Help Isopod identification

[FishRN]

Earlier today I saw a thin pancake like creature flap across my tank and into the back of my rock work so tonight I decided to do some hunting. This was one of the creatures I caught and I’m pretty sure it’s a bad one. There were also several other smaller isopods that were shaped like pill bugs but with large black eyes, but they were really quick and I didn’t have any luck catching them. Both kinds seem to favor the sand. All live rock and sand is from Tampa bay if that helps with ID. Also any tips on catching the remaining bugs would be appreciated, since I’m pretty sure these aren’t good guys.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Earlier today I saw a thin pancake like creature flap across my tank and into the back of my rock work so tonight I decided to do some hunting. This was one of the creatures I caught and I’m pretty sure it’s a bad one. There were also several other smaller isopods that were shaped like pill bugs but with large black eyes, but they were really quick and I didn’t have any luck catching them. Both kinds seem to favor the sand. All live rock and sand is from Tampa bay if that helps with ID. Also any tips on catching the remaining bugs would be appreciated, since I’m pretty sure these aren’t good guys.

Looks like cirolanid isopod

 

[FishRN]

Looks like cirolanid isopod

I was hoping that wasn’t the case, any clue on how to wipe them out with out tearing apart the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I was hoping that wasn’t the case, any clue on how to wipe them out with out tearing apart the tank?

Dragonets and 6 line wrasses

 

[FishRN]

I have a possum and a flasher wrasse in there but I’m not so sure they could tackle these guys. Some of the ones I saw were the size of an eraser or bigger. Anyone got a 6inch six line I can borrow?

 

[JoJosReef]

Based on the eyes, I am leaning cirolanid. Here is a pic of my spheromatid isopods:

They can be really hard to tell apart. The spheromatids, based on my reading and looking at lots of pictures, have eyes further apart and less "malevolent". They also have the distinguishing ability to curl a bit like a roly poly. If you have a live one, you can place it onto a piece of paper, touch it with a pipette tip and see if it curls--not a real test, just a "try and see".

I don't know what successfully annihilates these from your tank. Best I've read about were variations of the "stinky water trap method". One poster just used the stinky water, shot it against the glass and sucked up cirolanids as they came out to the glass and eventually whittled them down to nothing.

Sorry! Hope it's not a heavy infestation!

 

[FishRN]

Based on the eyes, I am leaning cirolanid. Here is a pic of my spheromatid isopods:

They can be really hard to tell apart. The spheromatids, based on my reading and looking at lots of pictures, have eyes further apart and less "malevolent". They also have the distinguishing ability to curl a bit like a roly poly. If you have a live one, you can place it onto a piece of paper, touch it with a pipette tip and see if it curls--not a real test, just a "try and see".

I don't know what successfully annihilates these from your tank. Best I've read about were variations of the "stinky water trap method". One poster just used the stinky water, shot it against the glass and sucked up cirolanids as they came out to the glass and eventually whittled them down to nothing.

Sorry! Hope it's not a heavy infestation!

The one you have in the pic looks really similar two the others I saw skittering around the sand. So maybe the majority of them aren’t the parasitic kind I’ll try to catch them for pics. But I think I’ve scared them all into hiding for the night.

 

[JoJosReef]

The one you have in the pic looks really similar two the others I saw skittering around the sand. So maybe the majority of them aren’t the parasitic kind I’ll try to catch them for pics. But I think I’ve scared them all into hiding for the night.

Red flashlight works best in my experience. I haven't had to deal with cirolanids, but I see much more activity with only red light than when any other light is on. Fingers crossed for spheromatids!