Baby Fish! Which is more likely??

[micahj26]

I just noticed tiny fish swimming in and out of my live rock!! How exciting!! Here is my question, I have only two species of fish that I have more than one of, Blue damsels and clownfish(which have only been in the tank a month). Which is more likely to be the proud parents??
Thanks!!
Micah

 

[2quills]

I think clown fish are actually a part of the damsel family. You just see 1 fish?

 

[micahj26]

Hundreds and hundreds, tiny!

 

[bang guy]

I'm thinking you are looking at Mysid Shrimp.

 

[micahj26]

I've had the tank 3 years, never noticed them before, I've seen the shrimp in my foam filters, these look more like fish fry, they swim like fish not like shrimp, up down in out, very fast

 

[micahj26]

Constant, not every now and then, non stop

 

[2quills]

Do they have color?

 

[bang guy]

Fish larvae don't swim like that though. They just kind of hang out and typically all get eaten within a few minutes.
Turn all the lights off and shine a flashlight at them. If you see a bunch or red dots swimming around then they are Harpacticoid Copepods.
I'm still thinking Mysid Shrimp though.

 

[micahj26]

White/clear with a dark dot, getting better looks at them, definently fish

 

[micahj26]

As you can see it is a "dead" rock I just inserted about 1 month ago, you can see the damsel, she won't let anyone near it. The rock is very pourous and they are in the holes

 

[2quills]

I'm with bang in the idea that it sounds more like shrimp. The damsel could also simply guarding it's new tasty food source and waiting to ambush them. Time will tell if they survive.

 

[micahj26]

I'll keep ya posted!

 

[bang guy]

There's just no way I'm going to be able to convince you they are not baby fish, is there?

Well, in time you'll notice that they are not growing. Mysid Shrimp are very beneficial so no worries on them being in your rock. They're pretty cool the way they zoom around.

 

[saxman]

FWIW, I agree with Bang and 2Quills...they're probably mysids. They can indeed fool you as they do resemble small fish.

 

[micahj26]

Lol, i'm starting to believe you as many people are agreeing with you! I'll let you know

 

[bang guy]

I could still be wrong but you wouldn't be the first to insist they have baby fish. Seriously, baby saltwater fish would not be described as fast.
I think what you found on your foam filters are Gammaris Amphipods. They kinda look like shrimp.

 

[saxman]

20+ years ago, the first time I saw mysids in my tank, I coulda SWORN they were fish fry until I got a good look at them. The trouble with mysis is they never stop moving, so it's hard to get a good look at them.