Pineapple House
10-30-2002, 10:23 PM
Reef Pests
1. Heliacus Snails:
These are small snails (anywhere from 1-15mm diameter) and are a real pest. It seems their favorite food is Zoanthus and Protopalythoa. Make sure, when you buy a new specimen of such corals, check them thoroughly for these snails! They pierce the polyp with their proboscis, and suck their fluides until they die. They will also lay their eggs on or near the polyp population, to further the chances of their offspring survivng and growing up. These are hard to get off the rock. These will sometimes leave a thin "web" so if they either fall of the rock, or get pulled off, they can find their way back.
Here is a pic of what they look like:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_heliacus2.jpg
4. Rapa Rapa
The Rapa rapa snail, from the group Coralliophilidae.They will burrow into almost any coral, such as a Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton sp.) They will grow fast and slowly kill the coral off. So just remember, if you have a soft coral that for some odd reason is not doing well, look for any holes in it, and check it, there might be one of these interesting, yet lethal hitchhikers having a feast inside. Colt corals seem to get these little pests more often, probably becuase they are a bit softer than most.
5.Valonia
I've heard it called many things. Bubble algae comes to mind. All in all, its not that big a deal most times. The problem is that it can erupt into plague proportions! A few in the tank look cool, and wont really pose any sort of threat, but watch out! The big ones are pretty easy to deal with. Just carefully pick them out, and try not to burst them. The smaller ones seem to grow all in one clump. This one is kinda up to the keeper for the most part. There are crabs that will eat this stuff, such as emerald crabs, but if you feed you tank well, they typically wont. I don't consider this one too bad. But I have heard that it can really get out of control. Its not going to "attack" your corals, like aiptasia, but it just looks kinda bad. Here is a pic:
http://www.saltreef.com/images/pests/bth-valoniasmall2.jpg
6. Green Hair Algea
These is a real pest, as sometimes it can take over the whole tank, if not watched close enough. When you have this in abundance, you need snails. Turbos, Astreas, Margaritas, etc. They love this stuff. If you have high phosphates and some high nitrates, you might start to see this stuff. One of the best ways of removel, it by picking it up by hand. But try to make sure you dont leave any setting on top of the water. Here is a Pic of some Hair Algea:
http://www.saltreef.com/images/pests/bth-greenhair2.jpg
7. Red Slime
You will hear this called many things. Red Slime, Brown Jelly, dinoflagellates, or Snot Algae. This is hard to get rid of, especially when not using RO/DI water to start a new system this algae, along with green hair (see above) to be very common during a systems maturation. It will typically last about a month or two. A couple ways for control on this is to remove phosphates via a phosphate sponge, or use a competing algae. Caluerpa works well in this regard. Most fish or Inverts wont eat this stuff.
*Thanks Brad for some of on the above pests!!!!*
8. Mantis Shrimp
This can be a real pest, esspecielly in Fish Only tanks. It is said, that the strike of a mantis shrimp, is the same as a 22caliber bullet! It is also said that they can crack a 1 1/2 inch thick glass, with 2 smashes from its poweful front claws. There as two kinds on Mantis shrimp out there. One, is known as a smasher(or thumb splitter), as it has 2 front arms with a "hammar" like thing, to smash its prey. They other one, is known as a "spearer." These have a "spear" sorta thing, ensted of a hammar. They will spear they prey, wait till it dies, and eat it. Mantis shrimp usually will eat fish when they are more mature. You will usually hear little "cracks" and "clicks" in the tank, if you have one of these. They like to come out at night, and hide during the day. These are very hard to get rid of. The best way to get rid of them, it to first track where it goes, and find its "house." Next, try blasting it with boiling HOT water. It will seem to swim around the tank. Now, pick it up with a net(Dont do it with your hands! I have seens some people not move their hands away fast enough, and it can break a finger!) Once it is out, the rest is up to you. The best thing to do, is give it back to your Local Fish Store, and they might give you some money for it.
Here is a pic of a Adult Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyallarus):
http://www.divegallery.com/Mantis_Shrimp.jpg
2. Aiptasia
These little pests, also known as Glass Anemones are not as bad as the Heliacus Snails as far as immediate damage. They are ugly, and will bother clams and other corals, by stinging them with their small, yet sever tentacles. In my experience, they bother zooanthid polyps often. If left to grow unchecked, they can easily take over an entire tank.
The best direct method of removal is injecting them with a little calcium hydroxcide. This is so far, the saftest was to inject them. It is likely that once you have them, you always will, since there is usually one or two hiding somewhere, waiting to reproduce. A favored method of control is peppermint shrimp. Other methods of control are the Copper Banded Butterfly(Which is a hit and miss, if you have a reef aquarium), Berghia sea slugs, which will feed ONLY on glass anemones, and many other chemical solutions.
Here is a pic, of what can happen if you ignore these little buggers:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/aiptasia.jpg
3. Isopod
Most species or Isotops are harmless and will only consume algae and detritus . However, a few species, sometimes known as "fish lice," are parasitic and can be problematic. These "fish lice" are really cirolanid isopods. These are known for sucking the blood out of fish, until they die off. This will usually take about 2 weeks, before the fish will not have enough blood, and will die. Usually, The isopod swims rapidly up and fastens on to the fish, and proceeds to eat its fins and tail. The bug then slices open the fish and eats all its blood, proceeding then to eat the lateral muscle bands and when they are done they discard the guts and skeleton. If you see one of your fish has this, Upon removal the fish should be isolated in hospital tank, and treated with antibiotics until the wound heals!!! Then, carefully remove the pariste, and get rid of it. Make sure you dont leave ANY of the parasite behind! Another good way to get rid of these(this is best if your whole tank is infected)is to keep fish out of the tank until they have all died, 6 - 8 months. Also, here is something i found interesting on google:
"How does it feel to win the lottery? The odds of finding nasty isopods and winning the big one are about the same..."
-Keith Clarke
Here is what they look like:
They have a pointed front end, a streamlined tapered body, short antennae and big eyes on the front of the head. They generally are colored white or a mottle gray to match the substrate.
PH =)
1. Heliacus Snails:
These are small snails (anywhere from 1-15mm diameter) and are a real pest. It seems their favorite food is Zoanthus and Protopalythoa. Make sure, when you buy a new specimen of such corals, check them thoroughly for these snails! They pierce the polyp with their proboscis, and suck their fluides until they die. They will also lay their eggs on or near the polyp population, to further the chances of their offspring survivng and growing up. These are hard to get off the rock. These will sometimes leave a thin "web" so if they either fall of the rock, or get pulled off, they can find their way back.
Here is a pic of what they look like:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_heliacus2.jpg
4. Rapa Rapa
The Rapa rapa snail, from the group Coralliophilidae.They will burrow into almost any coral, such as a Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton sp.) They will grow fast and slowly kill the coral off. So just remember, if you have a soft coral that for some odd reason is not doing well, look for any holes in it, and check it, there might be one of these interesting, yet lethal hitchhikers having a feast inside. Colt corals seem to get these little pests more often, probably becuase they are a bit softer than most.
5.Valonia
I've heard it called many things. Bubble algae comes to mind. All in all, its not that big a deal most times. The problem is that it can erupt into plague proportions! A few in the tank look cool, and wont really pose any sort of threat, but watch out! The big ones are pretty easy to deal with. Just carefully pick them out, and try not to burst them. The smaller ones seem to grow all in one clump. This one is kinda up to the keeper for the most part. There are crabs that will eat this stuff, such as emerald crabs, but if you feed you tank well, they typically wont. I don't consider this one too bad. But I have heard that it can really get out of control. Its not going to "attack" your corals, like aiptasia, but it just looks kinda bad. Here is a pic:
http://www.saltreef.com/images/pests/bth-valoniasmall2.jpg
6. Green Hair Algea
These is a real pest, as sometimes it can take over the whole tank, if not watched close enough. When you have this in abundance, you need snails. Turbos, Astreas, Margaritas, etc. They love this stuff. If you have high phosphates and some high nitrates, you might start to see this stuff. One of the best ways of removel, it by picking it up by hand. But try to make sure you dont leave any setting on top of the water. Here is a Pic of some Hair Algea:
http://www.saltreef.com/images/pests/bth-greenhair2.jpg
7. Red Slime
You will hear this called many things. Red Slime, Brown Jelly, dinoflagellates, or Snot Algae. This is hard to get rid of, especially when not using RO/DI water to start a new system this algae, along with green hair (see above) to be very common during a systems maturation. It will typically last about a month or two. A couple ways for control on this is to remove phosphates via a phosphate sponge, or use a competing algae. Caluerpa works well in this regard. Most fish or Inverts wont eat this stuff.
*Thanks Brad for some of on the above pests!!!!*
8. Mantis Shrimp
This can be a real pest, esspecielly in Fish Only tanks. It is said, that the strike of a mantis shrimp, is the same as a 22caliber bullet! It is also said that they can crack a 1 1/2 inch thick glass, with 2 smashes from its poweful front claws. There as two kinds on Mantis shrimp out there. One, is known as a smasher(or thumb splitter), as it has 2 front arms with a "hammar" like thing, to smash its prey. They other one, is known as a "spearer." These have a "spear" sorta thing, ensted of a hammar. They will spear they prey, wait till it dies, and eat it. Mantis shrimp usually will eat fish when they are more mature. You will usually hear little "cracks" and "clicks" in the tank, if you have one of these. They like to come out at night, and hide during the day. These are very hard to get rid of. The best way to get rid of them, it to first track where it goes, and find its "house." Next, try blasting it with boiling HOT water. It will seem to swim around the tank. Now, pick it up with a net(Dont do it with your hands! I have seens some people not move their hands away fast enough, and it can break a finger!) Once it is out, the rest is up to you. The best thing to do, is give it back to your Local Fish Store, and they might give you some money for it.
Here is a pic of a Adult Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyallarus):
http://www.divegallery.com/Mantis_Shrimp.jpg
2. Aiptasia
These little pests, also known as Glass Anemones are not as bad as the Heliacus Snails as far as immediate damage. They are ugly, and will bother clams and other corals, by stinging them with their small, yet sever tentacles. In my experience, they bother zooanthid polyps often. If left to grow unchecked, they can easily take over an entire tank.
The best direct method of removal is injecting them with a little calcium hydroxcide. This is so far, the saftest was to inject them. It is likely that once you have them, you always will, since there is usually one or two hiding somewhere, waiting to reproduce. A favored method of control is peppermint shrimp. Other methods of control are the Copper Banded Butterfly(Which is a hit and miss, if you have a reef aquarium), Berghia sea slugs, which will feed ONLY on glass anemones, and many other chemical solutions.
Here is a pic, of what can happen if you ignore these little buggers:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/aiptasia.jpg
3. Isopod
Most species or Isotops are harmless and will only consume algae and detritus . However, a few species, sometimes known as "fish lice," are parasitic and can be problematic. These "fish lice" are really cirolanid isopods. These are known for sucking the blood out of fish, until they die off. This will usually take about 2 weeks, before the fish will not have enough blood, and will die. Usually, The isopod swims rapidly up and fastens on to the fish, and proceeds to eat its fins and tail. The bug then slices open the fish and eats all its blood, proceeding then to eat the lateral muscle bands and when they are done they discard the guts and skeleton. If you see one of your fish has this, Upon removal the fish should be isolated in hospital tank, and treated with antibiotics until the wound heals!!! Then, carefully remove the pariste, and get rid of it. Make sure you dont leave ANY of the parasite behind! Another good way to get rid of these(this is best if your whole tank is infected)is to keep fish out of the tank until they have all died, 6 - 8 months. Also, here is something i found interesting on google:
"How does it feel to win the lottery? The odds of finding nasty isopods and winning the big one are about the same..."
-Keith Clarke
Here is what they look like:
They have a pointed front end, a streamlined tapered body, short antennae and big eyes on the front of the head. They generally are colored white or a mottle gray to match the substrate.
PH =)