bugs bugs bugs

[wolfe36]

My reef has been established for about a month know and I have noticed some little white tiny bugs crawling aroung on the glass. they are about the size of a pinhead. today they are about a 1000 of them free swimming in the water. what are they and how could I get them out of the tank

 

[bang guy]

They look like a mix of Copepods and Isopods (just guessing here). You don't want them out. One the tank is cyccled and you add your first fish it will be well fed picking them off the glass.

 

[wolfe36]

I have two percula clowns and a yellow tank and they don't seem to be eating them

 

[bang guy]

Now that's odd. Is there any way to get a closeup of one of the bugs?

 

[wolfe36]

well not really like I said they are about the size of a pin dot. this pic is about as close as I can get without them blurring

 

[wolfe36]

I can't see any legs or anything
they look just like tiny bubbles that swim around

 

[nm reef]

Sure sounds like copepods/isopods/amphipods....even if you don't notice the fish getting a taste now and then I bet they still do. Even if they don't "bugs" are a natural source of diversity in a system and should pose no serious problems. For the most part they are a sign of a stable/mature system.

 

[flyinbrian]

I had the excact same guys free swimming in my tank for the first few months. They slowly deminished as I added my percs, and now there arent any swimming free.
no threat at all. Just as NM reef says, it is a good sign for your system.

 

[jdennysgir]

I just looked in my tank last night with a flashlight and saw these around the bottom of the tank. As I continued to look I noticed my coral banded shrimp grabbing and eating these as fast as he could! I assume this is a good thing. Also, I read where you usually get them when you add new rock. I haven't done that in a long time. Do you still think they are pods?