Need ID help pleaz

[j.d.moulder25]

I noticed these 'things' attached to my tank just last week. The picture shows how they seem to be taking over my tank. They seem to be just a very small body and I mean small, with a single feather like thing coming off it. I guess its more annoying than anything, I like a clean clear tank but there are so many of these things in my tank that the tank appears cloudy but its not. Does anyone know what these are, wether they are harmful or not, and how to get rid of them?

 

[rustybucket145]

Look Like this (image is highly magnified) Pregnant Female Copepod?

 

[rustybucket145]

If that is what they are, and that is what I think they are. They are extremely highly beneficial to your tank and its inhabitants. People try for years to get established breeding populations in their tanks. One of the most sought after fish that feed almost solely on Copepods is the Mandarin and Psychadelic Goby. Many corals benefit from healthy copepod populations. I would suggest getting a stamp/diamond magnifying glass around 8x magnification and take a closer look at the critters. You will be able to identify males/ females and as shown above pregnant females. You will also be able to observe mating rituals between the two and you will realize that these guys are not 'attached' to the glass but are walking on it. And on top of that they are consideribly fast.

 

[DJ88©]

[moved]

 

[j.d.moulder25]

wow, your right they are copepods. Recently my goby committed fishicide by jumping out of the tank, so that explains why I just recently started seeing them if hes been eating them before, How are they good for a tank?

 

[rustybucket145]

Well they are good in several ways. First they provide food for corals (they are the food). They provide food for fish. They help keep your tank clean (by eating microscopic algaes/phytoplankton). Overall they are usually considered to measure the 'health' of a tank. Often when things go 'bad' your microscopic life will be the first affected. If you do a little research on them here at RC by using the search tool you will find a wealth of information regarding different pods. Have you looked at them with a magnifying glass yet?