is this a problem?

[cocoacf]

Today I turned on my lights and found what looked like a tiny shrimp running around on my sandbed. He has no antennae, but a lot of feet, and scurries around with his back tucked under his belly. He's maybe 14 of an inch long, and brownish in color.
I know it can't be a baby shrimp because I've got no shrimp in my tank... Is this little guy a problem?

 

[janastasio]

Hard to say without a picture. Can you get a pic next time you see him?

 

[meowzer]

Did it look like this? This is an Amphipod
Attachment 233282

 

[cocoacf]

Sure did. minus the antennae, and his back was curled under himself a little more in a J shape, but it was hard to tell at that size. I tried to get pics but my camera couldn't focus on him.
Are they good or bad?

 

[meowzer]

They are good....like copepods but bigger...they eat detrius...and fish eat them

 

[janastasio]

score one for the meowzer!

 

[novahobbies]

Yup. definitely an amphipod the way you described him. Like Meowzer said, good for the tank, fish eat them, etc. Added bonus, if you have a big population, is that mandarins and their ilk will eat amphipod nauplii as readily as they do copepods.