Little white specs jumping on surface of aquarium water

Hi All,

Quick question.

I was doing my weekly water change today and after I finished it, before putting the filter back on and the water being relatively still. I noticed on the surface of the water little white specs, smaller than a grain of sand hopping on the surface.

Unfortunately I cannot take a picture or a video as they really are that small.

Anyone have any idea what these might be and if I should be worried? It's not something I have noticed before.

It has been incredibly hot this week and my water temperature has regularly reached 30 degree's, I am wondering if the heat has triggered something to spawn that would usually not.

Sounds like springtails. Do you have houseplants in or around your tank? They feed on fungus, mold, and decaying plant matter. They are usually added to Terrariums and Vivariums as a clean-up crew. Should be harmless to aquatic life.

Sound like springtails, globular ones tend to be the kind that inhabit most aquariums they're found in. They'll eat any mold, biofilm, or debris up top. They're very beneficial and cannot infest your home as they dry out away from moist areas.

Personally, I find them cute, I also culture the typical soil dwelling kinds for my isopod enclosures and to feed certain species of ants that I keep.

These are the globular kind I get in my tanks, pictured here on top of some duckweed. Taken with a USB microscope, so you can get an idea of how small these guys are.


Those wee stubby legs though