amphipod? isopod? household bug?

[tankobsessed]

Can anyone help me figure out what this guy is? I took him out because I was nervous, and now I'm worried I shouldn't have so I just want to find out so that I'll know next time...thank you for looking!

 

[tankobsessed]

Maybe my picture isn't good or maybe I didn't properly explain it. I got him from the sand in the front of my saltwater tank after adding a new coral to our tank yesterday. He was about the length of a fingernail from cuticle to fingertip. He had a bunch of little legs on his underside, sort of like a roly poly. If you have trouble viewing the attachment, I did add him to my gallery. It didn't seem to be able to "swim" just kind of crawled around on the bottom and when he got turned over he was sort of awkward looking and had trouble. I just want to know if I should or shouldn't have removed it?
I don't know if I mentioned, but I just got our 55 gallon saltwater up and running great - added two clownfish and a lawnmower blenny (one of my favorite fish). We have had tanks in the past but took a break for a few years after the birth of our second daughter. Thank you for looking!

 

[Reefmack]

I saw the pic earlier and thought it was a type of isopod, but wasn't sure if it was that or an amphipod, or something else. Some of the isopods that resemble that are fish parasites so if it was me I'd get rid of it to be safe. It almost looks like a terrestrial isopod (pillbug, rolly polly) but I'm not sure how one could have gotten into the tank.

Good luck with the new 55!

 

[redsea reefer]

Never seen anything like it and it doesn't look like it plays well with others. IMO, it gets the BAN stick...

 

[cbrownfish]

It favors an isopod based on my experiences. Maybe this will help:

Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

 

[brucie]

When I first set up my tank I seen one or two of these after I added the water and the sand and nothing else. I got everything used and for free except the water,salt, and sand. But I was amased to see something living in there when the live rock had been out of water for at least a couple days. Well, when I seen it my first thought was man thats a rolly polly! But I couldn't figure out how it got there. After it stayed alive for around a week is when I realized it was no rolly polly. But the cycle did end up killing it whatever it was.

 

[Reefmack]

Nice link cbrownfish - I have to agree that is sure looks like an isopod.

 

[tankobsessed]

What a great link!!! I'm going to save that to my favorites, thank you!! I promise, I attempted to search for it myself before boring everyone with my questions but I couldn't find it! You are right!
It definitely looked like an Isopod, specifically Deto Echinata. Or maybe Isopoda: Philosciidae: Philoscia moscorum. I gives me chills!
Thank you so much for your responses, I already feel so welcomed to this new community! And I hope to make a good impression as I know that I will need one....as I'm sure I will have many stupid and obvious questions posted before too long.

Thanks again!!! I'm gonna make sure there are no more of those little boogers in there tonight!

 

[Reefmack]

There's no such thing as a stupid question in here!

 

[novanosis]

You might be in luck. It might not be the bad isopods known as a parasites. See the ones that are common as the parasitic type have big black beady eyes. Look at the pictures and compare for yourself. I wish you luck!

Look here -> Hitch Hiking Copepods, Isopods and Amphipods

 

[tankobsessed]

Thank you! That was very interesting. After browsing these sites, I feel better because this bug didn't have the obvious beady eyes that some of those scary isopods do! He was a rather slow moving little guy. Thank you for looking and for sharing your resource with me.

 

[novanosis]

This should be another good place to look.

Pill bug species page

Marine Pill Bug Â* Â* GnorimosphaeromaÂ*oregonensisÂ* This cute little (3/8 of an inch) critter is a marine relative of the common pill bug that lives under rotting logs and otherÂ*debris on the uplands. Â*Both belong to a group of crustaceans called

-----------------------------------------------
Sphaeromatid isopods

MALE

FEMALE

 

[novanosis]

Thank you! That was very interesting. After browsing these sites, I feel better because this bug didn't have the obvious beady eyes that some of those scary isopods do! He was a rather slow moving little guy. Thank you for looking and for sharing your resource with me.

Also if they are out during the day, then thats a good sign.

Just keep an eye out for them.