White specs swirling in tank

[jayman123]

Current Setup:
55 Gallon
Bak-Pac Protein Skimmer
30-60 Aqua-Tech HOB filter
Sundial T-5 lighting (4x54)
60 lbs live rock
1 Blue Damsel
4 hermits
2 snails
I have white specs floating around in my tank. This happened a few months ago and I thought it was ick so I treated it (this was before the hermits and snails) but it didn't seem to do much and in hindsight I don't think it was ick.
After the first incident I removed the carbon/mechanical filter pad from my hob filter and only use the bio-fiber filter in it. However, I added the mechanical back in to clear the water up after moving things around and the white specs are back. Could these be some sort of parasite? I'm not sure if its a coincidence in regards to adding the mechanical pad back in.
Any thoughts?

 

[girlina4x4]

They are most likely copepods, which are beneficial scavengers and the fish like to eat them. You can prob see them on your glass/rocks as well. And fyi, ich isnt visible. The white spots you see on fish is dead skin where the parasite has burrowed in.

 

[gypsana]

I agree it is either pods or sand particles being stirred up by the fish or power heads.