what I remember they look almost identical to the pods in my tank now. Any feed back would be appreciated.
Shawn
<Well, Shawn, you ask an interesting question. I'm sure that the temperate amphipods are similar in nutritional value to the tropical ones, but I have another concern: Introduction of wild-caught amphipods (tropical or otherwise) is potentially a vector for disease introduction. Personally, I'd rather seek out a captive source (such as Reed Mariculture or Ocean Pods- do an internet search), where you're assured captive-propagated, pathogen free creatures. As an alternative, 'pods collected from a fellow hobbyist, who's healthy tank has a well-established population, would be a better source. Hope this helps! Regards, Scott

Amphipod Heaven! (Cultivating Amphipods In a Dedicated System)  8/31/05
Hi again Scott,
<Hi Nancy!>
It's been a while. Here's the latest. The tank now has 4 Canary Wrasses, with one having become male.  He's the most colorful and dominant.
<This is a great way to keep these wrasses; and, as you are witnessing, one will generally become the dominant male...You'll see some really interesting behaviours among this group. I'm sure that you're enjoying them!>
I added a male Anthias, but when I was away on vacation, it started hiding and has since disappeared completely (2 weeks).  I'm
guessing the competition over food was too disturbing.  
<A very distinct possibility. Unfortunately, the majority of Anthias do require particular attention to feeding and tankmates.>
Anyways, my question is really about setting up an amphipod tank.  I thought the wrasses would really like a high number since they pick at the rock all day.  I ordered amphipods and seaweed from IPSF.
<My favorite source!>
They're currently in a 37g tank w/ heater, small HOB filter, live rock and 2x65w pc lighting. I can't find in the FAQs the ideal set up.
<Wow! Sounds like you've created amphipod heaven! Essentially, any dedicated water vessel with soft flow and suitable grazing substrates (ranging from filter pads to small pieces of live rock rubble, or even macroalgae, such as Chaetomorpha) will do the trick. Many hobbyists find that these little guys will grow in huge numbers in crazy locations, such as inside of mechanical filtration systems, in their system's sumps, etc. Lighting is not too important, unless you are trying to grow the macroalgae.>
How often do you feed the tank flakes?
<I'd feed small quantities on an "every few days" basis, taking care to avoid having large quantities of food decompose on the bottom. In fact, if you have lots of macroalgae and rock, supplemental feeding may not be required.>
When I do a water change, should I use tank water from the 90g or fresh salt water?
<If it were me, I'd use water from your display tank.>
Should I use a powerhead or a hob filter?
<You could even get by with an air driven sponge filter!>
I plan to add some rubble to the bottom.  Do I siphon
out the debris on the bottom?
<Excellent idea with the rubble. I would not siphon the detritus, unless it becomes excessive, as it will help provide more foraging for the amphipods.>
Do I leave the lights on all the time?
<I'd use a regular day/night cycle>
What I'd really like, if you know a source, is to read up on the ideal tank set up for a dedicated amphipod and copepod tank.  As always, thanks so much for the advice and sorry if I missed the info in the search.  Nancy Ishikawa
<Well, Nancy- I'd do a basic search on the 'net under "amphipods" and see what comes up. My real favorite source for this kind of nuts and bolts advice is fellow hobbyists...Everyone seems to have their own "recipe" for cultivating these creatures. Anthony Calfo's "Book of Coral Propagation" is a great source for this kind of stuff, as is Bob and Anthony's "Reef Invertebrates". Hope these point you in the right direction. Sounds like you're off to a great start! Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Not Mantis…Amphipod – 06/19/05
I have read on your site that mantis shrimp are a menace to aquarium keepers.
<<Hmm...maybe, depending on specie, size...but fascinating creatures in their own right.>>
In my saltwater tank's refugium, I noticed several small "things" scooting around and chasing each other.
<<Yes...the benefit of a refugium.>>
The were moving too fast, and I could not get close enough to get a good look at them.  Today, however, I saw one of these "things" on the bottom sand substrate of my display tank.  I looked at it and it looked like a tiny shrimp.  It was about a quarter of an inch long with its tail curled under.  It was a very pale gray, almost white and they have two antennae on their head.  I was looking online at pictures of mantis shrimp, and they were rather large, and brightly colored.  Can my shrimp creatures be baby mantis shrimp or are they some other species.
<<Can't say for sure without a picture, but your description sounds very much like amphipods to me.  A beneficial detritivore and aquarium food source.>>
I have not added any decorative shrimp to my tank ever, so they must come from my live rock.
<<Yes>>
When they are uncurled, they kind of look like a centipede, because they are long and have a lot of legs.  Sorry I can't send a picture, but if you have any idea what they might be, and if the are beneficial or harmful, I'd greatly appreciate it!
<<I don't think you have anything to worry about but do have a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amphipodfaqs.htm>>
Thanks,
Mike
<<Regards, Eric R.>>

Do pods survive powerheads?
Hello, I hope this hasn't been asked before.  I look in FAQs and didn't see
anything about diaphragm pumps.  Does anybody make them for aquarium use? << For water or for air?  For water, I don't believe so. >> I
am starting a refugium for my 90 gal and need to get a return pump.  Do the
various pods, rotifers survive the trip through an impeller? << Yes they do.  In fact I think everyone uses impeller pumps for sumps.  >> Hope you can
shed some light on this for me. Thank you
<<  Blundell  >>

Producing 'Pods (Amphipod Propagation)
Hello Mr. Fenner,
<Actually, Scott F. here this afternoon!>
My friend has a Mandarin and we want to build a tank to breed worms and pods for her Mandarin. If we do such a thing, can the worms and pods be transferred from my tank to hers, or will they be too small?
<Well, they are not large creatures, but they are captured without too much effort. Regardless of their sizes, they will be beneficial to the fish that she's keeping!>
What would be the best way to harvest them for the Mandarin in the other tank?
<You might want to use a fine mesh net to do some "sweeping" of the bottom of the propagation tank. Even better still, if you could somehow hook up the prop. tank to the display housing the Mandarin, then the animals may very well be swept into the main tank with little or no intervention required on your part. The concept of a refugium is based upon this very need-having an attached system to help process organics and "feed" the display!>
The plan is to use a 38 gallon tank with a bag of live sand and some live rock and Caulerpa (sp?) algae.
How important is the live rock to getting this going?
<A nice quality live rock will be helpful, but you could certainly get by with some "rubble"- small pieces of rock that will provide a nice place for the 'pods to forage. You may also want to use some Chaetomorpha macroalgae, which has a rather dense composition, and forms a network of hiding/feeding/breeding places for these animals>
Does it need to be uncured to make sure there still are worms and pods on it?  Would cured rock have any left?
<Ideally, you'd want cured rock pieces; You can usually convince the staff at your LFS to sell you some "rubble" from the bottom of one of their live rock holding tanks. That will do the job nicely and inexpensively.>
Could we seed the tank with like 15 pods from mail
order and would that be enough to get the population going?
<Sure. That would be a start. You may also want to see if a fishy friend has some available-perhaps in some filter media or rock pieces...>
How long would it take to get enough going to feed the mandarin on a regular basis?
<Well, these animals have a fairly rapid reproductive cycle, but you're probably talking a couple of months before you could get a sustainable daily harvest>
What else would I need to make the tank an optimal tank for worms and pods for mandarin gobies?
<Really, not much else. Just make sure that you don't have any fishes that will out-compete the slower Mandarins in their search for these food items. With a lot of patience and attention to some details concerning the "food production", you should have a very successful setup!>
Thank you for your advice.
Brendgol Majewski
<My pleasure, Brendgol! Good luck in your efforts! Regards, Scott F.>

Do Amphipods Eat Seastars? (6/8/04)
Hi Guys and Gals, <Steve Allen today>
I was wondering if you had ever come across a case of amphipods attacking a starfish? <I have neither heard nor read of such, but one never knows for sure.>
I have a Fromia sp starfish (milleporella I think) which has been in my reef tank for about 6 weeks, and seems to have been fine until a couple of days ago.  Then, over the last two days, the ends of three of its legs have become injured, with the red skin removed and the inside of the legs showing... yuck!  I moved the starfish to the refugium just in case it was being attacked by a hermit crab or something, but when I checked on it after an hour or so there was an amphipod at the end of each injured leg, clearly eating it alive.
Do you think that the amphipods in the main tank could have been responsible for causing the injuries in the first place?  Or are they just being opportunistic and feeding on the already injured starfish? <This latter explanation is far more likely. I highly doubt that amphipods could break through the thick skin of an echinoderm, but ones it's broken down by something else, they'll definitely go for the free lunch.> My tank has been running fishless for the last 4 weeks due to an outbreak of ich, and during that time the 'pod population has exploded.
I have moved the starfish into my saltwater mixing container, which is heated and aerated but has no filtration. <consider an inexpensive sponge filter.> (The QT is out of the question as it is currently housing my fish and no doubt still has traces of copper medication).  Do you have any further advice on how to treat its injuries / give it the best chance of recovery?  <Clean, pure water is your best bet. If deterioration persists or spreads, you might consider adding an antibiotic.>
  Water parameters are all good - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0 - 2ppm, Temp 27 - 28C (summer has finally arrived here in the UK) <Hope it doesn't get too hot. I'm sure you won't enjoy breaking 100F again.> , SG 1.024. <Excellent, this is just what it needs. pH? Keep this and salinity very stable.>
Thanks for your help! - Rob <I certainly hope your Fromia recovers. Keeping it away from things that will eat its exposed flesh before it gets a chance to heal will help greatly.>

Quarantining Amphipods (4/28/04)
Guys, <Steve Allen here.>
Sorry to bother you with this simple question. <Short, but not simple.> I think I know the answer... but I'm asking anyway... I'm getting some amphipods from www.aquaculturestore.com. I intend to start a small pod population in a 72G tank with 3" fine sand bed (.2mm to .5mm grain size)10# live rock, 30# dead rock, 6 Lysmata shrimp, 2 hermit crabs and 1 Banggai cardinal. <With these creatures already in there, your amphipods may well get eaten before they can reproduce. Have you considered a refugium?>
And to the question -do I need to quarantine the pods for 3-4 weeks? <Well, there are different opinions here. Most in the crew would QT every living thing. I'm a little more liberal and would personally not QT amphipods that were cultured in a fish-free system, but this is a bit of a risk, so the safest answer is yes. Another reason for you to QT is to see if you can get them to grow and reproduced in the QT so you have a source of new amphipods if they have trouble establishing in your tank. Sorry... <No apologies needed, this is a legitimate question.> Narayan

Amazon donation to WWM crew... and critter ID 3/17/04
Hi crew! I recently visited the Amazon honor system site http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/pay/T3P5J4CVWEJER0/104-7018091-5491941 and donated some well deserved money to your website, and encourage everyone else who frequents this site to do the same.
<very kind thanks for this my friend... it is not necessary, but it certainly is appreciated. The money is put to good use to be sure>
The money I spent on the donation pales in comparison to the money I have saved by using the advice provided by this site.  I work in the computer business, and know these sites are not free, nor cheap.  
<indeed... Bob funded this site wholly out of his pocket for quite some time and continues to do so when/if site revenues fall short. It is a labor of love in so many ways by him and those of us that have migrated to him and his efforts/our shared interests here>
Thank you, too, to all of the volunteers on the site who use their own time to help all of us.  Genuinely..... Thank you.
<I thank you again for your very considerate understanding and support>
Ok, now for my question.  I have an infestation of "critters" in my tank.  I have witnessed a dozen or more of these in my tank.  I caught one, put it on a towel, and took a picture of it.  Hopefully it will show up clear enough to ID.  Thanks for the info in advance.  Rick from Michigan
< a clear pic, and no worries... this is one of the most desirable microcrustaceans/microzooplankters... called an amphipod. They are harmless scavengers that are nutritious meals for fishes and corals. Some folks culture these in refugiums, they are so desirable. Enjoy my friend. With kind regards, Anthony>

Identify mystery critters (this time with photos!) OK, after mounting a complicated and highly technical surveillance operation I was able to retrieve two examples from the tank tonight.  I have attached their mugshots (one guy has two photos).  Best I could do with the equipment at hand (canon a70 and magnifying glass).  These guys were tiny. <I'll say!> I would really appreciate any ID you may give.  If these are bad, I want to get them out.  If not, they are welcome residents in my 20gal.   <The first is an amphipod (crustacean), entirely harmless, perhaps even beneficial, the second a Polychaete ("bristleworm") species of some sort... likely the same challenge as the "pod"> I have also noticed since my first email that my tr. percula may be developing ich.  The power went out a couple of nights ago and the temp dropped a bit.  He seems his normal goofy self but I want to avoid it if possible.  Will raising the temp to the mid 80's in and of itself get rid of the ich or are more drastic measures needed? <Raising the temperature will NOT likely eradicate the Crypt/Ich, but it might be worthwhile to just wait, hope for some sort of detente... add a cleaner (Lysmata shrimp, Gobiosoma goby...) and hope at this point, rather than setting up a separate treatment tank...> I also have a Firefish that has shown no signs as of yet. My original message is below.  Thanks again for all of the help! Keith <I'd be studying up re these issues in any case. Bob Fenner>

Pods 3/9/04
Hello, I've always had a very high rate of pods and other bugs.  For about a month
hey all disappeared, and i think my white sand star is the culprit!  Any
suggestions on how to get the pod level back up.
Scott.
<your white star is not likely the culprit, although it is a burden on other desirable life forms in the sand (needing 100 gallon tanks per star minimum to survive). Its more likely that their food source was limited (better skimming, less feeding, removal of a fish) or that a new fish was added that preys on them. We cover numerous strategies for encouraging microcrustaceans growth in tanks and refugiums in our book "Reef Invertebrates". My best advice here is for you to set up a fishless refugium to cultivate more 'pods. Best regards, Anthony>

Predatory 'Pods?
Hi All,
<Scott F. here today>
I am currently anxiously awaiting on the FedEx guy to deliver my dwarf seahorses.  I was considering purchasing some amphipods due to an article I read.  The article stated that if you buy adult amphipods, they will be too large for the dwarfs to eat, but the dwarfs can munch on their babies.  This sounded like a good live food choice, in addition to enriched brine shrimp.  The problem is someone posted on a BBB that amphipods are predatory and will eat the dwarfs and their fry!! Can you tell me if in fact this is true, or is it that as long as your keep the amphipods bellies full they will breed and serve my purpose and leave my dwarfs alone?
<I suppose that it's possible; however, I have not seen this myself. I would tend to err on the side of caution with dwarf sea horses. It may be better to pass on the amphipods and try to culture Mysis. They are a better choice for a food item, IMO>
I appreciate your help.  If my assumption is correct, what do you recommend to feed the amphipods, or would it be better if I kept them in a separate container and sucked out the babies?
<If you are intent on feeding amphipods, I'd use that procedure>
I appreciate your help and advice!  Love WetWebMedia!!  Tracie
<Glad to be of help, Tracie! Thanks for the "props"...Go Mysis! Regards, Scott F.>

Sustaining Amphipods - 3/3/04
Hi,
I ran through your FAQ about DSB and the pods that could live in it. You guys mentioned somewhere that the pods will proliferate in the DSB until one day when they will suddenly be wiped out due to insufficient food to sustain their population. <They more than likely will meet a point (depending on the animals food preferences) of median or balance. A population can only survive as long as its food supply. If there are too many animals and too little food (and the food source is completely eradicated quickly without replenishment) then there could be a "crash". A delicate balance indeed>  My question is what should I feed them with to continually sustain their population? <Amphipods are very omnivorous and will eat most anything> Dr Ron Shimek suggested of topping up the DSB with pods starter kits, but I'm only interested in sustaining the pods continually. <try Spirulina pellets, flake foods, frozen foods (Mysid, Formula-One, Cyclops-eeze) and foods of that sort but if these 'pods are in the display aquarium then they will likely eat leftovers or by product from fish or coral feedings.> Any advice is appreciated, thanks :) <You bet. Thanks for being part of it all ~Paul>
cheers,

'Pods, 'pods and more 'pods (1/3/2004)
Hello Crew: <Howdy. Steve Allen tonight>
First off I hope you had a great holiday!  <Indeed, hope yours was as well.> Thanks for all the firsthand insight into saltwater aquariums.  <I learn something here every day as well.> Your website has allowed me to come a long way in a fairly short amount of time.  I have a 45 gallon SW setup with 2 False Clowns, 2 yellowtail Blue Damsels, 60 Lbs LR, a 5 gallon refugium, <does this drain down into the tank or is it pumped back up in.> and many many snails, crabs, worms, and such.  I have began seeding the show tank about 5 months ago with live amphipods.  I have a pod breeding kit in the refugium, <do they seem to be multiplying> and another 10 gallon setup used just to grow amphipods.
I am doing this all with the intent on raising a Mandarin in the very short future.  <Please be patient and read a lot more about these. I would suggest that a few more months will enhance your chances of success. Many successful Mandarin-keepers waited a year or longer for a stable population of edible microcritters. Probably 90% (or more) of all Mandarins sold starve to death. Also, Mandarins do not do well with aggressive fish. I would be concerned about how the Damsels will treat it.>
I have been pondering a 1 time drop of about 150 amphipods into the tank just prior to purchasing the Mandarin. <Give 'em time to reproduce.> Would this be a bad thing, and overload the system?<No, these tiny critters will not measurably add to the bioload of your system.> Skimming, filtration, water quality, and water movement in the tank are all optimum. <Good. I trust this means zero on ammonia and nitrites.>
What would be your insight into my situation of the Mandarin? <Be patient, choose tankmates carefully, read more on WWM and elsewhere. Even better: get a bigger tank first. There are hundreds of hits on Google that document the poor survival of and requirements for occasional success with them. Most recommend 55G per Dragonet minimum, some 100.>
thanks in advance, Steve <Hope this helps>

Amphipods are attacking my Zoanthids 1/2/04
Hi
I've always heard that amphipods are desirable, but.  I am returning to the hobby after 20 years, encouraged by new techniques.
<Happy new year, Malcolm, and welcome back to the hobby!>
I have a 125g tank with a 30 gallon home-made eco-system style sump (using Kent Marine bio-sediment and Caulerpa taxifolia) - the sump also has a Prizm pro skimmer at one end and a 9 watt UV hanging at the other.  Between the pump and three powerheads (on a Red Sea wavemaker) I have about 1200 gph total flow.  300 watts of compact pc lighting on 14 hours a day.  90 lbs of Aragamax plus 20 lbs live sand, 150 lbs of live rock.
<All sounds good.>
The tank has been up for two months.  Temp 79; SG 1.024.  After the water had settled down (zero ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) I added a cleaner crew (~25 assorted snails, a brittle starfish, six red and three blue-legged hermits) and 3 Lysmata wurdemanni.  About two weeks ago I added a rock with a healthy colony of Zoanthids.  A few days ago I added a Randall's Goby that had been in quarantine for three weeks.
<All still sounds good.  Kudos on your patience and quarantine practice!>
All was going well until yesterday when I noticed that the rock with the Zoanthid colony was becoming infested with amphipods.  Amphipods and other small invertebrates are plentiful in this tank.  There is a lot of life in both the sump and the main tank, but so far I have not seen anything that I thought was harmful.  The worst the amphipods have done up to now is occasionally to irritate the Astraea snails.
<Lot's of life is the benefit of having the patience to let the tank stay fish free for a while.  I am curious about the amphipods irritating Astrea snails.  Might it be possible to get a pic of one of these 'pods?  You may have to capture a couple and put them in a dish.  Get as close up as possible.>
I have attached a photo of the Zoanthids.  Three days ago they were all wide open and bursting with health.  Now I can see amphipods apparently eating tentacles - most of the polyps stay retracted most of the time.  Some seem to be unable to protect themselves and amphipods appear to feed at their tips - these are the polyps that appear to have had their tentacles eaten.
<I can't rule this out as impossible, but amphipods are generally vegetarians, and have mouth parts highly adapted to grazing algae.  My hunch is that this would prevent them from being able to eat Zoanthid flesh.>
I've moved the colony rock off its perch on a live rock shelf and onto sand - I tried to shoo the amphipods off with blasts from a baster (this may have worked partially).
<It is possible that the 'pods are physically irritating the Zoanthids, but even this seems unlikely.  They don't look too bad, and sometimes just need some time to settle in.>
What can I do?
<I would see if they improve on their own.  Please do try to send a pic of one of the suspect amphipods.  There is a possibility that you have some parasitic or predatory 'pod, but these are quite rare.  Also, inspect the colony carefully for predatory snails.  They would be turbinate with a cone shaped opercular cover.>
This is my first question, but the advice I've read here has always been terrific.  Thanks in advance and happy new year.  Malcolm Young
<Glad you have found the site helpful!  Best of luck.  Adam>

Re: Amphipods are attacking my Zoanthids
Dear Adam et al:
Thanks again for your spectacular help!
Don't bother to reply to this, as I think I agree with all the advice I have gotten and things are getting under control.  Just some further observations:
I agree that it was only the larger pods (>1cm) that were seen eating tentacles on otherwise healthy looking polyps.
The smaller pods have only been seen feeding on injured tissue.
I agree that the population seemed to be a trigger - but there is always a supply of varied algae.  On the other hand, they do go after any crumbs from feeding the 3 peppermint shrimp voraciously, so maybe they are extra-hungry.
The only other suspect for initially injuring the Zoanthids is a pure white bristleworm that I believe to be benign (.3-.4" diam; two inches of length has been visible three times in a month- never near the Zoanthids).
Again, thanks for your help.  You've put me on the way to a solution.
Malcolm Young

Feeding the 'pods 9/2/03
Dear Anthony,
<cheers>
Thanks for the advice re. lighting my second refugium. With 150 watts, 10,000 K I have seen two cups of Chaetomorpha expand to a solid block 2"x12"x16" growing in an egg crate box 2" below the lights and 1/2" below the water surface.
<outstanding!>
In Reef Invertebrates you mention a "daily feeding" for amphipods. What is your favorite food for these guys, misses, and the other critters we want to cultivate? Flake food and freeze dried krill floats and goes over the overflow. I would like to find something that I can put in an automatic feeder if possible.
<it depends... the larger microcrustaceans have a meatier palate, and will take sinking food pellets (like shrimp pellets). Many of the smaller bugs, however, prefer greenstuffs... maybe phyto (like DTs or home brew live phyto) or even concentrated Spirulina pellets or wafers. Do experiment... but very small quantities>
Do the 'pods eat the Chaetomorpha?
<again.. depends on the species. Some use it merely as an effective home/living substrate... while other rasp epiphytic matter from it>
They seem to enjoy crawling around in and I wonder if that's enough food for them? Having largely defeated the micro algae and with a light fish load per gallon and 300-350 ORP, not much food source comes down from the show tank.
Looking forward to the next in the series I am,
<we are writing feverishly as we speak <G>. Looking to release it perhaps mid 2004>
Howard in Wisconsin ----- who needs his aquarium 'cause there's not many critters to see diving in Lake Michigan. Planning trips to Dominica and Fiji this winter for "aquarial inspiration".
<safe travel my friend... be chatting soon. Anthony>

Attack of The Amphipods!
Sorry I can't provide a picture for my two questions, but here goes.
<I'll give it my best! Scott F. with you today!>
I have a Firefish who is not eating well, and seems to be lurking in the back of the tank, hiding most of the day. He is a little bloated, and has what looks like white tissue (feces? Worms??!) coming out his waste duct. It's almost like a little streamer.... any idea on what this could be?
<Could be some sort of intestinal parasite. I'd consider one of the medicated anti-parasitic foods that you can find from retailers...>
Second question, I've noticed what look like tiny shrimp in my refugium. This wouldn't bother me, but I swear they resemble tiny mantis shrimp! Eep!
<I'll bet good money that they are Mysis shrimp. A harmless and beneficial refugium component. Do a little internet surfing using the word "Mysis", and I'll bet that you'll see pics that resemble the creatures that you're referring to!>
Anyplace that has good pictures so I can try and classify? They almost look like a cross between potato bugs, and shrimp, and they run around even with the lights on, mostly on top of the sand.
<Ahh...now these sound like amphipods...Also harmless, and greatly beneficial to your system's eco-diversity!>
There are dozens of the little suckers. thanks for any answers!
Miguel
<It's all good, Miguel...Not to worry. Regards, Scott F>

Attack of the 2mm Pods!!  2/26/03
Hello everyone,<Hey Mike!  Phil here w/ ya...>
First, I would like to thank you all for providing such a beneficial website.<Thanks, it is our pleasure!>  I am keeping a 125 gallon FOWLR tank and everything is doing well.  I recently had a bamboo shark hatch into the tank and subsequently removed a little of my live rock to give him more space and try to prevent abrasions.<FYI, this shark needs a tank 220 plus gallons in the next year or so!!>  When I moved the live rock to my hospital tank (29 gallon) I was very scared about what I observed during the evening.  I turned the light on in the tank and observed a couple small (1-2mm in length) transparent looking creatures attached to the glass.  I turned the light off and grabbed a flashlight with red lens and observed many (I mean a lot here) little brownish like creatures moving about the live rock.  They are very small (again 1- 5mm in length) and move quite quickly into crevasses when the lights come on.  I am extremely worried that they are harmful and may be in my main system.  I do have many little tube like fans on my rocks so I thought they may be bristleworms, but I want to be sure these things aren't dangerous.  I am willing to take whatever measures necessary.  
I have a 125 with a 5 inch live sandbed and 40lbs of live rock.  It is running a MagDrive 1200gph in the sump, 260 watts of PC light, a Sealife motorized 250 protein skimmer and another hang-on skimmer for redundancy.  I do still have my bioballs in my wet dry because my nitrates have been staying down below 20 (ammonia is at 0, nitrite is at 0, SG is at 1.025, and temp is 78-79 degrees).  Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to answer these questions.  I read your daily Q and As almost everyday (of course after I'm done reading
my medical journals).  Mike<Well Mike it sounds like you have pods!  A good thing I might add.  These little guys are what seahorses eat.  Not a threat to the shark or really any aquarium creature.  Check this out for a little more info: www.wetwebmedia.com/amphipodfaqs.htm  Hope this helps!!  Phil>

2-Part Additives and Amphipods
Thanks so much for your prompt response... hate to bother you again, but as usual one question leads to another.
First off I was questioning about Reef Success +3 by SeaChem - my error, the product is by Red Sea.  Do you know anything about using this as a long term Calcium supplement?  If not familiar or don't like it what do you recommend that is "easy" and "inexpensive" to use?  Your thoughts on B-Ionic? C-Balance?
<Haven't used the Red Sea product. The B-Ionic and C-Balance are products I have used...Just follow the instructions and you should be fine...I wouldn't call these products "inexpensive" over time! A better long-term solution is a calcium reactor. Well worth the higher initial investment, IMO>
To answer your question on maintenance, except for routine checks on equipment, I perform a 20% (10 gal) water change at the end of every month. I use Instant Ocean.  Water temp 79 deg, salinity 1.023.  I clean/change the filter sleeve in the Marineland Magnum 350 and replace with new carbon in the media container (fill container about 20% of carbon).
<Keep up the regular maintenance...Do try regular smaller water changes>
Also, regarding the mandarin goby - this is my ultimate goal - how can I "crank up the development of amphipods and copepods" to sustain keeping a mandarin - I though my investment in the Live Rock with the 260W Corallife Power Compacts would accomplish this... have I gone astray?
<You seem to me to be on track. I'd begin with a starter culture from a firm like Indo Pacific Sea Farms or Inland Aquatics and culture amphipods in a separate aquarium for a while, then introduce them to your display in "phases". Be patient- it will pay off for the Mandarin to come!>
Thanks again for your help by sharing your experience.
<Any time! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Amphipod destroyer - 2/8/03
HI guys <Hi there. Paul at your service this evening> I am looking for some advise on a certain fish. <OkieDokie> My 72 gallon aquarium has had an outbreak of 10 legged whitish crustaceans of some sort. <Probably some sort of amphipod or copepod. Check this link out and/or do a search on WetWebMedia for even more information on these very beneficial animals to your tank. Trust me, you want them! (If they are copepods or amphipods):
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amphipods.htm
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/amphigal.html >
The glass is covered with them these being extremely tiny and scattered here and there are some larger ones maybe the parents. What would you recommend eats these small critter, <There are many animals that would love a meal of these extremely important pieces of the marine food web. Very beneficial to have in a tank for many reasons. Grazers as well as detritus eaters. They breed and bring food to many different marine animals, seen and unseen. I would do my best to continue multiplying these valuable creatures. Perhaps scoop some and bring them to a marine club after identification. (or send some to me!!!!> I have a large substrate bed and about 60 lbs of live rock. Mandarin fish or maybe a six line wrasse <Mandarins are beautiful animals. Having been fortunate enough to dive and explore them in their natural state and habitat I would recommend something other than these hard to keep beauties. Very sad to see fewer and fewer in the wild only to be less than well off in captivity. A six line would do the trick as well as many others, but I believe you are better off with these animals than without. Do your best to preserve them, in my opinion/experience>
Thank you
S.
<Thank you, and I hope I was helpful. Peace my friend>

Answer #2 - 2/8/03
HI guys I am looking for some advise on a certain fish. My 72 gallon aquarium has had an outbreak of 10 legged whitish crustaceans of some sort. The glass is covered with them these being extremely tiny and scattered here and there are some larger ones maybe the parents. What would you recommend eats these small critter , I have a large substrate bed and about 60 lbs of live rock. Mandarin fish or maybe a six line wrasse
Thank you
S.  
<Just another follow from me, Paul. Check this link out. A very important read regarding the Mandarin fish plight. Good to be a conscientious marine aquarist. Strive for it at all times.
http://ozreef.org/reference/mandarin_survey.html
Good luck! Let me know if I can be of any more help.>

Recommend any corals as amphipod-eaters? 2/8/03
Greetings to the wise and witty WWM merry folk!
<and G'day to you 'yon.. merry... er... dude>
I've been studying carefully all the relevant references to AMPHIPODS in your superb website,
<danke>
but I'm still seeking any specific recommendations (or dissuasion) you might offer regarding corals which  like to catch & eat amphipods (esp. Gammarus).
<actually... most corals will... especially LPS>
I'm not trying to eliminate the amphipods, just to find a small, hardy, presumably LPS or soft coral which needs only moderate light and will benefit from the nutritious, nocturnal little buggers.
<LPS would be best... few true soft corals will/can... but Corallimorphs and some Zoanthids yay>
If a small LPS is permissible, my only concern is that its tentacles not injure my fish or sting my existing corals (the latter can be relocated somewhat).
<its doable... although there are concerns for allelopathic aggression with all corals>
Reconnaissance first.... 20-gallon reef/lagoon saltwater tank, 4" live sand (fine coral), with Marshall Islands live-rock occupying about 20% of tank volume; lots of  multicolor coralline algae growing on LR. Regular use of "B-Ionic" two-part additives for alkalinity and calcium/minerals. Distilled water, never tap water. Lighting is two PC fluorescents (a 55-W 10K blue, and a 55-W daylight full-spectrum). Combination filter/skimmer (brace yourself) is the notoriously awful "Skilter" 400, which I
modified by inserting a fine airstone into the bottom of its normally noisy/inefficient bubble chamber (tight budget, baby).
<no worries... I have seen many such modified Skilters work well>
Water quality and calcium/trace minerals are actually very clean and stable, although I permit nitrates to occasionally linger in the low single digits before performing water changes.
<a good idea for coral.. necessary>
No Cyanobacteria or green algae, with only occasional mists of diatoms on tank walls (instant snail food). NOT a purist's "reef," hence my use of term "lagoon."
<sounds natural and healthy>
The instant I can afford it, however, I jump to a larger tank and an Aqua-C protein skimmer. And halides.
<no hurry on the halides unless the tank is deep>
Residents = one lemon damselfish; two Ocellaris Clown; one
Pseudochromis diadema; one Twin-Spot Goby (all reasonably respectful of each other!). Polyps & Corals = Montipora digitata (green and orange frags, both flourishing); purple blue Acropora frag and brown Pocillopora[??] (both up high and growing slowly); frilly green/brown mushrooms & brown disc mushrooms; Millepora with multicolor Xmas-worms (doing great!).
<definitely long term issues with the SPS and Corallimorphs together. I'll put my money on the 'Shrooms winning and I'm pretty sure I'll win the bet>
Several small "feather duster worms" in live rock.
Approx. 8 various reef-safe tiny hermit crabs. Snails = Trochus,
Astraea,
<Holy cow!!! You are one of the few people to write in and correctly spell "Astraea". You go brutha!>
Nassarius, Cerith, Stomatella varia. Hundreds of amphipods,
but only under flashlight at night. Several kinds of small beneficial" "bristleworms""" (those were Toonen Marks, heheh).  No Fireworms or (large) predatory worms. One 2" incredibly-hardy mystery bivalve (not Tridacna) snuggled into a live-rock foxhole. Lurker = I'm tracking a possible pistol shrimp or juvenile mantis shrimp (no known casualties yet, but little nocturnal popping noises come in pairs....).
<no biggie either way likely>
Foods = enriched-brineshimp flake, also Nutrafin pellets, and SMALL amounts twice-weekly of thawed frozen Mysid shrimp. Occasional doses of Kent "Micro-Vert" filter-feeder food seems to keep the feather-dusters growing. The goby, hermits, and snails snatch anything edible the moment it hits bottom.
<whew... I'm still with 'ya>
So, the idea is to make use of some of the amphipods as live food,
while adding to the coralscape. I'd prefer a splash of color but I'm wary of soft corals or anemones due to risks of chemical warfare and my small tank.
<actually... your Corallimorphs are one of the very worst invertebrates to keep in this regard. You tank would benefit long-term by pulling them out.>
Sexy items like Distichopora/Stylaster or red "Chili *Coral" seem appealing, but their impact on amphipods ("amphipact"?) is uncertain?
<agreed... the Chili coral might take a bit... and is hardier by far... but neither will satisfy you likely>
My understanding so far is that SPS corals couldn't hurt a flea, or an amphipod.
<agreed>
Notes: The Twin-Spot Goby (my kids prefer "Four-Wheel Drive") does
considerable sand-sifting but hasn't hurt the LRs amphipod population,
<correct... seeking Polychaetes more so. Still... bury Mysid on occasion if necessary to maintain his weight>
nor does the sandbed ever seem to lack for little new worms and
nitrogen-processing capacity. The Pseudochromis instantly nails the rare amphipods that are stupid enough to venture out in "daytime" or at dusk, but that fish mostly relies (pigs out) on the aforementioned frozen Mysid shrimp and sleeps soundly when the Amphipod Parade begins at sunset.
<Wow... Pseudo's can usually decimate 'pod populations even in larger aquariums. Sounds like its the nutrient influx that's helping the pods to flourish. No hard at all though... quite helpful.>
Thanks for your astoundingly helpful website!
<best regards, Anthony>

Red Open Brain being eaten
Guys,
My reef tank is just shy of a year old.  It is loaded with small gray shrimp-like crustaceans.  I call them "critters".
About three weeks ago some of these damned critters decided that my Red Open Brain was an all night smorgasbord.
They have eaten the red colored outer flesh down to the skeleton on a section that is now fully 3/8" wide.  I am angry beyond words.  I had an Eiblii Angel do the same thing, but I simply removed him from the tank.
I can't remove hundreds upon hundreds of critters.  I even purchased a Mandarin Goby about a month ago to help control the critters, but he can't eat all of them.
The Red Open Brain, along with my three other LPS's, all eat 4 times per week (clam, squid, shrimp, krill).
Before I lose this coral, what do I need to try?
<Time to "raise the bar". Will your system, other livestock tolerate a small wrasse species? Please read through www.WetWebMedia.com marine section re Pseudocheilinus choices: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pseudocheilinus.htm
Bob Fenner>
NOTE:  The brain is located on the substrate right in the middle of the tank.
Sincerely,
Mark Schwartz

Red Open Brain being eaten
Anthony, if the coral were dying for another reason, wouldn't the flesh look necrotic in some way?
<not at all... if the coral was merely suffering from attrition there would be no pathogenic species to create a necrotic symptom>
My lighting is PC fluorescent.  
<if that means normal output... OK. Low light for most coral, but fine for the brain if the tank is less than 20" deep>
I feed all four LPS corals four times per week.  
<excellent! Finely minced I hope (nothing bigger than 1/4"? Else a tear is inevitable like with anemones)>
They all eat every time. (One red brain, one green brain, one tongue, and one Favia brain).  Oh yeah, I also want a red lobo and a Favites brain.  I like brain corals :-) The Favia is well off by himself  (10 inches to the nearest coral -- the tongue, plus, the Favia is up on a rock, while the brains and the tongue are on the
substrate).
<all good>
The red brain is downstream from a tongue coral (6 inches separation).  The tongue has been in the tank the longest (10+ months).  It has also clearly grown (in width, anyway).
Chemical warfare from the tongue against the red brain?
<possible... but not so severe as to be primary. Bigger concerns would be a weak water change schedule (less than 25% monthly), poor skimmer performance, lack of chemical media (monthly carbon or better), aged lamps (over 6 months old)>
Sincerely, Mark Schwartz
<Anthony>

Red Open Brain being eaten? Not by amphipods
Mr. Fenner,
<Anthony Calfo with the follow-up>
The tank also counts among its inhabitants a 6 line wrasse.  He has been there about 10 weeks. I have 13 fish total, all quite small, all about 1.75 - 2 inches in length, except for the Mandarin, who is maybe 3 inches, and two (Ptereleotris zebra) bar gobies who are about 2.5 inches long. 7 damsels, 2 clowns, 3 gobies, 1 wrasse. I have room for more.  
<OK>
If you have a "critter eradicator" of choice you would like to see me try, please let me know.
<A Pseudochromis would work very well>
This coral has suffered enough.  It is a beautiful pink/red color, which is why it occupies the center position in my tank.  I'll be damned if I'm going to lose it to a bunch of micro-shrimp.
<you are very mistaken here Mark. The shrimp (amphipods) are not carnivorous.. they are merely scavenging the dead and dying tissue... and they are of tremendous benefit to the tank. People set up refugiums to culture as many of these micro-crustaceans as possible, and there are businesses dedicated to farming and selling these creatures to aquarists! Your brain is dying for another reason and they are just doing their job. Common causes of death with red open brains include excess light (metal halides over this VERY deep water coral... sometimes found at 80')... also feeding with chunks of food that are too large and cause an internal tear (krill, chunk shrimp, etc)... or a complete lack of feeding (this coral is one of the most food dependant requiring feeding of 3-5 times weekly, and some need daily. Dude... consider these possibilities and please enjoy or ignore the natural plankton that you have been blessed with. They are partly food for your other corals at night!>
Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely,
Mark Schwartz
<best regards, Anthony>

Miniature glass shrimp
Good Morning/afternoon/evening or just good-day mate!!
Just a quick question. I have a 55 gallon FOWLR. I am using 2 sizes of crushed shells/aragonite as the substrate. Whenever I clean my Fluval 304, I find hundreds of what looks like miniature glass shrimp running about on the bottom. They are anywhere from 1/32" to 1/2" long. I find many of the same critters when I vacuum the substrate. I never see them in the tank. Are these guys beneficial?
<Yes>
Should I stop vacuuming?
<No>
I tried to fish them out of the waste water and dump them back in the tank but my Picasso Trigger and Long-Nose Puffer make short work of them. I am assuming they arrived on my LR which is about 3 months old.
<Yep>
Thanks, as usual, for your time.
<For more information, go to www.WetWebMedia.com and search for amphipods. -Steven Pro>