Tragedy in my tank

[Anonymous]

Tonight I noticed something attached to the back of my N.helfrichi, just below the dorsal fin. One look and I instantly thought isopod. It didn't obviously have the big black eyes that the cirolanid isopods are renowned for, but it was undoubtedly attached to the back of the fish. The Goby's dorsal fin was flicking intermittently, so it was obviously conscious it was there.

I managed to catch the Goby, ready with a wet towel and pair of tweezers, but it detached before I got it. Now I'm filled with complete dejection, having searched for people's experiences with these things and seen only the recommendation that the tank is "nuked" which seems to mean writing off the life in the tank in its entirety.

There was one recommendation that if you leave the tank without fish for 6 months, without feeding the tank at all (including feeding the coral), the isopods will die off. Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this is worth trying? I have a friend here who might be able to take the Firefish for that time. The Blenny might have to get taken to a shop to be sold on, as it's started nipping at zoas and my friend's got a good selection (he gave me the frags I have now). The other option seems to patient trapping of all the isopods, but the person who seemed to have the time to do this successfully was doing it with a fishless tank. I'm not sure my fish are going to last so long if I rely on being able to get them out one by one (assuming there is more than one in there).

I can only think it came in on one of the LPS I bought recently, as there had been no sign of it until now.

Fish experts (Matt, Rich) and others - any advice please? I'm desperately worried right now.

 

[Anonymous]

I can think of two suggestions.

Leave them meaty bait and try to trap them. Would work better if you remove all your fish first.

Remove all your fish and add some living, meaty bait - like damsels. Or freshwater feeder mollys converted over to saltwater.

That's about all I've got though, Tom.

 

[Anonymous]

I've read fishless for 2-4 months. Sorry wish I knew more. Try garlic infused foods.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, sorry mate I haven't a clue as to how to deal with them

 

[Len]

Sorry to hear that Keeping your tank fallow will probably work, but the question is how long (I have no idea).

What we can hope is that you only have one or few isopods, and none of them are pregnant females. Or maybe it's a fluke (literal sense of the word ) which you would have more remedies for.

 

[Anonymous]

Did you see it swim off the fish? How many fish are in the tank?

I would do anything until it reappears again. If it does, I would try to catch the fish more gently and see if you can remove it that way. You could even prep the tank for it by removing a bunch of rock, but I don't think you are at that point yet. Don't do anything reactionary, there is no rush.

 

[Anonymous]

I like the hillbilly squid's idea..

Sorry for the problem Tom. Of course this might be a good time to set up a nice fish only tank, sow's ear and all that...

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear this, Tom. I'm surprised to hear that it jumped off. I didn't know they could or would detach that quickly.

I also like the suggestions Thales gave. Nothing rash or drastic now. Think like a ninja and just wait until it reappears. To make it easier to catch the fish and bug together you might consider training the fish to eat out of something which can, when the time comes, also be used as a trap. Like those cylindrical acrylic fish traps that fish are so horrified of. Have airline running down into it to inject food, and just do that for however long it takes. Yes, not an attractive idea, maybe not even a good one. But I'd hate for you to wait weeks with net in hand, only to have it jump off again. Then we'd all feel pretty dumb.

I also like CJ's idea of baiting the isopod directly.

Do they reproduce asexually?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know if baiting works. Go with Rich's idea, and get ready to catch them one by one. Since they are parasite (right?), they won't kill the fish right away, so take you time scanning for them every time you watch your fishes. Good luck.

 

[ThrillYa]

Here's a good write up on how someone else has been hunting them for what it's worth. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php It looks pretty thorough.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for the advice. I've now got a net next to the tank to try and enable a quick catch if we see the thing on the Firefish again. Chasing it gently around the tank with a couple of plastic containers might not have stressed it out (it was remarkably calm when I'd caught it), but it also appears to give the little pest time to drop off. I've read elsewhere that some of these things only attach at night, so I might have to try and find a red flashlight somewhere.

Thrillya, thanks for the link. I read that account of the guy with loads in his tank and his attempts to catch them all. It looks useful, but it also looks like the approach that will take some time (he did it with a fishless tank so wasn't in a rush). The Firefish has already got a sore place on one side of its face, with a little bit of skin hanging off, I assume following an attack from this thing, so I don't want to take the gradual approach. I'll keep on watching, ready to catch it ASAP. Otherwise I might have to try and ask a friend to have the fish in his tank until I'm clean again. I'm at this stage half-hopeful that there's only one in the tank, but who knows.

I should be really enjoying the tank right now, with my R.florida splitting, my Turbinaria growing well and a few new purchases, but all I can think about is the poor Firefish living through its own personal Sigourney Weaver hell.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry Tom, but your analogy made me chuckle. It'll turn out ok, I'm sure

 

[Anonymous]

These things are sent to try us, I know, but it's frustrating to feel so powerless. I need to get myself a small tank for the fish to get some respite, but my wife is resisting a bit, thinking I've already spent too much money, too quickly. Something cheap with a hang on filter and small powerhead should do the trick. Maybe I can get her to agree. She's also pretty concerned about the fish.

BTW, the analogy came to me unbidden, but seemed apt and raised a wry smile from me as well. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

It'll work out, Tom. If it makes you feel any better I caught another pair of syllid worms in my tank last night. I suspect I'm going to be an expert on these things before all is said and done.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks CJ. Some things I'd love not to become an expert on though!

At least I've only had one type of horror creature so far (not counting my dinner tonight - see The Sump), as opposed to the little selection you've had...

 

[Anonymous]

Joe Yaiullo had an infestation of cirolanid isopods in his 20,000g tank. They were so bad they were biting him when he got in the tank. He trapped them and removed nearly all of them, and they haven't been a problem since. I don't know what he used as a trap but could probably find out if it turns out this is indeed your problem.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Matt. It sounds like both his infestation and tank were on a different scale, but if it's easy to do at some point, it might well be helpful.