Amphipod Infested

Discussion in 'Coral' started by Rhoads238, Sep 15, 2013.

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  1. Rhoads238

    Rhoads238 Spaghetti Worm

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    Hey all,

    So i recently bought a few new frags a week ago, three of which being some palys. They were doing great and then yesterday i noticed that one of them was swarmed with amphipods and now it wont open. If left alone for a bit it will open back up, only to close shortly there after. Right now i can count five amphipods on that plug. I have the two other frags right next to this one but neither of the others are being swarmed. The frag looked very healthy when i brought it home and was looking great up until yesterday. Its a pretty cool one to top it off, maroon with indigo stripes and a lime green mouth.

    Any ideas why this is happening?
     
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  3. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Are you sure they are amphipods???Picture would be great.8)
     
  4. Rhoads238

    Rhoads238 Spaghetti Worm

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  5. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Two things could be happening.

    1st and most likely the Amphipods are just cleaning up any sloughing tissue or types of detritus.

    2nd: I am a firm believer that not all Amphipods are created equal and some are predatory to soft coral, lps....

    You can dip them to see if the old tissue sloughs off or removes whatever the pods are eating. Wait it out and see if they leave it alone or lastly if they start to destroy the frag and it's that important to you or the Amphipods become such a problem that you can either buy a fish that eats them or treat with Interceptor.(Run on sentence alert).
     
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  6. Rhoads238

    Rhoads238 Spaghetti Worm

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    I hope its the first option then. What else is interesting about this is that there is one polyp that is a different color on that plug and it is completely open and untouched.

    I will give it another day or two and then try a dip. I dont think i would treat the tank with interceptor unless as a last resort.
     
  7. barbianj

    barbianj Hammer Head Shark

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    Looks like my tank until I added a male Melanurus wrasse. The amphipods may not have started the zoas' decline, but they are relentless once they move in. Are they bold enough to come out with the lights on?
     
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  9. Pickupman66

    Pickupman66 Tassled File Fish

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    that picture = dinner time in my tank...
     
  10. Rhoads238

    Rhoads238 Spaghetti Worm

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    Ugh so it as been about a week now and still no progress. I have done several fw dips and have made no progress whatsoever.

    The upsetting thing is the frag sometime starts to poke a polyp out and it immediately goes back in.

    The other two frags remain untouched and in good health.
     
  11. N00ZE

    N00ZE Eyelash Blennie

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    Buy a sixline wrasse and this book would be finished.
     
  12. Pickupman66

    Pickupman66 Tassled File Fish

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    That's the truth. Or a melanarus. They will decimate a pod population. Mine look like stripedy footballs.