Amphipod

[hockeydude15]

I just recently realized when shining a flashlight on my tank (trying to find a fish in crevices...yeah idk) that I have a lot of amphipods. Apparently it is a good thing for the most part. But I read that if you see your fish shaking and shuttering that the amphipods may be causing your fish discomfort. Ofcourse right when I look at my tank thats exactly what my one fish is doing. Am I overreacting or do I need to do something about it?

38 gal
fowlr
4 damsels

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Never heard of that about amphipods. Just curious where you read that?

Have you tested for ammonia or nitrites to rule out your water parameters?

 

[Ziggy953]

Ive never heard that about amphipods either. I'd like to read that as well.

 

[roka64]

Are you talking about isopods?

 

[hockeydude15]

read it here:

Those Little White Bugs In Your Saltwater Aquarium Profiled - Classification Information and Facts About Copepods and Amphipods

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Thanks for the link. I've never heard of that being a problem. Normally, once you put fish in a tank, it seems like folks are trying everything to keep their pod population up! I know I had tons in the beginning, but once I started stocking their population pretty much plummeted!

If your fish are acting abnormal, I'd look toward water parameters first. Is everything testing OK?

 

[fijiwigi]

Is it a damsel that is acting funny. what exactly is it doing?

 

[roka64]

Wow, definitely thanks for that link! It does say once they get bigger, they will move off the fish and find a place in the substrate or LR.
I agree, what is the damsel doing? Some fish will shimmy or shake for breeding purposes.
Definitely get us some water readings.

 

[Ziggy953]

Hmmm...that is interesting. I would expect this in a very very mature tank that has no fish in it that eat pods.

Thanks for the information though!

 

[cmor1701d]

I'll take all your spare pods for my mandarin. And I have a lot of pods in my tank.

 

[hockeydude15]

I believe that I was overreacting after observing for the last few days. But I did see that the one damselfish was shuddering almost as if he was trying to shake something off. But he seems fine now.

 

[hockeydude15]

Wow, definitely thanks for that link! It does say once they get bigger, they will move off the fish and find a place in the substrate or LR.
I agree, what is the damsel doing? Some fish will shimmy or shake for breeding purposes.
Definitely get us some water readings.

Maybe it was shaking for breeding purposes... I didnt know they did that.

 

[roka64]

I know some clowns will do this (they are damselfish as well).