Unknown tank guest

[Justin Swinney]

i found one of these in my tank after adding some pods does anyone know what it is

 

[Bradley Crocker]

It's an isopod. Looks to be one of the scavenger types.

 

[Justin Swinney]

Good or bad? @Bradley Crocker

 

[Bradley Crocker]

Good if my guess is correct. Search sphaeromatid isopod and see if it matches. The easiest way to id the more common ones is their eyes and "tails."

 

[c.poindexter]

Good if my guess is correct. Search sphaeromatid isopod and see if it matches. The easiest way to id the more common ones is their eyes and "tails."

I second your guess. Hard to tell from the picture but doesn't look like the circolanids.

 

[Justin Swinney]

I looked into it and I think you're right. That looks a lot like the one I found. But to be on the safe side it will not continue to live in my tank

 

[Bradley Crocker]

I looked into it and I think you're right. That looks a lot like the one I found. But to be on the safe side it will not continue to live in my tank

That's some good late night reading! There's a lot of "monsters of the deep" type of information about marine isopods, but the vast majority are harmless.

I freaked myself out for a long while trying to figure out which type I had in my system.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

It's absolutely a sphaeromatid, as said.

 

[Bradley Crocker]

And welcome to R2R!

 

[Justin Swinney]

Thanks guys I did more research and found this

First, each individual has the capability to roll into a ball-like terrestrial pill bug. None of the other isopods likely to be found aquaria will be able do that.

So naturally I poked it and it rolled into a ball

 

[Justin Swinney]

And welcome to R2R!

Thank you