Something unknown swimming around my tank

[scottyok]

So I get home from work late tonight and turn on my tank lights to admire my new "cleanup crew" at work. I notice a bunch (maybe like 50) white 'spots' moving around the tank and while really looking closely I see that they are actually alive! They are about the size of the end of a blunt pencil lead point and have a little wiggly tail (I know, sounds like a sperm but that's what they look like, hold the jokes ) So I watch for awhile expecting the fish to find them and have a late night snack but nothing, no interest at all. I go about the house doing the family thing and come back to observe some more but they're all gone now! Don't know if the fish all of a sudden developed interest or if they are all hiding from the light in the coral. Anyone have any ideas about what they may be? I tried taking a picture but they're too small.
I gotta admit that my heart about stopped because I lost an old sailfin tang and new french angel to something that looked like ich last month but I'm fairly certain that these things are/were larger than any kind of disease, or am I wrong about that?
Any thoughts or information would be appreciated... Thanks

 

[reefersx2]

They are copepods they are good for your tank lets you know things are going nicely.
Joey

 

[mousers68]

I took a flash light and just saw them too. What are they? They are really wiggly then they coil up and fall to the bottom. Then I saw it spring up and start wiggling again.

 

[reefersx2]

They are a type of crustecean very helpful to your tank.

 

[scottyok]

thanks for the information. I went to some web sites and found alot of information about them and the life cycles. The only thing I didn't find was whether they are photosensitive and hid after the light came on or got eaten that quickly.

 

[clarkiiboi]

I'm thinking they are copods also. Do like mousers68 did, after lights are off for awhile get a flashlight and look in the rocks and such----thats when they tend to come out, as well as other neat creatures----I am always looking just for the heck of it! I think I'm too addicted to this hobby!