question about shrimp

[anemonelover]

Hi there!

I'm not actually a new reefkeeper, but I've never bothered to look this up so it's a newbie question. You know those little milky-white semi-transparent shrimp that live in tiny crevices and skitter around really quickly? What the heck are those, and what eats them? They make some of my corals close up and it annoys the crap out of me.

Thanks,
j

 

[Anonymous]

I will guess they are one of the Copepods.
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/crust/copbiol.html

They are good critters, wouldn't worry about them. Copper Banded Butterflies and scooter Blenny's will eat them along with other fish. But if they deplete the pod population, the fish will most likely starve to death also.

 

[ChrisRD]

IIRC, the little white shrimp-looking ones are actually amphipods. They are eaten by many species of fish - especially some of the small basslets, wrasses, etc. They're a good sign of a healthy system IMO and nothing to worry about.

 

[anemonelover]

IIRC, the little white shrimp-looking ones are actually amphipods. They are eaten by many species of fish - especially some of the small basslets, wrasses, etc. They're a good sign of a healthy system IMO and nothing to worry about.

Ahh, you're right. This is what it looks like, although apparently this is not the exact same one:

http://web.odu.edu/sci/biology/jrh/crangony.jpg

Well that's good if it really is a sign of a healthy system, since they are in a nano. I just feel like there are too many of them. I have two gobies in this tank along with a couple clowns, but I don't think any of them pick at the damn things. Oh well... Thanks for your thoughts!

jae

 

[taikonaut]

Beach Flea!