ISOPODS!

[BarraCudaTM]

Tough luck

After I got my snails from maxima and watching them burrow. I threw in some fish meat to feed them and those freaking isopods came skipping out of my LR to feed on my SNAILS!!!!

I know for sure they are parasites as I have encountered them many times during fishing, these isopods can grow up to 1cm long, whitish or greyish colour and have extra big black eyes!

Now I got a probelm bigger than flatworms, I activated 2 empty bottles, stuff them with some sand + fish meat and sealed the bottleneck slightly to prevent them from coming out. I have since caught 1 big momma and I believe can catch more of them in the night.

Anybody got any idea what feeds on ISOPODS? If not, I will have to remove the snails and start my 3 month long operation starvation.

[Achilles Tang]

Hmmm.... you can try either a six-line wrasse or a cuban hog... they are known to hunt down isopods.

[Achilles Tang]

Cool! I found this for you!

Dr Ron's article on ispods

You may also want to do a search on his forums... I am sure he may have some other answers.

[BarraCudaTM]

Dont think the sixline wrasse can do much .. those !@#@!% isopods are quite big! Maybe can feed on the babies only....now my mission to find a cuban hogfish!

[weisoon]

Barracuda

My tank used to have a lot of them also. Like what happen to you, when feeding the nass snails, they are attracted to the smell of the prawn/fish meat faster than the nass snails. In fact, I think they are not attacking the snails but they are trying to get a bite on the prawn/fish meat.

Capitalizing on the fact that after some starvation, they will rush and bite on hard on the meat, I tied a piece of meat on a long rod and start waving about near the sand bed. Once they come and bite on, quickly pull the rod out and dip on fresh water and they will release and leave to die in the fresh water. Repeat until none is left. About 1 week later do the same thing as some will still hatch from eggs.

Cheers

[BarraCudaTM]

Good idea weisoon!

I took out all the rocks today and gave them a freshwater dip, I caught about 6-8 adults in the pail.

Did those isopods come back after a few months? What I'm afraid of is that they can survive without food for many months.

[AlfaRomeo]

The article mentioned that the isopods usually came in with LR, i guess this is another reason why we should leave the LR in a tank for at least 1-2 months beofre introducing any LS. That will surely starve them to death rite?

[weisoon]

Wow, taking out ALL the rocks and freshwater dip.....must be hard work.

There will be eggs left in the rocks no doubt and these will hatch in no time and then reproduce. I had to do the 'fishing' for quite some time at a weekly basis and now they are gone. Anyway, my tank contains NO fishes, so I am not so bothered by them.

Forgive me for my frankness, dipping the rocks in fresh water is not a so good idea as doing this will definitely reduce the bio lifes within the rock.

Cheers.

[BarraCudaTM]

I would rather kill all then to allow them to breed.

I will try fishing for them at night ... should have a better chance

[AlfaRomeo]

weisoon, how do they survive and not starve to death if your tank do not have any fishes or LS? dunt they need blood to survive?

[BarraCudaTM]

went fishing for 1hr just now .. here's my yield

[BarraCudaTM]

more ISOPOD close up

[BarraCudaTM]

[ryz]

YUCK!

[Venezia]

tat's alot of isopods. used to spot one or two. now they are gone.. also dunno y. used to suckle onto my puffer fish, now puffer fish gone. isopods also gone..

[Achilles Tang]

Gross!! I got some shivers looking at that collection of isopods!!!

[Deep_Blue]

hey barracuda!!!! dun throw them away... fear factor could need them for their next episode!!!

[BarraCudaTM]

They dont look so disgusting physically but only if you take a close up ... hrmm .. they look alot like dust mites which is sharing yr bed with you now

[Fireclown]

UH OH! I think i saw one of them swimming in my sump! What can i do?

[BarraCudaTM]

you better try to catch them using the fishing method otherwise they will continue to breed and feast on yr fish and their food.

[acce]

Does mandarin fish feeds on these isopods??

[BarraCudaTM]

Not really sure .. but they may feed on those young ones.

[holyspirit]

Those isopods looks so nice... transparent body.. keke

i wish i have some... so can rear them seperately... hoho

[BarraCudaTM]

you can have them a low low price of $2 each, buy 10 get 10 free.

[Terryz_]

They are gross...