Little White Specks

[ellebelle]

When my tank light turned on this morning, I noticed little tiny white specks sticking to the bottom inch or so of the front glass on my fish tank. At first I thought they were bubbles, but then I noticed that they seemed to be moving a bit independently of the flow of water. I asked digitalreefer, and he concurred that they seemed to be alive, whatever they are. I tried to take a photo, but they're just too small. The fish seem to be eating them, whatever they are.

Any idea of what these things might be?

In case this helps, I've been feeding phyto, mysid shrimp and flake food on sort of a revolving basis. I've only got three fish (chromis) and some hardy coral in my tank right now, though I tried to get a sea urchin the other day to help with my algae problem. I think he died in transit (water got waaaaay too cold for it), but I wasn't sure at the time, so I put him in my tank in case he was just shocked. Took him out yesterday when it was clear he was dead and was planning a water change for today. Could these two things be linked?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Do they look like this?

 

[deelucky]

i believe those are hydroid jellyfish that appear in a new tank,they dissappear after some time if your tank was just setup recently then that could be it.

 

[ellebelle]

Brendan, they're even smaller than the ones in your photograph. This makes me wish I had a microscope attachement for my camera!

This is the best that I could do:

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Actually that pic is super macro'd but those look like small snails or sponges maybe.

 

[Harif87]

They look like copepods to me, you could see the flagellum if you look closely. Are a bulk of them near the sandbed?

Could also be the beginning of the growth of diatoms.

 

[ellebelle]

Yes, then are near the sandbed - there are none up high.

 

[Harif87]

Theyre copepods, soon enough theyll grow up and be water-borne and then go back to the sandbed to mate.

BTW i made a mistake, its not a flagellum, copepods dont have flagelums. Looks alot like one but under a microscope you could tell that its not.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

agreed. those are tiny pods. a very good thing

 

[DonCisco]

Good for you Lissa... they definitely look like copepods, at night turn off the lights, bring a flashlight, and put it on the side of your tank... they will most likely be attracted to the light... fast herky jerky movements. They are a VERY GOOD thing.

 

[Harif87]

Hey, you know they come free in the city's tap water supply.

 

[DonCisco]

yeah I heard that some hasidic groups were debating wheter or not to consider city tap water as non kosher because of the copepods.

 

[DEEPWATER]

yeah I heard that some hasidic groups were debating wheter or not to consider city tap water as non kosher because of the copepods.

it is not ,ppl made tons of money on that crap ,installing water main filter and filter for cooking ,if you ask me ,its just a scam

 

[Harif87]

it is not ,ppl made tons of money on that crap ,installing water main filter and filter for cooking ,if you ask me ,its just a scam

Well i dont think its a scam since i have found some in my wtaer pitchers and my FW tanks. I also have a picture of one i caught straight from the faucet into one of my glasses. I put it in a test tube, lived for about a day and a half in there. Here is a pic of it:

I also called the NYC DEP and they confirmed that there was actually copepods in the tap water supply. I think they also sent out a notice a few years back.

 

[DEEPWATER]

it took them how long to find out there is copepods in the tap water ?

you want tell me this wasnt in our water before ,and today its a concern?

Im jewish myself ,and do eat kosher .but ther eis a limit to where it stops.

plus ,i never drink tap water ,ever .just not something wouldnt do ,,,,since im a plumber and see the crap thats in our tap water pipe ,sometime water comes out brown rusty water from some pipes ,so forget the copepods


not to mention all the flux ,pastes and other stuff used by plumbers .construction done on water mains (gets tons of crap in the lines) and so

 

[DEEPWATER]

oh and i forgot all the ppl that still have lead water mains

back to topic ,srry for the slight hi-jack

 

[Harif87]

it took them how long to find out there is copepods in the tap water ?

you want tell me this wasnt in our water before ,and today its a concern?

Im jewish myself ,and do eat kosher .but ther eis a limit to where it stops.

plus ,i never drink tap water ,ever .just not something wouldnt do ,,,,since im a plumber and see the crap thats in our tap water pipe ,sometime water comes out brown rusty water from some pipes ,so forget the copepods


not to mention all the flux ,pastes and other stuff used by plumbers .construction done on water mains (gets tons of crap in the lines) and so

Nice to know lol, im also Jewish who keeps kosher. The idea of when it crosses the line, i guess, is something subjective.

In any case, does anyone know if FW pods can live in SW? Becuase if not i would stop using tap water for water changes since it might cause die off of em.

 

[digitalreefer]

:dead: