New life showing up in tank what are they?

[Reefpete]

I have these little flea like guys with many legs showing up in my tank...I have also seen littler ones crawling all over my sand....posting pics now.

 

[Photoevangelist]

Gonna follow this. I spotted a few of these in my tank the other day too.

 

[Reefpete]

Gonna follow this. I spotted a few of these in my tank the other day too.

How long after you started it did you start seeing them? I noticed these roughly a month 1/2 in

 

[mr_X]

Those are a type of Isopod. They are harmless.

 

[Photoevangelist]

Mines in my office. I was in after the lights were off and spotted them. I set up my tank in mid-December so it's just over 2 months old.

Thank Mr X I'll look into that

 

[mr_X]

Just for clarity, Some Isopods are harmful, but not these.

 

[Reefpete]

x to the rescue as always thanks a bunch man....also i mean these things are everywhere in my tank...would you recommend maybe a psychedelic mandarin....i think that is spelled wrong lol ? i want one but i wanna wait for the tank to become really stable and mature

 

[Reefpete]

Mines in my office. I was in after the lights were off and spotted them. I set up my tank in mid-December so it's just over 2 months old.

Thank Mr X I'll look into that

very cool its def rewarding watching a tank come to life.....

 

[mr_X]

No. Their population will increase and decrease with the maturity of the tank. You don't need anything to eat them.

 

[Photoevangelist]

I'm waiting for a mandarin too. I see so much life on the substrate and rock that I might pick one up in the next few weeks.

 

[Reefpete]

I'm waiting for a mandarin too. I see so much life on the substrate and rock that I might pick one up in the next few weeks.

Yea they are such cool fish I just want to make sure he's got a food supply as I've read they are difficult to train to eat

 

[Reefpete]

No. Their population will increase and decrease with the maturity of the tank. You don't need anything to eat them.

Didn't mean to maintain population but aren't those what the mandarin eat? I eventually want one

 

[mr_X]

It might eat some of them, but the bulk of their diet is copepods. What size tank and how much rock?

 

[Reefpete]

Gotcha ok was curious this tank is my nano tank 20 gal long 25 lbs lr and 30 lbs live sand

 

[mr_X]

I would never put a mandarin in that size tank. You can't buy enough pods to feed it. I would either try a ORA mandarin that allegedly eats prepared foods, get a much bigger tank, or skip it all together.

 

[Reefpete]

I have a 125 gal at work would that work ? I really wanted him at home I am upgrading this tank to a 29 gal in a week going to use twenty gal as a qt I will look that one up now

 

[Reefpete]

What does Ora stand for x?

 

[Greenturtle]

What does Ora stand for x?

Oceans Reefs & Aquariums. They're a company that specializes in breeding tank-raised fish and corals. Usually ORA products are more expensive but have great quality.

 

[Reefpete]

Thanks turtle I am on their website now think I might just buy one from them as I want one to eat prepared foods

 

[mr_X]

They don't sell to the general public, but I'm sure your LFS can order one for you.