Bug ID, pod or what??

[NYReef]

I have a bunch of small 2 to 3 mm bugs that all crawling on my glass and corals, including two montipora's. They are brown/black with a white stripe down the back like a skunk, many legs and what look like two pinchers on the backsdie. They are small and had to get a good pic of, my macro function is not good. Any thoughts would be appreciated, I don't see any corals being damaged and have had these "bugs" for a few weeks, just can't find any pics of pods that look like them. With the white stripe they should be called skunk bugs.

 

[prattreef]

Sound like amphipods.... good

 

[NYReef]

pic added

 

[reefman]

i dont think amphipods r brown/black & white stripe. heres a pic

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I'd say Cirolanids or fish lice some are good some are bad. Latin name

Cirolanidae, cf. Lironeca.

 

[prattreef]

Yeah didn't see the pic, not an amphipod. Hard to tell what it is.

 

[NYReef]

Thats part of the problem, it looks like a Cirolanids, but doesn't share all of their attributes. They are out with the light on more then after the lights go out. Smaller eyes, I can't even see them, many legs which you can't see in the pic. I'm confused, but it doesn't look like anything is getting hurt. Thanks for all the help.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

too be safe remove it or place in a container in your tank until you can get a positive id

 

[aaron23]

i'd remove them just incase... no idea what that is

 

[NYReef]

The problem is, there are many of them, they are fast as hell when moving, and kind of "fly through the water" like a mosquito in air, its really strange to see. They hide very well when I try and nab one.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Have any adhered to any of the fish or even to your hand?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

siphon there arses out when they land....

 

[reefman]

take a close up shot when outa water. id easier if we get a better shot. do a top n bottom shot.

 

[NYReef]

They don't go on the fish or my arm, they kind of crawl around at times, or just stay still in one place. There are a lot of them and I will try and siphon them out when I do my weekly water change. Wish I knew what the heck they were????

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Do you have a sump with a filter sock on the end of the overflow? If you do there may be some in there.

 

[NYReef]

They don't seem to get caught in the water flow of the intake and stay mostly on the glass, bottom, or rock/corals. I can try and net one off the glass when they go high, but they are fast when chased!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Lil buggers!!!

Time to haul out the big guns! :tank:

 

[DRENALYN9]

Since You Had Started Noticing These Creatures Have You Seen Anything Wrong With Your Corals???

 

[NYReef]

Nope, thank god all look good, with the SPS, ricordia, crocea clam, zoanthids, acans, fox and hammer corals.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

u still havent gotten one out yet... nyreef get one out put it in a plastic container and take a pic.. so at least for us we no what this is.. cause i never seen anything close to that in my reef tank...