Hitchhiker Help...

[tucker2]

I am about a month into the cycle and have noticed tiny white hitchhikers all over the glass. They seem to be multiplying rapidly. I am sure that they are beneficial, but would like to get them under control. I don't have any fish yet, but it will eventually be a FOWLR aggressive setup. Any suggestions as to what I can add now to keep the colony of whatever it is under control?
Thanks,

 

[danedodger]

Can you post a picture or have you looked at the hitchiker id thread here? My tanks at work get these tiny white round things on the walls quite a bit. They're bigger than the head of a pin but smaller than a sequin and I think when I look very closely that they look like the start of little spirals? They don't seem to be harmful though and scrape off easily with a fingernail or a little elbow grease with an algae pad.

 

[celacanthr]

DaneDodger, the thing you are speaking of are Spirobsis (ro some spelling along those lines) and are harmless feather dusters.
tucker2- Are these white things mobile?

 

[bigarn]

DaneDodger .... what you described are Spiroabid worms (sp). They're pretty much harmless and thier numbers dwindle over time.

 

[danedodger]

Yep, thanks guys! I just found it in the hitchiker id sticky. The ones I see are much tinier with less rings on the coils but I'm betting that's just because I scrape them off before they can get as big as that.
Does that look like what you've got, Tucker?

 

[tucker2]

They are so small that I cannot get a detailed look at them. At first sight they look like little white specks on the glass and then they start grawling on the glass. I browsed through the hitchhiker thread, but since they are so small it is hard to classify exactly what they are.
What can I do to keep these guys under control?

 

[tucker2]

Originally Posted by DaneDodger
Can you post a picture or have you looked at the hitchiker id thread here? My tanks at work get these tiny white round things on the walls quite a bit. They're bigger than the head of a pin but smaller than a sequin and I think when I look very closely that they look like the start of little spirals? They don't seem to be harmful though and scrape off easily with a fingernail or a little elbow grease with an algae pad.
DaneDodger, I don't have a digital camera, so I cannot post a pic. Even if I did, however, I am not sure they would show up b/c of how small they are.

 

[uberlink]

Are they just pods?
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/172998/amphipods-copopods-isopods
If so, most of them are beneficial detrivores who provide food for some of your fish and inverts. People go to great lengths to grow these little guys, so you generally don't try to reduce them...though a few are bad.

 

[danedodger]

If they're that tiny and crawling around I think they're pods!!!! Those are great things to have in your tank, congrats!!!!

Don't worry about them. The fishies and such will eat them here and there, they're a good food source for them.

 

[tucker2]

Thank you for the info!! I do believe that they are pods, but I would need a microscope to confirm. I am glad to hear that they are beneficial and a potential food source for fish. I hope to add my first fish by next weekend.
Thanks, again!!

 

[danedodger]

Dude you've got a hoarde of pods and haven't put in the first fish yet??? I'm jealous!

LOL I'd say you're lookin good!