ID Hitchhiker (Copepod?) (potentially eating chalice)

[OceanLab248]

Hey all,

Need help ID'ing a hitchhiker (if you'd even call it that) that may be potentially eating my newer chalice, or at least causing tissue recession observed (via stressing?). See attached for several pics of what I think are the culprit. Is it some sort of copepod? These "bugs" are absolutely everywhere in my tank. All over my entire rockscape throughout the tank, but don't appear to impact any of my other corals - everything else looks amazing.

I dipped the rock the chalice was glued to (and what the pics are from), and have since removed from the rock and put on a frag stand so the organisms can't actually climb / get to the chalice. TBD if that has a positive effect or not.

If some sort of copepod, I know these aren't known to actually eat coral, but perhaps they're just stressing the chalice? In one of the pics, you can clearly see a larger specimen hiding under the chalice. And some of pics clearly show tissue recession from the edges and underneath.

A bit more background on this too. I've never been able to keep Zoas in my tank due to this same reason. These "bugs" will cover the entire Zoa until it's withered away to nothing. Again, not sure if they're actually eating the tissue, or just causing enough stress to kill the Zoa.

Not sure if there is a fish or something I can do to decrease the population of these "bugs", or if it's even something I need to be concerned with. Maybe just need to find a place where my chalice can live in peace since my other corals aren't effected.

Thanks in advance everyone. Appreciate any and all feedback here.

 

[krollins]

I think those are amphipods(good guys)

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, those are amphipods; usually good guys - some people report them eating corals when in large numbers (I haven't been able to confirm if they actually do or don't, but it seems plausible to me that they might if they don't have enough other options).

Lots of fish eat them if your tank is big enough. What size of tank do you have and what are the dimensions?

 

[OceanLab248]

Thanks for the feedback, all.

My tank is 40 gallon breeder, so approx. 36 x 18 x 17. I have only have 2 clowns currently. I've always been more interested in the corals / keeping bioload low. But would certainly be open to adding more fish if that might help things along.

The amphipods are definitely in large numbers, that's for sure. They're absolutely everywhere ranging from the larger "adult" size, all the way to teeny tiny babies the size of a pin head. They can be spotted in and around just about every piece of rock in my tank.

And I definitely think the amphipods were eating my chalice. And I could almost guarantee they also have a nose for Zoas too (per initial post).

Thanks again for continued assistance with this

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

My tank is 40 gallon breeder, so approx. 36 x 18 x 17. I have only have 2 clowns currently. I've always been more interested in the corals / keeping bioload low. But would certainly be open to adding more fish if that might help things along.

Well, plenty of fish and possibly some inverts would be able to help with the amphipod problem - I've heard Mandarins will go for amphipods, and some other fish like wrasses or hawkfish may as well.

 

[twentyleagues]

Typically amphipods wont mess with corals unless it or part of it is dying. If you have a large population its from a food source in abundance algae, dying matter, or fish food. Most fish will eat them, mandarins and wrasses will actively hunt them.