What's this film?

[Divinityinlove]

Can definitely see some tiny white worms moving around I'm hoping are detritus ones, but there's other tiny white specs moving around and this cottony/cloudy white film on the driftwood, what the heck is that?? I'm unsure if its related.... As all of these things are new to me!!

I've got only shrimp in this tank. It is a new set up.

The video link shows tiny white specs moving but better toward the end shows a good zoom into two tiny things, 1 I'm pretty sure could be shrimp fry as it has the tail like shrimp but the other... Could it be flatworm?? I thought it was rare but I just read that it is arising in the shrimp breeding industry.

I'd love advice before I buy shrimp dewormer, thanks.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I definitely saw copepod in there... lucky you! Good food for fish

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Yep, copepods, with some possible Daphnia (water flees) and/or Ostracods (seed shrimp). All harmless, all good fish food, and all rather interesting and amusing, IMO. In fact, you've reminded me, I need to get another invert tank going. I do enjoy watching these little critters, but they seem to disappear from my fish tanks rather quickly...

 

[Slaphppy7]

Agree with the above...and the white film on the DW is common, and most times harmless...it will eventually go away on it's own, or you can scrub it off with a clean brush under hot tap water

 

[Divinityinlove]

Yep, copepods, with some possible Daphnia (water flees) and/or Ostracods (seed shrimp). All harmless, all good fish food, and all rather interesting and amusing, IMO. In fact, you've reminded me, I need to get another invert tank going. I do enjoy watching these little critters, but they seem to disappear from my fish tanks rather quickly...

Where do these critters come from though? I'll do a google browse later when I am home.

 

[Divinityinlove]

I definitely saw copepod in there... lucky you! Good food for fish

There's no fish in there though! Will the shrimp eat em?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

There's no fish in there though! Will the shrimp eat em?

No, they'll coexist with the shrimp, though.

Where do these critters come from though? I'll do a google browse later when I am home.

Little inverts like this usually come in riding on plants. They can sometimes come in on driftwood or other decor. I often add them intentionally.

 

[Divinityinlove]

I've looked up the copepod, that's what I thought was a baby shrimp. Google says some of them have a parasitic phase though, I'll have to look further into that.

Around the same time the copepod is visible, just before around 1:02, you can see something sliding along the glass towards the bottom... that's what I was concerned might be a flatworm, a parasite affecting shrimp. I'm confused how there's an entire ecosystem of living beings in here so fast! feel like I should've studied marine biology before starting this shrimp tank.

 

[Colin_T]

I've looked up the copepod, that's what I thought was a baby shrimp. Google says some of them have a parasitic phase though, I'll have to look further into that.

Male cyclops (freshwater copepods) will sometimes attach to the gills of fish and feed off them for a while before they mature. It's uncommon in aquariums but can happen.

 

[Divinityinlove]

Male cyclops (freshwater copepods) will sometimes attach to the gills of fish and feed off them for a while before they mature. It's uncommon in aquariums but can happen.

Okay. Any idea what the worm on the glass at 1:02 is?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Watch this entire vid

[VIDEO]

 

[FishandBirdLover]

I 2nd @Slaphppy7 on the film being common on DW. I had it on mine.