Pycnogonids

[cuncator]

Hey everyone,

Bummed I missed the meeting this saturday. Was getting together zoanthid frags to bring before I hit the road and found "sea spiders" on some of them. So I spent a fun-filled afternoon going over my zoanthids with forceps instead. Moved the zoas into a quaratine tank and will observe for a month or so. Next step is to separate them into buckets somehow to cut down potentional cross contamination. Anyone have experience (good or bad) with these little SOBs? In particular, any idea how long before the larvae burst forth from my poor zoanthids?

Steve, figured you wouldn't want a potentially infected frag. I'll let you know if/when things are kosher again.

Happy thoughts,
Henry

[stevemc]

I have had them in macro-algae collected out here. They lived in a refugium for quite a while, they never were in the main tank. That was many years ago. I suppose you are tlking about the ones that look like praying mantis? If not I never had sea spiders. I would think a small fish should eat em.

[myakkareef]

I think these are what Henry has...Very ugly, lower left frame, looks like a reg. spider...
Sea Spider (http://melevsreef.com/id/pods.html)

[cuncator]

Exactly. I'll post some pictures Friday when I can get to a microscope with a camera attached.

Haven't spotted any more, so now it's just a waiting game.

Fingers crossed,
Henry

[stevemc]

You could do a freshwater dip. That should at least get them to drop off.

[cuncator]

*nod*, that's how I noticed them in the first place. I'm just concerned about larvae and eggs I can't see. Apparently they can be in the mucous layer or zoanthid itself, so I'd rather be safe than sorry.