First Hitchhiker

[ChristianJock07]

I posted this in the pest/hitchhiker forum but wanted to post it here also to see what local folks think.

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I've had my LR in a tub for the past 2 weeks and just set my tank up this past Tuesday to start my cycle. After a couple of days of heating problems (my heater malfunctioning and heating 8-10 degree's higher than it should) I got my temp back under control last night.


Tonight as I was going to bed I stopped in and just looked at my tank again and saw some movement. At first I thought it was just some algae moving because I readjusted my powerhead to focus the flow over the LR. However, after watching the spot for a few minutes I saw what looked like a tiny clear roach dart back into a crevasse. I continued to focus my gaze there and low and behold a tiny hitchhiker pokes out. I haven't a clue what it is.

The tail end from what brief moment I saw it looked like a roach, it's extremely clear almost see through creature. Yet when it came out the second time it had claw almost like a crab.

I've been looking at hitchhiker pictures and think it could possibly be a Amphipod. But do these have arms/claw like crabs?

I grabbed my camera and focused on the crevasse it was at for almost 15 minutes but never saw it again so no pics.


Well regardless if it's an amphipod or not, I'm sure it's not harmful to my tank yet. Nothing in it except LS and LR.

Also, I'm starting to notice a bit of green algae starting to form in my tank after just 4 days of cycling. I just hope it doesn't get out of control. Nothing major yet, just little specks of algae starting to grow on the LR.



Any info on these would be appreciate.


Thanks,
Chris

[ChristianJock07]

As I was searching for the hitchhiker I took a very close look at one of my rocks. I notice a red hairy "moss" starting to grow over it. The red stuff is less than 1/16th" long so far. I'm unsure if this is an algae and if it's good or bad for the rock. I did have some die off on this particular rock but the red "moss" seems to be growing in nicely.


Any help on this? I attempted to take a picture but didn't come out.

[Ikaria]

Check out the pics on http://melevsreef.com/id/ under pods, bugs and others.

[ChristianJock07]

Aye, I did that as I was trying to figure out what type of hitchhiker it was but nothing matched.


I think I'll try to do a simple crab trap to catch this guy because I haven't seen him since the first time.