The Hitcher.

[MusMusculus]

So, against all good advice, I got some Caribbean live rock. First, I love all the life I get on it and since this is a new tank with no fishy inhabitants yet, I figured I could deal with any baddies. Actually, I kind of like them.

Of course, the one baddie I really didn't want to deal with showed up as I was pulling the rock from the box, clutched to my glove like she was in love:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/149526pari.jpg
I have named her Par A. Site.

Oh well. Any suggestions for trapping other than the old sacrificial Molly? :p

PS: ALWAYS wear gloves!

[Silverfin]

What is that again?!?!

[MusMusculus]

A cirolanid. A little bloodsucking (possibly scavenger too) fish parasite bug from hell. Par was trying to put a nice hole in my skin, I think. Good thing I had gloves on.

What I have found so far: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

Looks doable, if not easy. I hope I have the obligate parasite type so I can just starve them out.

[Silverfin]

holy cow....and i thought just some amphipods were dangerous.....

[MTB]

How big was that sucker? I wish I could offer advice but I don't know how to get them out of there.

[MusMusculus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9949072#post9949072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MTB
How big was that sucker? I wish I could offer advice but I don't know how to get them out of there.

1.1cm

My guess is that this one is nearly full grown and appears to have a load of eggs (yellowish sack on the underside). Just a guess, I'm no expert on isopods.

[cowboyswife]

*shivvers!!!* I hate those blasted things!!

[Paintbug]

the article you found is probably about the best you will find on cirolanids. usually they will die off in a few weeks with out any fish to host on, but some have been seen scavaging for food. those may never die off. i would try the trap from the article first and see if you catch any.

[Wuhssie]

that looks like apill bug

[frederickk]

Wow I'm learning every day.....cool

[MusMusculus]

Found another swimming around last night. I'll give them a week or so to get hungry and then try Brian's stinky water trap. My wife will love that one. :D

[MusMusculus]

A question about another hitcher:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/149526whelk_or_snail.jpg

Am I correct in thinking this is a whelk? I don't want to chuck the poor thing, but whelks eat clams IIRC. Can't have that.

Sorry about the microbubbles in the pic. I'm testing an old skimmer I had and it isn't going well. :p

[Paintbug]

cant really tell from that pic. try to pull it out and get a pick of the foot, and anything thats sticking out. :) not all whelks eat clams some are snail predators :).

[pagojoe]

It's probably a juvenile buccinid whelk (Cantharus sp.?) but it could possibly be a muricid. The operculum looks more like a buccinid, though. Don't know whether this one eats snails or clams, but if you are talking about tridacnids, I'd bet this guy wouldn't tackle a tridacnid. If you have regular thin-shelled clams or cockles in the tank, you might need to be concerned.

Don