copods? in filter? ew..

vkuroczka

vkuroczka

Member
So I go to change one of the filter cartridges in my Marineland filter (have it running on my QT tank) and I pull it out and find a million little shrimp like things moving around attatched to the cartridge, I was very disturbed by seeing this and not expecting to find these little things, my husband said to save them so we pulled off as much as we could and dumped them back into the QT tank, I'm doing QT for the first time and have never used a cartridge filter before....... my questions are: are these little shrimp like things copods (sp.?) why are they getting sucked into my filter? and it is ok that they're there??? did we do the right thing by putting them back into the tank????? currently I have a Kole Tang and a Koran Angel in QT ..... tank has been cycled for a while.
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
Yes the are copepods and yes they are extremely beneficial for the tank and you should definitely put them back into the tank. Almost all marine life uses them as food in some way. Good advice on your husband's part
. If you want to take some pics and put them up we could be 100% sure for you. If you have these in your tank it means that you are doing something right.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
If their pods like they sound as they are!!!!!!!!
I remember the first time I encountered them sticking my hand in the sump blindly with no light and feeling them on your arm........Kinda neat afterwards though!!!!!!
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by vkuroczka http:///forum/post/2728213
it is ok that they're there???
Yes, they like it there. They eat leftover food and fish poop.
Originally Posted by vkuroczka http:///forum/post/2728213
did we do the right thing by putting them back into the tank?????
Yes.
Also, their numbers may increase and decline for no obvious reason.
Look into your tank with a small flashlight a few hours after your lights turn off. It's a different world after dark.
This is a nice thread to read. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/172998/amphipods-copopods-isopods
Here is a pic of amphipods.
 
vkuroczka

vkuroczka

Member
Originally Posted by socal57che http:///forum/post/2728238
Yes, they like it there. They eat leftover food and fish poop.
Yes.
Also, their numbers may increase and decline for no obvious reason.
Look into your tank with a small flashlight a few hours after your lights turn off. It's a different world after dark.
This is a nice thread to read. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/172998/amphipods-copopods-isopods
Here is a pic of amphipods.
yup thats what they look like!!! cool..... they are in my QT tank, but have never seen them in my main tank...maybe I should collect them and transfer to main tank??? theres litterally millions of them!! they give me the hebe jebez
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by vkuroczka
http:///forum/post/2730633
yup thats what they look like!!! cool..... they are in my QT tank, but have never seen them in my main tank...maybe I should collect them and transfer to main tank??? theres litterally millions of them!! they give me the hebe jebez
I'm sure you have them in the DT also. Look under the edges of rock and in corners at night with a small flashlight. I'd be surprised if you don't see any. Transferring them would be fine, but they are likely already there. If I shine a flashlight into the tank at night, my maroon has a heyday chasing them down.
 
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