New Shrimplike critters in my sump

[alarmguy66]

I was looking in my 55 gallon sump last night and I noticed many new critters that havent been noticed in the last year. They look like mysid shrimp, the biggest being 6-7 mm long, many smaller. They arent crawlers like copepods, they are free swimming. They look exactly like reall small shrimp. How come I never saw them before? No new rock or anything introduced in over 10 months, a few small pieces with corals a few months ago. I do have 3 pistols, but I believe they are too small to breed. One cleaner shrimp and a nuisance camel I cant catch live in there too.

What do you think, any ideas on how they got there? Maybe just small numbers were in there and they have bred? All I can think is woo hoo, free food!!!

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

They aren't amphipods?

 

[lando]

Sounds like amphipods to me. Congrats!

 

[steve-s]

I find mysids are much more prone to nocturnal activities. If you have a few in the sump, the main is most likely loaded with them. Check an hour or so after lights out with a dim flashlight. Could be you've just never noticed them before or there wasn't enough of a food source for the population to increase.

Cheers
Steve

 

[alarmguy66]

Ive been sneaking some time on the net at work today. Definitly NOT an amphipod, although I have plenty of those. Doesnt look like any copepds Ive found either, altough it looks closer to one of them than an amphipod. I swear it looks just like tiny shrimp! Ill try to snap a pic tonight.

 

[steve-s]

I swear it looks just like tiny shrimp!

Which is exactly what mysids look like

http://www.mysidshrimp.com/

Also refered to as Opossum shrimp.

Cheers
Steve

 

[alarmguy66]

couldnt get a worthy pic for id, they are just too small. They look just like those pictures though. Looks like I can slow down on the feeding a bit. I wonder why I never saw them before? The 180 is 8 months old and the 55 before it was 10 months old before moving up. Seems like I would have seen them before.