Something is growing in my tank - shrimp & scorpio looking creature ?!?!?!

[mike2016]

I had the issue with too many copepods a while ago, now they have almost disappeared off the tank wall, but still visible on the LR and sand, and they are much bigger now.

I was just looking around my tank, I noticed ALOT of shrimp like looking creatures moving FAST around dark areas, they don't really come out to the well lit areas. so it's hard to see what they really look like. All i can tell is they look like shrimp. maybe 2 x the size of frozen brine shrimp.

THEN, I looked to the back area, where some LR sit against the rear tank wall, i saw a SCORPIO looking creature, it's black, and it has clams. I think it's pretty big. What the [moderator edit] is this?? this thing stays in dark all the time.

Can someone identify or tell me what is going on with my tank??

my tank has been running for a few months now, all the fishes are healthy so are the corals. Although an anemone died on me probably due to I accidentally sucked him up to the siphon tube while i was doing PWC.... lol

28G Nano Cube
1 Blue Tang
1 Clown
1 Orange Spotted Filefish
1 Boxfish
a few frags of SPS corlas
1 clam
..

 

[Mitchell0605]

I'm wanna talk about your fish first.
Your fish aren't suitable for your tank. The Tang and Boxfish will die, much earlier than nature intended. Tangs need a 6ft tank, regardless of the size of the Tang. If the Boxfish dies you can say goodbye to the rest of your tank, as they release poisonious toxins when they die.

Now:
Scorpion thing is probably a Mantis shrimp.

Shrimp 2x Brine Shrimp size are probably Mysis Shrimp

Check this link: Xtalreef

 

[mike2016]

I know the situation about the fish.... I'm planning a much bigger tank very soon, so the fish will find a better place eventually.

but where that thing came from? Did it just grow out of nowhere in my tank?

the black one with clam is definitely not mantis shrimp, it has large clams like a scorpio.... the mantis shrimp doesnt.

 

[thincat]

Are you talking about "claws" and "scorpions"?

 

[mike2016]

Are you talking about "claws" and "scorpions"?

yes scorpio like creature with CLAWS... sorry i was too "excited"

 

[thincat]

No problem, just wanted to be on the same page. IMO, some of those so called copepods are anthopods. The are much bigger and tend to live at or below the surface of your sand and in darker areas.

 

[cmor1701d]

They are hitchhikers that come in with the live rock or LS. It's amazing what life appears out of nowhere in the first year of a tank with LR. When I set mine up the ammonia level went off the chart (uncured LR), yet within months there was an amazing amout of life coming out.

Detrivores

Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium

 

[mike2016]

are any of these bugs / pods harmful to the tank ? these things are just gross even by just looking at them....

i think my filefish maybe starving, i thought i had copepods in my tank but turned out they are anthopods, what should i do now?

 

[cmor1701d]

Most pods are beneficial and a sign of a healthy tank. Some ISOpods on the other hand are not so good.

 

[thincat]

Xtalreef
This site that Mitch got for you is really great at pinpointing the life that comes out of our live rocks in the first year. It almost makes me want to break down my 2 year old tank and just see all that neat animals again.
NOT!!!

 

[mike2016]

Good to know! yea Xtalreef is a good site with good info.

It is very rewarding to see stuff growing out but I hate bugs and that sort of things...i rather see some coral or plants. lol...

is there any fish that will eat these pods?

 

[Mitchell0605]

Sixline Wrasse
Mandarin

They are specialty eaters but just about any fish eats pods.

And TC; DO IT!