What is this?!

[pixelpixi]

I found this in my tank today. It's about 3/8" long. In the past I'd seen the exoskeletons from these little guys molting, but this is the first time I've been able to find and catch a live one.

Any idea what it is? Is it good, bad, or just ugly?

 

[sfsuphysics]

A type of *pod. I'm not familiar on the specifics behind them, count the legs, that sort of thing. But not a bad one AFAIK. The "rollie pollie" pod is a favorite of some of my fish when I toss them back in tank after pulling algae thinking I've done a nice thing in "saving" them

You don't happen to feed your tank any sort of red food do you? Cyclopeze? Flakes? Almost looks as if there's some being digested.

 

[Elite]

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/pods.html

 

[pixelpixi]

Wow. I didn't know pods could be so big! From looking at that site and a couple others, looks like it's a Gammaridean Amphipod.

I feed flake, that's likely what the red it is.

 

[pixelpixi]

PS. Thanks you both!

 

[sfsuphysics]

Yeah, those are probably amongst the largest of pods you'll have in your tank.

 

[Raddogz]

Amphipod = very good means healthy tank.

 

[pixelpixi]

yay healthy! Now if I can just get the ich taken care of and get some fish back in there...

 

[Raddogz]

Actually looking at that picture again that amphipod is "berried" - hanging onto eggs.