Bugs that come out in the nite?

[chasesng]

Shortly after the lites go off in the tank, i can see this tiny little bugs or something crawling all around the bottom of my tank.

They're shaped kind of like shrimp with their little butts curled slightly, so that they almost look like the letter 'j'. They're bodies are kind of translucent with a dark center running the length of the bodies. They're no more than 1/8th inch long and i think they have little antenae. They scamper about on these little legs as if they were speedy centipedes.

The dont look like worms, and when I shine a flashlite on them, they dont seem to mind.

Are these what u guys refer to as pods? Are they good or bad? Should I get something that likes to eat them to keep them in check?

Thanks

 

[House of Laughter]

Pods = good

House

 

[chasesng]

i've checked several web sites tho and can't say that these things look like 'copepods' which supposedly swim. my critters are stick to the sand surface, not really even venturing onto the rock, a little on the glass.

the best comp i could find was the picture and description of shrimp but they seem to narrow at the head to be shrimp.

 

[tomzpc]

Probably amphipods but maybe mysid. A good thing either way!

 

[ezee]

chase,

Probably amphipods but maybe mysid. A good thing either way!

Mysid would be my guess too. Great stuff to have in your tank.

E

 

[chasesng]

checked for pics of mysid and amphipods and they both look possible, but i'm leaning towards amphipods.

glad to hear its not a problem, especially given my recent concerns with my shrivelling shroom.

but what happens with these pods? do they mulitply till they overpopulate and then there's a die off? none of my fish seem terribly interested in having them for supper. so it seems theres no natural enemy

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

They are good, they help with cleanup and make a great snack for the fish

 

[techreef]

mandarins eat them exclusively. it's fairly rare to get a mandarin that accepts prepared food. i think six-line wrasses will eat pods too, if they concern you. but they're nothing but good news to have around.

 

[DevIouS]

Like this?

 

[chasesng]

yeah...that looks like them

so which one is it...amphipod or mysid

 

[masterswimmer]

amphipod, and good to have.

Mandarins, six line wrasse and also pipefish will eat pods. Adding more than one of these fish might decimate the pod population since they'll compete for food. It would be highly recommended to have a fishless refugium plumbed inline with your display to propagate pods and supply ample food for any of these fish.

swimmer

 

[meschaefer]

mandarins eat them exclusively. it's fairly rare to get a mandarin that accepts prepared food. i think six-line wrasses will eat pods too, if they concern you. but they're nothing but good news to have around.

It is my understanding (and I could be wrong, so please correct me if I am), that mandarins only eat copepods and not amphipods. Not a big deal, but what he is describing is definately not a copepod.

 

[rfc]

I have hundreds of these critters. Amphipods eat a lot of my detrus and formula 1 pellets. Its fun to watch them running out during the day and dragging a pellet back to their rock. I even saw a tug a war between an amphpipod and a bristol worm over a forumla 1 pellet

 

[DRENALYN9]

Keep Up The Good Work Those Are Great