Fleas?

mksalt · 02/26/2009, 07:35 PM

I set up a new tank about three weeks ago. Everything seems to be going as usual. Butâ€¦

It seems like I have thousands of tiny white flea looking animals crawling all over the glass. I started another tank a couple of years ago and seem to remember something like this happening.

I'm curious now. Anyone have any idea what they are?

Thanks.

rgrobe · 02/26/2009, 07:42 PM

Probably Copepods. They are a good thing. They will provide food for some of your fish. You can Google them for more info and pics. They probably look like tiny shrimp if you look closely.

havoc519 · 02/26/2009, 07:57 PM

+1

ROLLINS240Z · 02/26/2009, 08:05 PM

Your ahead of most. Copepods can reproduce fast. Did you introduce liverock or chaeto? That is good news

mksalt · 02/26/2009, 08:11 PM

Rgrobe, these things are tiny. I will have to go find a magnifying glass.

mksalt · 02/26/2009, 08:15 PM

ROLLINS240Z, After the first week I placed one of my rocks from my other tank in the new one. And about a week ago I introduced a â€œnewâ€ live rock from the LFS. About two days ago the â€œfleasâ€ exploded. All the glass is covered with them. At first I thought they were just micro bubbles from my new skimmer.

fender4string · 02/26/2009, 08:19 PM

Those are definitely copepods-they are very tiny.

mksalt · 02/26/2009, 08:30 PM

So this kind of population is a good thing? I assume there will be some die-off.

02/26/2009, 07:35 PM	#1
mksalt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NW Chicago Suburbs Posts: 370	Fleas? I set up a new tank about three weeks ago. Everything seems to be going as usual. Butâ€¦ It seems like I have thousands of tiny white flea looking animals crawling all over the glass. I started another tank a couple of years ago and seem to remember something like this happening. I'm curious now. Anyone have any idea what they are? Thanks.

02/26/2009, 08:05 PM	#4
ROLLINS240Z Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chico CA Posts: 155	Your ahead of most. Copepods can reproduce fast. Did you introduce liverock or chaeto? That is good news __________________ 60 Gallon Cube -- Sump. w/ refug. & Frag Tank -- 2 Tunze 6055's w/ multicontroller-- RKE Controller -- Aqua C EV180 Skimmer -- Check out my tank http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1858889

02/26/2009, 07:42 PM	#2
rgrobe Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Diego area Posts: 416	Probably Copepods. They are a good thing. They will provide food for some of your fish. You can Google them for more info and pics. They probably look like tiny shrimp if you look closely.

02/26/2009, 07:57 PM	#3
havoc519 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Birdsboro,Pa Posts: 52	+1

02/26/2009, 08:11 PM	#5
mksalt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NW Chicago Suburbs Posts: 370	Rgrobe, these things are tiny. I will have to go find a magnifying glass.

02/26/2009, 08:15 PM	#6
mksalt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NW Chicago Suburbs Posts: 370	ROLLINS240Z, After the first week I placed one of my rocks from my other tank in the new one. And about a week ago I introduced a â€œnewâ€ live rock from the LFS. About two days ago the â€œfleasâ€ exploded. All the glass is covered with them. At first I thought they were just micro bubbles from my new skimmer.

02/26/2009, 08:19 PM	#7
fender4string Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Novi, MI Posts: 1,550	Those are definitely copepods-they are very tiny.

02/26/2009, 08:30 PM	#8
mksalt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NW Chicago Suburbs Posts: 370	So this kind of population is a good thing? I assume there will be some die-off.