Tiny critters on aquarium floor

[Aqua67]

Above is a link to a short video of tiny critters near my shrimp at feeding time. They move in a twitchy type of swim and sometimes appear to hop. I am looking to identify these things. Are they daphnia? Are they baby amphipods? Are they something else (good or bad)? I think I’ve seen them hopping on the surface of my acara tank also. I have never noticed anything going after them or eating them.

I do have several amphipod cultures in separate containers plus I have them in two of my tanks. I remove the ones in my shrimp tank with a baster each morning and take them down to my acara tank.

I apologize for the loud noisy background, it is my 7 month old puppy chewing on a bone. I didn’t realize how loud it would sound in the video.

Thanks for you help and opinions.

 

[Essjay]

It says the video is private

 

[Aqua67]

It says the video is private

Sorry about that, I thought you’d still be able to watch it. I don’t have a lot of subscribers but I didn’t think everyone would wanna see my little shrimp video. I made it public now.

 

[FishPal]

From what I'm getting from research, they may be "water fleas" or Freshwater Copepods. Which, from my understanding, are not harmful and actually indicates a healthy environment. I'm def not an expert, but here's a link for a video I found. Has some very interesting facts about these little "bugs". I'd get the closest look at them you can and compare.

 

[betta4ever!]

I'd also say they're water fleas.

 

[Aqua67]

Thank you both I’m relieved that it’s not something detrimental. After watching both of the videos you shared with me I think they probably are water fleas.

 

[Colin_T]

Can't tell, need something that is in focus.

They are not daphnia.
They might be gammaris or cyclops

 

[Aqua67]

Yes, but I would need a microscope to get those little things in focus. Generally speaking I would love to look at my aquarium water with a microscope anyhow. I just don’t have one.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Judging by the way they move, I'd say cyclops (copepods). They're harmless and kind of interesting. I like them.

 

[FishPal]

Yes, but I would need a microscope to get those little things in focus. Generally speaking I would love to look at my aquarium water with a microscope anyhow. I just don’t have one.

Not necessarily.. you can use your phones zoom to see enough of them, if your zoom is fairly strong. In the video I shared, he zooms to his back wall, and even then it's still a tiny white spot, but you can see the "arms" and shape enough to compare. Find a big one and try. Worse case to sooth panic, they usually have cheap microscopes at Wal-Mart for children to use, but they would work if you were able to snatch one. If it is them, they're beneficial and actually sold in bottles! Hope it is what we're thinking and best of luck with that adventure!!

 

[Aqua67]

When I really try to see them, some of them do seem to have a tail. Others don’t. Maybe they’re two different things (?) or maybe just adult/young. They seem to hang out in the dirt on the bottom and get sucked up when I change the water. I’m trying to spare them though. Sometimes I can take good pics with my phone, other times not.

 

[Lynnzer]

I find my webcam focuses with a larger image than my phone. My phone does 10x and my logitech webcam goes way beyond that.