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What is this creature?

958 views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  AkaSlyGuy 
#1 ·
http://www.bunker7.com/c1.jpg

What the heck is this at the front of the tank? It looks like a brine shrimp. I've been feeding my fish some frozed brine, could some eggs have hatched? I've seen about two of them crawling around the bottom.
 
#3 ·
Blake,
From your description and photo, that is most certainly an Amphipod, one of the many types of small crustaceans that inhabit your LR/LS.
Here is Maera mastersi, a common amphipod:

You will be seeing many more of these and various other species as your tank matures. Here is a good site for such crustaceans:
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/crust/page1.html
Dick

 
#6 ·
Hi Blake,

These creatures will be the best bet for naturally controlling small amounts of hair algae in your tanks, and will be a good bit of the food for mandarin dragonettes (should you ever decide to keep them). Assuming you have at least 6 sq feet of bottom and a goodly amount of live rock (around 60 to 70 lbs) that has been able to mature for a year or so, you'll be able to feed and fatten a little mandarin! Pods good (Alice told me that her fish told her they were "kookoo for Cocopods...") ... heh heh heh...
 
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