Unknown, possibly harmful pests?

[Alexander1702]

Hello all, any and all help is greatly appreciated here. I've got two 5 gallon cubes set up right now, one of which was an old tank that got neglected and I've given a new life, set up as a nursery for my (somehow still living) crypt samples. It's been plants only for a while, just giving my plants time to recoup and sprout new growth while I was setting up the other cube. I quickly developed a culture of what I believe to be daphnia, little white specs flitting about and hanging out on the glass/plants. I don't really mind them as I know they're harmless really, and they eat my dying plant leaves when they get too big. Plus they make good food, so they've stayed. I ended up wanting a fish before I finished the second tank though, so I got a baby Betta to liven up the nursery. Shes been fine with the daphnia, even eating some, but she seemed to stop caring for them and they've gotten out of control without her hunting. But again, I don't mind them.

Fast forward to this week when I set up the second cube and got it cycled, very happy and excited, so I bought my new fish, the one I fixed these cubes up for in the first place, a little pea puffer. I've wanted one for ages and ages and it felt like the right time. Plus, I know they like crustaceans, so bonus points on the daphnia
As such, I put Betta in the new tank and let the pea puffer hang in the nursery for a bit, so he has plenty of food and he can destress while staying well fed. But I'm noticing more and more that he is being swarmed by these little creatures (the daphnia) I don't think they're biting him or anything, he doesn't seem entirely uncomfortable with them, but he will occasionally do some barrel rolls (which would be much cuter if I didn't think he's trying to shake them off of him) and I'm worried he might be under attack from these little things. I'm about 98% sure they're daphnia, I just haven't gotten a microscope to confirm. Is my new dream fish under attack, or am I stressing about flies on a horses back?

Any help is appreciated. Many thanks in advance, these forums have always treated me well.

 

[Colin_T]

Daphnia aren't white and don't sit on the glass.

Copepods are white and will sit on the glass and in the water. They often resemble a Y in shape and the males of some species can be parasites and attack the fish's gills, the females don't.

Google daphnia and copepods and see what you have.

If the fish is unwell in the tank and stressed out, move it somewhere else so it's not being attacked.

Barrel rolling is a bad sign and usually indicated an infection in the brain. It can't be treated and the fish usually dies within a few days of doing this. If you post a video of the fish barrel rolling, it might offer more info.

Upload videos to youTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally (landscape mode) so the footage fills the entire screen and doesn't have black bars on either end.

Make sure the water quality is good and there is no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, and the pH is suitable.

 

[Alexander1702]

Hello, and thank you for the speedy reply! There's always someone out there quick to help, it does not go unappreciated

I've been on the fence about these things, looking up images. There's not really many good images of either daphnia or copepods just sitting on the glass like these things do, but copepods seem more similar in a few photos. Any recommendations on anything that'll eat these suckers? They're innumerable!!

Also, I was gonna post on here last night that I realize the pea is being swarmed because he's actually been so slow moving. I do indeed suspect a brain infection, what was very goofy barrel rolling turns out to be a sign of the end feels like watching a video of some teens laughing at a firework dud when you now Know it's gonna blow up later in the video. I was gonna come back on here and ask for help on his condition, but it seems a brain infection fits the bill. Swimming strange, in circles or upside down, barely responding, even to touch, but doing so violently when he does. Seems to my untrained eye like an issue of the brain. I don't have much faith for the poor guy, but I'll be ready and watching for signs on the next one. I'm just keeping him comfortable in a quarantine container, maybe I'll pick up some clove oil at the store today don't want to leave him suffer. Just barely floating around this morning, but still alive. Sad to see.

I thank you for all your help. Any recommendations on what might eat these copepods would be great. It's like ants, you miss one, and the rest just refill the empty space if they're not being actively hunted.

I'll drop my tank specs just for reference sake, but I tested everything once he started displaying symptoms, and all seems well.

5 gal tank, ~72°-75°
Ph: ~8.0
Ammonia: <25ppm (using drip tests, hard to tell but standardly low)
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: I can't remember the number precisely, I was a bit flustered, it was low, but above zero, so the cycle is intact and doing its job.
Tested for chlorine and all, but my water is clean and treated.
I think he just had a brain infection, and as he started succumbing to it, these crustaceans took the opportunity to grab a meal. Sad, but what can you do. Any advice on, again, getting rid of these, and possibly what to look for in picking my next puffer?

Many thanks again. Your help so far has served well to ease and educate my weary mind. You're doing the (fish) Lord's work. Is that Poseidon's domain? I dunno, I'm here for aquaria, not Greek mythology. A thank you, in the end

 

[Colin_T]

How long have you had the puffer?
If it's only a few days you could tell the shop what happened and see if they replace it. If you do take the fish back, take a separate glass of tank water with you so they can test it to confirm it's good and there's no ammonia, nitrite and less than 20ppm of nitrate.

How did you cycle the tank?

To get rid of the copepods, drain and refill the tank with dechlorinated water. You should get most of them out. Try to use a gravel cleaner too and it will remove any gunk in the substrate that might be encouraging them.

*NB* Get a sample of tank water before draining the tank if you plan on taking the fish back to the shop.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Sorry about your puffer. One of the bummers of this hobby is that source fish are out of your control--sometimes you do things right and fish die anyway. I'm a little concerned that your tank is showing signs of ammonia, even in tiny amounts. The plants should be taking care of all of that, and I agree with Colin that you should take your water to the pet store to confirm your measurements.

As for copepods: Some are parasitic, but I've never had any trouble with the tiny ones that appear with plants in an aquarium. In fact, I like having them and always try to encourage them. They're interesting and my fish gobble them up like popcorn. It puzzles me that your Betta isn't interested in them. But I strongly doubt that's your problem, and I strongly suspect that, once you have a healthy fish in your tank, the copepods will quickly go away.

 

[Alexander1702]

How long have you had the puffer?
If it's only a few days you could tell the shop what happened and see if they replace it. If you do take the fish back, take a separate glass of tank water with you so they can test it to confirm it's good and there's no ammonia, nitrite and less than 20ppm of nitrate.

How did you cycle the tank?

To get rid of the copepods, drain and refill the tank with dechlorinated water. You should get most of them out. Try to use a gravel cleaner too and it will remove any gunk in the substrate that might be encouraging them.

*NB* Get a sample of tank water before draining the tank if you plan on taking the fish back to the shop.

Apologies for delays, I appreciate all your help and suggestions. It's been longer than the return period, but either way I live in an area that's not well stocked so to say, and I drove for a while to get the fish. Safe to say I'm not getting my money back, but that's alright, it seems to be one of those things with pea puffers. I'll keep my eye on the next one, down the road.

My water reads fine, it was just the brain issue with the pea I suppose. Only thing is my ph is kinda high, but that's not unusual for my tanks, and it's still certainly within their safe range. He adapted to the tank just fine, but wasn't much that could stop the brain Issue.

My tank was cycled from old media in my last tank, had my nursery cycled before I cycled my second one, and both seem to be well cycled. I've had the betta in both, not had any crazy ammonia spikes or anything, all seems healthy.