help me identify

[max42]

Today there are tons of small white creatures in my tank today. They look to scoot around on the glass and about the size of a grain of sand. They are too small to photograph. Any idea what they may be or if it's bad? I added a reef cleaner package from SWF.com on thursday which included lots of snails and hermit crabs, 3 emerald crabs, a coral banded shrimp, 2 brittle stars and 2 clams. Maybe it's coincidental but they are mostly in the area where one clam burried itself. Also the tank is cloudy today and has been clear. Ideas? I know this is weak on details, sorry.

 

[mr_x]

it has nothing to do with the "reef cleaner" package you purchased. it has more to do with your live rock. they are copepods. a good sign, and good to have.
btw- you are going to need to feed those brittle stars some meaty foods. there's not much food for them in your new tank.
the cloudiness, is another issue. do you have test kits? what is in your tank right now? are you adding food? supplements?

 

[max42]

The 55G tank has been up for 4 weeks and I used about 65 pounds of cured live rock. Other than the cleaner package I have 2 clown fish. I have not added any supplements. I am only feeding pellets for the clowns 2 times daily. The LFS gave me a sample of frozen shrimp (tiny gray ones that I cannot recall the name). I have a test kit and have been testing every 2-3 days and doing water changes (about 5 gallons) weekly trying to get the nitrates down, they are down to 25, ph is 7.8, SG is 1.024, am between 0-.25, nitrites 0. The tank is depleted of brown alge and some spots are showing green alge patches. The brittle stars seem to hide until the lights go off so not sure what they are doing. What do you recommend for them, I thought they ate alges.

 

[jackri]

Drop some meaty food or even dry shrimp pellet by your star fish. They will reach out and grab it to eat. The stars aren't algae eaters, my serpent star loves the dry shrimp pellets... just wraps an arm around it and immediately shoves it into his body. Just have to get them close to him -- but yeah my star hates the light. Whatever shrimp pellets he doesn't get the rest of my shrimp or hermits devour right away so they keep everyone happy.
The little bugs on your glass are great to have. Alot of my fish seek them out to graze on during the day if they can find them and the copepods will help eat waste in your aquarium.
Definately feed your star fish a couple times a week though -- you don't need to give them a ton but just make sure each gets something to eat a few times a week and they should be good.

 

[robertmathern]

If I am reading this correct you are feed 2x a day. Thats to much it explains why you have amonia and nitrates so high. Also the excess nutreants are causing your alge. Cut down to feeding everyother day. If not cayno will be in your near futcher

 

[jackri]

I agree with Robert on that you're feeding your clowns too much. I missed that part and only read the first entry but yeah... you'll run into bigger problems really quick if you keep over feeding.
Don't go off the feeding directions of 2-3 times daily.

 

[max42]

thanks! I will cut back on food and find some shrimp pellets. What do you mean by "meaty food"? They hid in the upper live rock so it would be hard to drop close to them. The cloudiness is gone today, seemed to coincide with the larvae breakout, there are less today. I still think they might be shrimp based on a magnifying glass on the side of the tank and comparing pictures from the web. The copepods look completely different from the shrimp (assuming the copepod larvae match the pictures I saw).