copepods???

[jbirdy]

I have 55 gallon tank which I just recently removed all fish into a quarantine tank due to ich . Now I have these white/clear looking bugs running all over the tank walls. I think they are copepods. The question is this... will these copepods now over run the tank now that the fish aren't in the tank to eat them? We have snails, chocochip star, brittlestars, crabs and hermit crabs in the tank but I don't think they will decrease the population by much.

 

[burnnspy]

I dont think so, any population is limited to its food supply and they will not harm anything in the mean time.
BurnNSpy

 

[kappadoku]

I dont think any of those inverts eat copepods too much.
You probably havnt been overrun by them, their just more prevelant becasue their not being preyed on. If their not being chased, why should they run and hide in the rock?
As soon as you put you fish back in, theyll run and hide, or become dinner. I could recommend a mandarin goby (whos diet consists primarily of these white bugs), but its a little slow and passive to be in with those starfish. Those starfish could eat him.
Their a sign of a healthy reef, so be happy with them.
One question- have you been running the lights? Their usually light sensitive...

 

[jbirdy]

Yes, I've been running the lights- 110 watts on 10 hours a day. The brittle stars are preditors, too? I didn't know that.

 

[b_ball12_99]

I think my CC starfish eats them. I had copepodes everywhere in my 5 gallon and now they are either thinned or hiding better.

 

[kappadoku]

Brittle stars can be predators. It really depends on the individual. Ive never had one that wasnt (3 times, btw) but others calim to have them for years and no missing fish, I even offered mine silversides, but, YUM! He actually reached through a hole in the LR and pulled a (sleeping?) Bangaii Cardinal through the hole. Not a good way to go... I think every individual is different, but be advised.