Natural Amphipod Predator? (That wont carpet surf)

[LRT]

Asked this question in R2R article but wanted to ask here and hear very one thoughts.
Recently found a population at the base of an RFA that I thought was only irritating it. It detached and balled up. Wasn't until it opened back up that I noticed most of its skirt was missing and had been eaten off!

I have no natural predators in my shallow frag tanks as most fish I put in end up carpet surfing so I gave up on fish in the tables.

Is there anything else that will help keep the population in check? Shrimp? Fish that aren't likely to carpet surf?

 

[laverda]

Almost any fish will eat them, as well as jump. A net top is the first step. With a lid your options are wide open. That said I really doubt amphibious caused the issue.

 

[LRT]

Almost any fish will eat them, as well as jump. A net top is the first step. With a lid your options are wide open. That said I really doubt amphibious caused the issue.

Hi thanks for the response.
As crazy as it sounds its most definitely the pods that ate the RFA skirt.
I have zero natural predators in my frag tables and some of the pods have grown the size of mysis shrimp.
I seen the pods on it and was fully infested with them. Ended up detaching and after I dipped it and put in cup with sand it opened up and sure enough over half its skirt has been eaten off.
I know I never would have believed it myself as I feed my rfa mysis and they can be quite aggressive and would have imagined anything caught in its fingers would be quick food. However it was not the case.
That being said carnivorous pods are not unheard of. Plenty of info out there with them eating zoas and other corals.

I'm curious if there's a natural reef safe crab, anything other than fish that will eat them out there? Don't want to go the screen route if I don't have to.

 

[nereefpat]

One of the Chrysiptera genus damsels might be a good option

 

[Crustaceon]

Sixline wrasses annihilate amphipods.

 

[LRT]

Sixline wrasses annihilate amphipods.

Yes I have been reading up on them.
How likely are they to go carpet surfing?

 

[LRT]

One of the Chrysiptera genus damsels might be a good option

Thank you I will have to look into them.

 

[KevinC]

i dropped a interceptor in the tank. My tank was infested and no one believed me when i said i saw amphipod chewed a little of my CSB

ever since then i dipped every frag super good and dose copepods triggerpods to get the pods population up

 

[Crustaceon]

Yes I have been reading up on them.
How likely are they to go carpet surfing?

Pretty low in my experience. They relentlessly scour the rocks all day long and tuck themselves into the those rocks as night in their mucus cocoon. Mine rarely comes within three inches of the display surface.

 

[LRT]

i dropped a interceptor in the tank. My tank was infested and no one believed me when i said i saw amphipod chewed a little of my CSB

ever since then i dipped every frag super good and dose copepods triggerpods to get the pods population up

Right on didn't think of that! I've since dipped all my corals in melafix and probably flushed a cpl hundred adults down the toilet.
They will eat corals if no other food source is present i literally watched them do it first hand. I dont really feed my tables so no other food source present for them up there.

 

[LRT]

Pretty low in my experience. They relentlessly scour the rocks all day long and tuck themselves into the those rocks as night in their mucus cocoon. Mine rarely comes within three inches of the display surface.

Awesome thank you. Have any issues with yours eating softies?

 

[KevinC]

Right on didn't think of that! I've since dipped all my corals in melafix and probably flushed a cpl hundred adults down the toilet.
They will eat corals if no other food source is present i literally watched them do it first hand. I dont really feed my tables so no other food source present for them up there.

i let them got out of control with no fish in my tank for 4 months to kill off ich. the amphipods are huge and its disgusting

 

[Crustaceon]

Awesome thank you. Have any issues with yours eating softies?

Nope. I’ve kept them in a zoa garden with no problems. They’ll pretty much completely ignore any coral.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Almost any fish WILL NOT eat them. Theyre generally too big for mandarins and drogonettes. Coral babded shrimp Occassionally eat them.
What will eat them are the following wrasses:
Six Line, Four Line, Lemon Meringue, Leopard Wrasse

 

[LRT]

i let them got out of control with no fish in my tank for 4 months to kill off ich. the amphipods are huge and its disgusting

Haha yeah they molt constantly and make a mess too! They wherent bothering me until the rfa incident.
Going to keep dipping my corals but so far they the population has dwindled at least they aren't out scurrying everywhere right now. But they are still molting and making mess so I know they are there!
They can for sure be a pest if left unchecked.

 

[LRT]

Almost any fish WILL NOT eat them. Theyre generally too big for mandarins and drogonettes. Coral babded shrimp Occassionally eat them.
What will eat them are the following wrasses:
Six Line, Four Line, Lemon Meringue, Leopard Wrasse

That lemon meringue wrasse is a beautiful fish!

 

[Crustaceon]

Add melanarus and canary wrasse to that list. They all bash amphipods against the rocks. It’s pretty brutal, yet oddly satisfying.

 

[sdreef]

Hi thanks for the response.
As crazy as it sounds its most definitely the pods that ate the RFA skirt.
I have zero natural predators in my frag tables and some of the pods have grown the size of mysis shrimp.
I seen the pods on it and was fully infested with them. Ended up detaching and after I dipped it and put in cup with sand it opened up and sure enough over half its skirt has been eaten off.
I know I never would have believed it myself as I feed my rfa mysis and they can be quite aggressive and would have imagined anything caught in its fingers would be quick food. However it was not the case.
That being said carnivorous pods are not unheard of. Plenty of info out there with them eating zoas and other corals.

I'm curious if there's a natural reef safe crab, anything other than fish that will eat them out there? Don't want to go the screen route if I don't have to.

Plenty of fish that will eat amphipods, but most fish can jump a shallow frag tank. Maybe live mysid shrimp. They are cannabilistic, but eat amphipods and copepods as well.

 

[tnw50cal]

I had 1000s of amphipods at one time. They were out night and day. They ate my coral(acans). So I bought PC(pest control) my six line wrasse. Now the amphipods are afraid to be seen cause if they are PC eats them. I have a top net so can't tell you if they're jumpers, can tell you PC doesn't bother any of my corals(zoas,LPS,SPS).

 

[laverda]

Yes I have been reading up on them.
How likely are they to go carpet surfing?

Very, as are most wrasses.