What is this? - Shrimp & other Invertebrates

hilikus16 · 02-26-2009, 01:00 PM

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this but i dont know where else it would go. When i was looking at my tank today i noticed a bunch of tiny white organisms all over my glass (especially near the water line). They look like they're made of a body/head and two tails that help them move. Are these harmful to my fish? I'm in need of advice.

Here's the best picture i could get of one of them. It's in the center of the picture just below the water line. There's a bubble to the left of it.

utricseb · 02-26-2009, 01:12 PM

Hmm.. I think I know what you are talking about, I had that some years ago. I think it's some kind of minuscle crustacean but don't know its name. I don't think its dangerous for your fish.

hilikus16 · 02-26-2009, 01:14 PM

I hope your right because now that i'm looking hard at my tank, i'm noticing thousands of them. My fish are in trouble if they are harmful.

utricseb · 02-26-2009, 01:18 PM

Now got it. What i refer to are Copepods. Look at this image: http://www.jacksonbottom.org/images/Copepods-web.jpg and find if it is the same thing you have.

hilikus16 · 02-26-2009, 01:20 PM

Yup those are definitely it. Someone else also ID'd them as the same thing on another forum so that has to be it.

Here's the link he gave me:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...nize-them.html

utricseb · 02-26-2009, 01:23 PM

Well, they should be nice food for small fish. No need to worry.

tex627 · 02-26-2009, 08:39 PM

yup! i have thousands of those in my shrimp tank along with many other different kinds of bugs. i just threw in a pair of micro rasboras to control the population.

HeyPK · 02-26-2009, 09:23 PM

They are Cyclops, and they are predatory on protozoa, mainly. They move in very rapid jumps, and fish have to be fast to catch them.

akamasha · 03-01-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeyPK

They are Cyclops, and they are predatory on protozoa, mainly. They move in very rapid jumps, and fish have to be fast to catch them.

Yep i have the same thing in my shrimp tank. Everywhere the more you over feed the more you will have them. I haven't found any fish i can put in the tank that doesn't eat my shrimp that can actually catch these little things

If you can figure out how to get ride of them please let me know what works for you

tex627 · 03-01-2009, 09:19 PM

microrasboras do the job but not as good as i want it to be. i'm going to a lake near my house to get some wild fish then i'll see how they do.