WHat is this microscopic white things ???

[bjftanker]

I just got home and noticed some little microscopic looking white things that are moving on the glass. what ever they are are about the size of a grain of sand. This by chance wouldnt be Ich or womething weird? The fish seem fine. Is this going to be a problem? What do you guys think>?

 

[Fishy411]

copepods. Good things. Little microscopic organisms that help your tank. Dragonets mainly eat them.

 

[Mogo]

Copepods are about 2mm in length, 1mm wide and look like little white sticks. For the most part they will reside on the glass very close to the top of the tank, an inch or two from the top. If they are copepods, you should be able to see them swimming, most often in the upper portion of the tank as well. They swim around in an unmistakable darting zig zag type motion. Often they are associated with tanks with high organic load, and can over run a tank quite quickly and can be tricky to get rid of. Although some fish will eat them (mostly very young fry), most fish find them to small to even bother.

Try adding an extra water change or two to your normal routine and that may help reduce the population.

 

[bjftanker]

yeah that sounds like them. Becasue they are mainly near the top of the tank. I will try a few extra water changes and see woh that helps. Thanks for the imput guys.

 

[Navarre]

I would leave em there, great source of food (all my fish go crazy for em) and excellant at removing detrius. Mandarins love this food source and usually will eat nothing else.

 

[Mogo]

Ooops, my mistake, missed that this was posted in the saltwater. In which case, leave them be. Sign of a good healthy system. Hear the baby seahorses love to eat them up. )