What is this

[Anonymous]

Ok I would really like to provide a picture but the critters I have found are to small for me to get a picture of camera issue. These critters are very small and shaped like a capsual, clear/white color and very small and fast about 3 to 4mm long. They are crawling over the rock and do not seem to be bothering anything. I do not know if fish would eat them because at this time I do not have any fish in the tank. Just LR and 3 small coral. The tank has been running for about 3 months and I just noticed these guys. Thanks in advance

 

[Anonymous]

When you say fast & 3-4mm all I can think of are Copepods. Do they have a single eye right in the middle of their head?

 

[SnowManSnow]

Yea,

I was gonna say pod too

b

 

[Anonymous]

I think you folks are correct I think they are copepods. Now the next question where did they come from after 3 months.

 

[Anonymous]

They were always there. You probably only noticed them after the population increased.

 

[Anonymous]

I guess it is easy to notice a thousand of them. Thanks for your time and knowledge.

 

[scifi_3d_zoo]

Yea... buy a mandarin goby and watch him go to town on those things.

 

[tazdevil]

I wouldn't put a mandarin goby in anything smaller than a 75 (they will starve once the pod population drops to zero). Plus, the pods are a good thing to have, they'll help with detritous removal.

 

[Anonymous]

I added a mandarin and he has been here a week now. The pod population has shown any decline and the Mandarin is feeding and looking good so far. I am in the process of adding a hang-on fuge to make sure I can keep a good supply of pods. Thanks for the information folks