ever seen anything like this?

[wasp9166]

first pic in gallery, it flys around the tank like a house fly, ill try and get a better pic but it doesnt stay still very long

[rshimek]

Hi,

I await a better picture.

[Dz99ls]

agreed a better pic is neede d

[wasp9166]

new pics up , not the greatest but, btw , there is nothing in my tank but rock , sand , and algae......its nearing end of cycle, this thing seems to sit on my maxijet strainer and eat algae, its out while the actinics are on too, i wish i could get the damn camera to focus =(

[wasp9166]

swims on it back

[rshimek]

Hi,

It appears to be an herbivorous isopod, somewhat similar to the one illustrated below. If so, it is harmless or beneficial. You might try catching it and putting in a small bowl to photograph. I could then confirm the identification.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/41Isopod_02-med.jpg

[wasp9166]

ill try that, it only seems to be out and about between 4-6 pm my time, then i dont see it again till the next day.........is it possible to have the bad isopods in a tank that hasnt had any fish in it yet? i know they wouldnt live long but if they need fish to survive where would it come from in the first place?

[rshimek]

Hi,

Of course it is possible to carnivorous isopods in a tank without fish. But why go looking for trouble? Odds are that it is harmless or even beneficial.

[wasp9166]

no im not worried or doubting your answer , i was just gathering more knowledge , could you explain how its possible if theres no food source for them, cetainly they couldnt survive 6 weeks in rock could they?

[wasp9166]

2 more pics, the second pic is the best, it has a white cross on its back, with 4 brown dots 2 on each side of white line

[rshimek]

Originally posted by wasp9166

Hi,

no im not worried or doubting your answer , i was just gathering more knowledge , could you explain how its possible if theres no food source for them, cetainly they couldnt survive 6 weeks in rock could they?

The carnivorous isopods (cirolanids and aegids) can live without feeding for several months provided they have been well fed beforehand.

You should probably read this article (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.htm). Then you need to examine your bugs closely - use a magnifying glass.

2 more pics, the second pic is the best, it has a white cross on its back, with 4 brown dots 2 on each side of white line

Give me a break! :D I need to see the animal clearly to identify it. These are images of light colored blurs. They look vaguely "isopodish" but I can see neither body nor appendage details, and I need to see both for identification.

[wasp9166]

sorry, i thought maybe you could tell by the back marking , anyhow thanx for the article, its a Sphaeromatid, it clearly has those appendages in the rear when it lands, the lower photo in your article of the Sphaeromatid comparison looks exactly like it both from side and top.............

[rshimek]

Hi,

Good. Sphaeromatids are beneficial. :D

[JoeMack]

It lookd like this thread is over so if I'm stealing it let me know.

I got a pic of this guy about 4-6 months ago with my $20 craigslist USB scope. Can you tell me anything special about him?

http://ethereal.net/~jgrant/reef/bug_complete.jpg

http://ethereal.net/~jgrant/reef/bughead.jpg

And does it respirate like a spider like I this movie I took? Or what is it doing?

http://ethereal.net/~jgrant/reef/thingmoving.avi

[wasp9166]

what did you use to get that pic? a usb scope?

[JoeMack]

An Intel USB Microscope. Do a google search on them. They don't make them anymore but you can ind them cheap like I did. $20. It goes up to 200X

[wasp9166]

and you can take pics with it?

[JoeMack]

Ya. And Movies!

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec99/rbqx3.html

[rshimek]

Hi Joe,

Your bug is a munnid isopod. Read the article linked to above for a bit of information about them. Their gills are under the tail and they breathe by ventilating them.