Water Fleas?

[new25tank]

I am in the process of cycling my 25 gallon tank (currently on day 22) and there are small white and clear little creatures/animals? running around on my live rock, and there are also a couple on the glass. They are very small and if I didn't see them running around I would assume they were just slightly large grains of sand. They almost look like little white fleas? maybe. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. In case you need them my levels from yesterday are as follows, ammonia-0, nitrite- 0-.25, nitrate- 10-20, pH-8.2, salinity 1.022, 77F.

 

[ouchthathu]

Originally Posted by New25tank
I am in the process of cycling my 25 gallon tank (currently on day 22) and there are small white and clear little creatures/animals?
More than likey they are pods.... that's a good thing THey are typically hitchikers on good live rock.

 

[new25tank]

Thanks for the answer, I won't worry about my little guys then. There are just so many of them, at first I was really worried that I had a big problem. I have been watching them and they are actually very interesting.

 

[jamie814]

YEP just pods sounds like you are off to a good start

 

[new25tank]

I also have these creatures on the glass this am that look like little sea stars? They are really cute, but now I am afraid to put fish or anything else in my tank because I don't really want all these little guys to be eaten. I might just have a tank full of little creatures that no one else can see. My kids don't want to kill them, so they have decided that we will wait another month or two to see if anything gets bigger. I guess it only matters if we are enjoying the tank, who cares if it looks like a barren wasteland of rock for another month or two, right?

 

[jamie814]

Pods will get bigger if they live long enough most fish will not eat them they are simply to small. Gobys especially dragonets pretty much live off of them.

 

[sluggo]

Originally Posted by New25tank
I also have these creatures on the glass this am that look like little sea stars? They are really cute, but now I am afraid to put fish or anything else in my tank because I don't really want all these little guys to be eaten. I might just have a tank full of little creatures that no one else can see. My kids don't want to kill them, so they have decided that we will wait another month or two to see if anything gets bigger. I guess it only matters if we are enjoying the tank, who cares if it looks like a barren wasteland of rock for another month or two, right?
The small stars are probably asterinas and the other guys are probably pods. If you want to see how many you have, turn the aquarium lights on before daylight and look. Dont worry about fish eating them as this is a part of the "Circle of life" in the the marine environment.
Don

 

[new25tank]

Everyone has great information, but I still have a question. What is an asterina? I googled asterina, and it came up with nothing. They do look like little brittle stars, so cute, but I am just curious. My children really want to know what is in the tank, and I am also quite curious.