Challenge: can you ID a pod without a pic?

[fatoldsun]

I have some sort of pod that popped on the glass of my fuge. These are tiny but there are a lot of them. My guess is that they are some type of isopod so that narrows it down to about 5000. And of course some (on the unusual side) are bad for the fish. I tried desperately to get a pic but no luck. So I'll give the best description I can. They're opaque or white and mostly transparent. The largest is maybe 0.5 mm. They are all over the glass grazing on algae. They sort of look like (don't laugh) PacMan ghosts both in shape and how the slither around on the glass. They don't seem to be disturbed at all by light and they haven't moved much at all. I noticed them by the hundreds about 10 minutes after adding a CUC to the DT and none of the LFS water made it into the tank. 3 margaritas and 3 ceirths went in the fuge but still no water. So they've been there for at least 5 days. Tanks been up a couple months. DT has a yellow tang and a maroon gold stripe clown. Neither seem bothered. So??? Any thoughts. Anyone know of a good resource? Like a photo encyclopedia of reef pods?  I wish I could get a pic. Thanks for looking...
Dave

 

[TanksNStuff]

Dave, go to This Link and see if you can find what you have.

From the sound of your "white, pac-man ghost" description, I'm thinking it might be asterina stars. Those things multiply like rabbits and are pretty common. They will graze on algae on the glass, but unfortunately, they also tend to munch on corraline algae, which you don't want to happen.

If you have these, I'd suggest plucking them all out whenever you see any. You won't get them all, but if you continually remove them as you find them you can keep the population at a minimum. They shouldn't harm any fish or corals though.

It could also be flatworms, another common hitchhiker. They say the clear/yellowish ones are harmless, but the red ones are a major nuissance due to their rapid reproduction. I say they all suck and should be removed.

Good luck and let us know what you think it might be.

 

[fatoldsun]

No, no legs or appendages like the star. If you think of the PacMan ghost, they sort of move head first and the shape is like an oval with the bottom ripped off. They are somewhat the shape of a cirolanid but much much smaller, no clear "eye sockets" and the seem to move more fluidly almost like a slither. I think I found a microscope on craigslist. Guess that may be useful to have anyway. I'll post pics if I can get them. Meantime my search for pics online continues. Let me know if you can think of any other sites. Thanks as always!

 

[TanksNStuff]

OK Dave, try This One and start with the section for "Zooplankton". I think you might find it in there.

If it's not there, try the "Worms" section and the "Odds & Ends" section.

 

[TanksNStuff]

One more site for good measure.

 

[fatoldsun]

Thanks George. I actually found that yesterday. Great resource! I went through everything and didn't find anything that I thought was a particularly close match. I'm picking up a microscope but the guy doesn't have any slides so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get pics tonight. Maybe I can bring one in a test tube on Thursday. I'll be sure to keep it away from your tank

 

[TanksNStuff]

LOL, ok Dave.

 

[fatoldsun]

One more site for good measure.   

Might be a convotriloba flatworm. At least that's close

I guess I should add that I have what I assume are copepods which are in addition to the mystery guests. The copepods look like little white fleas, about 1/5th the size of the mystery worm/pod

 

[9supratt4]

That would be my guess....a flatworm.

I've never heard of a pod that has no appendages...

 

[TanksNStuff]

Do you have anything that looks like this? (They would be very small, maybe 1/8" long or less.)

If so, that's a montipora eating nudibranch. Those you definitely do not want.

 

[fatoldsun]

I'm leaning towards the flat worms. I found this http://www.reefs.org/forums/topic120853.html where they are described A's the PacMan ghosts

Anyone know where I could buy microscope slides? I'm getting a scope from an ex-nursing student off craigslist but no slides. I may have to use a ziploc bag piece if I can't get anything before 5 (when I have to get my kids and take over dad duty tonight)

 

[fatoldsun]

I guess this settles that they're flatworms. Gotta love the craigslist microscope and a slide made from a cut up ziploc bag

So the question is... Good or Bad?

 

[Hawkeye]

flatworms are not necessarily bad in "moderation" but are definitely not good (if that makes any sense). Bottom line - best to rid them before they get to epidemic proportions. When that happens they become bad simply because a sharp drop/death in population will ruin the water chemistry thereby possibly creating a nasty chain effect.

Options to remove are pretty much centralized around the use of flatworm exit. But i have zero exp with it. I used to use FWE as a dip, not as a treatment for the main display.