What are they

[jcolon2]

The lights in my tank are on a timer. They go off at ten pm. I noticed a couple of days ago, and last night, about thirty minutes after the lights went off that there were creatures all over the sand. I am not sure if they are pods (I hope they are). There are over a hundred of them and as soon as the lights go back on they hide. Some crawl very quick throughout the sand while others seem to move like fleas hopping. This isn't the most helpful fact but they are brownish and some are as long as the my pinky fingernail. At first sight they almost look like millipedes. I introduced several orders of triggerpods and smaller copepods into my tank over the past 6 months. Are they pods? Thanks.

Justin

 

[jaa1456]

I think I know what you are talking about. Not 100% sure though and I think they are in the amphipod family. 99% of these types of pods are not harmful at all. I have them in my 10g nano with no fish. Wrasses will eat them though. I don't know any other preadotors that eat them. not sure if mandrins or any dragonette will eat them eaither.

 

[jcolon2]

I was hoping mandarins would eat them : / I have no wrasses.

 

[beerfish]

Mandarins will eat copepods which are the smaller types of pod (usually they look like little white specks). Most fish will enjoy a pod dinner. They're not at all bad for the tank (they're actually good for it), so I wouldn't be worried about them.

 

[SevTT]

Are they pods? Thanks.

Justin

Sound like amphipods. They're great, an unheralded part of your CuC and food for practically everything. (Well, mandarins won't eat the big ones, but their babies are fair game.)

 

[motortrendz]

if the look like millipedes the legnth of you fingernail you might have a mix of bristle worms.. but would need to see them honestly, but the others def sound like pods!! and even if some are bristle worms at that size theyre good and not a neusance yet...

 

[SevTT]

...I thought I had an outbreak of mini-bristleworms or something yesterday. Then I realised that my new copperband had merely savaged several of them into tiny pieces. %)

 

[jcolon2]

There are hundreds of them. I am thinking they are pods b/c bristle worms are long and appear hairy. These look like have they have hard outer casings and antennae. The biggest is about the size of my fingernail on my pinky finger. All the others are smaller; some are extremely small. They move very quick. Some hide in the sand, others in shells, and others in the rockwork. One got caught in the flow during the day and my midas swooped by and ate it. Has seeding the tank with trigger pods and reg. copepods paid off are am I infested with bristleworms. Maybe I can get a video with my new phone.

 

[jcolon2]

Thanks for the help so far everyone.

 

[jaa1456]

I really doubt they are brislte worms. Those pods are algae eaters and I have no fish in my 10Gallon, and I do not feed the tank any food. Bristleworms feed off the excess food. So they would not live in the 10 for long. Where as the amphipods will live just fine.