What are these things in my tank?

[gmit]

I'm going to try and describe some things I have noticed in my tank and I want to know what they are. I tried to get a picture but they are only small and picture wasn't clear enough. These things are about 5mm long with lots of legs and antenna, their bodies seem to be dark in colour with yellow segments (on the adults, they are all different sizes). They are nocturnal and hide under rocks etc during the day. They can swim but mainly run across the sand or rocks, they're more like creepy crawly things than things you'd find in an aquarium.
They don't seem to bother the fish and no doubt eat any uneaten food but they do look horrible. I suspect they came from the live sand I have in the tank as when I first set it up (about 10 months ago). I also suspect they shed their skin as I have seen empty skins floating about. I'm sorry I can't give you any more info, anyone like to take a guess at what they could be?

 

[Opcn]

there are many creepy crawlies in the live sand, thats what your buying when you get live rock and sand, if your fish are fine I see nothing to worry about.

 

[gmit]

Yes your correct I think they do more good than harm I'm just worried as nothing eats them they are becoming more and more. My fear is I will end up with hundreds of the things.

 

[Opcn]

Well you can only end up with as many as you have fish in the tank and there are any number of inverts and fish that eat them, you just need to get one small enought.

 

[impur]

Copepods. Great beneficial scavengers. You will find their population goes up and down at times, all depending on available food and what predators are in the tank.

 

[Fishy411]

Um i think pods are white. What u have may be bristleworms. I actually think that is probly it.

 

[Opcn]

Not all pods are white, they are very diverse little orgainisms and a little pigment in the skin is not hard to aquire.

 

[RamJet]

plus bristleworms dont shed their skin. Sounds like pods to me. If you really have a good population of them you can get a dragonet! That will keep the population down.

 

[Opcn]

Do sand sifting stars eat pods?

 

[RamJet]

Pods are to quick for sand sifting stars.

 

[gmit]

Thanks for the information, I'm pretty sure they are Copepods did a quick search and they do look like pods to me, I've attached a pic I found on net of what they look like. A dragonet sounds like the best solution and by far the most pleasing on the eye. Thanks

 

[Ed4567]

I would be careful about adding a dragonet to your tank- although it might be possible since you havnt said what size it is- since they often dont eat anything except for 'pods so if insurficient populations of these exist they starve to death.
Ed

 

[impur]

I would be careful about adding a dragonet to your tank- although it might be possible since you havnt said what size it is- since they often dont eat anything except for 'pods so if insurficient populations of these exist they starve to death.
Ed

They eat ALL DAY LONG. So depending on the size of your tank, you need a lot of LR to sustain a decent pod population. A good sized fuge would help too.

 

[Fishy411]

u need at LEAST 100 pounds of live rock to sustain a dragonet. !00 pounds isnt the ideal. It is the MINIMUM. You cant get away with anything less and it has to be a very mature tank.