Zoa spider larvae? Harmless copepod? Help with ID

Arthur_Dent

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I recently purchased some zoas, and stupidly, didn't quarantine. I'm dealing with an outbreak of euglena at the moment as well, and have been looking at the green slime microscopically a few times per week.

I came across these things clinging to the return nozzles tonight. Any idea what they are? I suspect they are zoa spiders, but I hope I am wrong. These pictures are about 200x mag.

1617079991435.png


1617080004105.png
 
I recently purchased some zoas, and stupidly, didn't quarantine. I'm dealing with an outbreak of euglena at the moment as well, and have been looking at the green slime microscopically a few times per week.

I came across these things clinging to the return nozzles tonight. Any idea what they are? I suspect they are zoa spiders, but I hope I am wrong. These pictures are about 200x mag.

1617079991435.png


1617080004105.png
yes its a zoo spider, looks like one to me anyways...hopefully someone else will confirm or not
 
yes its a zoo spider
Thanks for the confirmation.

I believe these only eat zoas, correct? Process to resolve would be repeatedly dipping zoas, and monitoring, or removing zoas, dipping, and qt'ing for a while before moving back to display, I would assume.

Ill do some more reading and post results here.
 
Thanks for the confirmation.

I believe these only eat zoas, correct? Process to resolve would be repeatedly dipping zoas, and monitoring, or removing zoas, dipping, and qt'ing for a while before moving back to display, I would assume.

Ill do some more reading and post results here.
well hold on for some one else i could be wrong i am no expert
 
Thanks for the confirmation.

I believe these only eat zoas, correct? Process to resolve would be repeatedly dipping zoas, and monitoring, or removing zoas, dipping, and qt'ing for a while before moving back to display, I would assume.

Ill do some more reading and post results here.

It does not look to me like an adult zoa spider, but if some young form of zoa spider i honestly have zero clue.

In my experience dips alone are very ineffective with them because so often they are mostly(or at times completely) inside the zoa and dont seem to be impacted. Dealing with them now in my QT(thanks to a vendor here ). I dip and and also inspect closely and getting good at identifying polyps that have a spider inside.

From my research it seems they require sexual reproduction which makes them much easier to get ahead of via manual removal than many common pests.
 
Pycnogonids (sea spiders, including zoa spiders) look completely different, whether as larvae or adults.

This looks like a marine mite, look up Halacaridae
 
@Arthur_Dent did you get them from aqua sd?
No. Different vendor. Not sure if they're a sponsor. Doesn't look like they are spiders anyhow. They are Halacaridae, per post #9 above.

Heck, even if they were spiders, I only paid 10 bucks a frag, for 10 zoas and 11 LPS shipped to my door. I'll take it. Pests can be managed.
 

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