Mesanthura isopod

[NightStar]

Found this guy in my sump rocks. I had no idea but someone in a club I'm in correctly identified it as a Mesanthura isopod. Any experience with these guys?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

http://www.starfish.ch/c-invertebrates/isopods-copepods.html

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

http://www.starfish.ch/c-invertebrates/isopods-copepods.html

 

[NightStar]

http://www.starfish.ch/c-invertebrates/isopods-copepods.html

The Mesanthura isopod isn't on that page.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hmm it is when I clicked it. Checking.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Tried it again right under abthurade
Top third of page. Isopod section

 

[NightStar]

Ok, I see it now, but it looks nothing like the one I posted?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Probably better that way. That's a predatory bloodsucker.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Representative_marine_isopod_forms.png

Check this out. Masanthura is the genus not species. The one in the other post is also Mesa but different species. A bad one.

 

[NightStar]

I'm thinking/hoping it's the roid version. The person who identified it just sent me this. It does have the forearms like the amphipod eating version...

http://coo.fieldofscience.com/2011_03_01_archive.html?m=1

 

[NightStar]

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Representative_marine_isopod_forms.png

Check this out. Masanthura is the genus not species. The one in the other post is also Mesa but different species. A bad one.

I'm hoping it's the not a bloodthirsty sucker one because it is cool. It looks like the sand dweller version more.

 

[Sabellafella]

Man i hope those things arent bad i just watched my mandarin eat about 7 of them this past week, they look like little mantia shrimp

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Are you sure it's not a tanaid.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Man i hope those things arent bad i just watched my mandarin eat about 7 of them this past week, they look like little mantia shrimp

Seems they usually hitch in the skin of the animals they target. Eating this kind is probably fine and better for the rest of the tank. It's one reason I love the mandarins and pickers. See fish with jobs thread where many refuted the pickers role in a tank.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Are you sure it's not a tanaid.

Googling.
Can't tell is it has claws. I think that's the difference.
Google Tanaid Shimek. (Fanboy!)

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/rs/index.php