info on pods

[s10469]

How are copepods an different pods born? Larvae, eggs, or what. I found a bunch of little tiny black bugs crawling around in my tank, just in one area though. Hoping they are little baby pods, or at least something good that just hatched. I dont have much info though becouse they are so small. I did buy a tomato clown and a horse shoe crab the other day. Could they be a hitch hiker? What do you all think ?

 

[cmor1701d]

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

Did you get a Horse shoe crab or a hermit crab?

 

[waterfaller1]

Please return the horseshoe crab. They get over a foot in diameter, but will never see that day in your tank. They just do not do well in home aquariums, and cannot handle the flow. They are found near the shore and inland waterways. You can get many different types of what we refer to as 'pods'. Copepods are very tiny to the naked eye and kind of flit around, sometimes in groups. Amphipods sort of resemble a "C", and walk/scurry around. There are also isopods with newly set up tanks that scale the glass. They most resemble a roach, with legs out from the sides. There are MANY creatures you may get as hitchhikers. Are the dark things like little brown squares?

 

[s10469]

I tried taking it to a closer fish store, becouse it cant handle the currents. I had to turn off my powerhead, and for the most part he is doing pretty good. he sure does move alot of sand around, and he is pretty entertaining when he is out. The fish store i called would not give me anything for him, but dont have any problem selling it for their profit. I wanted to exchange it for a shrimp, but all they said was we will take it off my hands. That dont seem fair to me. It seems well enough in my tank for now so i will take it back to where i bought it when i get back down there, its about 1 1/2 hours away, so i dont get down there much. I am courious about one thing though. Why would he not see a foot in dia. in my tank, or do you mean in any tank? I researched all i could learn, my tank is healthy, and when my 90 gal. is ready i think it would be a great compliment. If it did get to big i would get rid of him

 

[waterfaller1]

It will never see a foot in diameter because it will not live that long, unfortunately. If you take it back where you got it, and tell them you researched it and found this out, perhaps if enough people don't buy them, next time he goes to the wholesalers he will pass them by because they don't sell. The more people who do this, then the wholesalers won't order them either. If the wholesalers don't order them, the collectors may some day stop collecting them. My hope. Some creatures belong in the ocean, plain and simple..this is one of them. I have never sold one, and won't.

 

[s10469]

WHY wont it live that long?

 

[waterfaller1]

Because conditions within an aquarium do not suit a horseshoe crab. I don't know how I can explain it any other way. You cannot provide him what he needs. And if you do try to feed him, if you are not careful it could foul your tank. He would eat pieces of mussel, and other crustaceans, and dieing creatures that wash up to the shore.

 

[roka64]

I do agree, they need to be in big tanks. When I see them in show places, they are in almost like a big wading pool. It's really neat to see them all lined up behind each other. The ones I saw were about 3 feet from head to tail.