Isopod Question

[AR15 guy]

I saw one of these in my tank the other night but had no idea it was bad.

I pulled my rock today looking for it. I "think" I saw it in a hole so I stabbed it with a sharp little pocket knife. Whatever I stabbed crunched a little and then sounded like gas was being expelled. Made a screaming noise. And it then moved down furthur in the hole.

Do isopods have a hard external skeleton? It is possible I just stabbed a little brittle rock or who knows what. But I am hoping I managed to get the isopod out before he gets a hold of my clown.

 

[AR15 guy]

Buddy of mine found one in his tank. It was out in the open and we stabbed it with a sugerical knife. They have a VERY hard exoskeleton. So I am fairly sure I got mine also.

 

[Jonathan G.]

what in the hey is an isopod? can someone put up a pick in case i may have one. i thought isopods were like copepods or am i confusing isopods with something else spelled similar?

 

[Smo]

Read the isopod FAQ over at WWM. Lot's of pics.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/isopodfaqs.htm

 

[Jason]

wow, i learn something new every day with this hobby..........

 

[AR15 guy]

These things are supposedly pretty rare. A buddy and I both have 5lbs of rock in a 10 gallon. And we BOTH got one of these things. We are 100% sure we killed his and I am pretty sure I got mine.

 

[Coolfish05]

I cant beleive you found one in your tank.

 

[AR15 guy]

I saw it one night at about 3am. There was no fish in the tank at the time so it was probably searching for food. I sat there and watched it for a good 30 minutes. It even swam around.

You find about everything when its only a 10 gallon. I bet a lot of guys with large tanks have them and don't even know.

 

[xahx]

copepods refers to the generel word "pod" There are many types of "pods" some that are harmless while some that are parasites that can kill fish.

The thing u stabbed made a scraeaming noise? that is no pod, pods cannot make noises.... I believe it may be a mantis shrimp, which is also a threat if you plan on a reef and fish tank. I would remove it ASAP... but i kno for a fact you would not be able to hear a pod "scream"

 

[StyleUK]

sounds crule, but me being a FR guy, i would'nt know

An eye for an eye tbh

 

[lando]

I found an Isopod on my purple firefish in my nano. Where there is one there is probably more. The best way to eliminate them is by manual removal, but this is a long process. I kept chcking my tank at night and could not find another one. I put in a six line wrasse (they are a natural preditor of the isopod) for clean up. I have not seen another one since.

 

[AR15 guy]

The strange screaming noise could have been gas being released from his shell. Lobsters scream whenever you boil them also.