tiny creatures ?

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 12:02 AM

Ok, hopefully someone can help me out and help indentify some creatures I have. Sorry, no pics but they are way too tiny. Here's what happened, last week I thought it would be a neat idea to see what the levels were in the ocean. So, we took an hour ride to Seaside NJ, and I jumped in up to my neck on the beach and filled a five gallon bucket. I took the bucket home to test the parameters with an API test kit. I have NO intention of using this water but want to know what's in it.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1357124
Again, I just did this to test the water, nothing else. After the testing, I just kept the bucket in the dark, no circulation, no heater....just sitting in the corner of my living room.
I decided to take a peak and see if anything was stirring and sure enough, there was. When I shine my flashlight down the 5 gl. bucket, these flea-shrimp looking things gravitate to the light. Light moths to a flame, they look like bugs buzzing around a light. Any idea on what type of creatures they may be? they are really tiny and are almost too small to identify, but they look kinda like lil fleas or something

Random Aquarist · 03/30/2008, 12:07 AM

Are they amphipods?

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 12:08 AM

I think they look like that...thanks, do they grow or help or damage?

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 12:10 AM

do amphipods flock to light sources for heat like moths on a summer night?

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 12:16 AM

i just googled them and now i want to flush the whole bucket....ewww, yeah, i think they are amphipods

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 12:46 AM

I stand corrected, i think they are copepods

ScubaDiver93 · 03/30/2008, 01:40 AM

DON'T FLUSH! Copepods are friends.

melev · 03/30/2008, 02:21 AM

There are all kinds of pods out there, some good, some less desirable. This page will help:

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

Scroll to the PODS section.

dkirchoff · 03/30/2008, 07:49 AM

no doubt about it....they're copedpods!!! thank Melev, Scubadiver93, and Random Aquarist!!! I'll keep em after all....

03/30/2008, 12:02 AM	#1
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	tiny creatures ? Ok, hopefully someone can help me out and help indentify some creatures I have. Sorry, no pics but they are way too tiny. Here's what happened, last week I thought it would be a neat idea to see what the levels were in the ocean. So, we took an hour ride to Seaside NJ, and I jumped in up to my neck on the beach and filled a five gallon bucket. I took the bucket home to test the parameters with an API test kit. I have NO intention of using this water but want to know what's in it. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1357124 Again, I just did this to test the water, nothing else. After the testing, I just kept the bucket in the dark, no circulation, no heater....just sitting in the corner of my living room. I decided to take a peak and see if anything was stirring and sure enough, there was. When I shine my flashlight down the 5 gl. bucket, these flea-shrimp looking things gravitate to the light. Light moths to a flame, they look like bugs buzzing around a light. Any idea on what type of creatures they may be? they are really tiny and are almost too small to identify, but they look kinda like lil fleas or something

03/30/2008, 12:07 AM	#2
Random Aquarist Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SLO County, CA Posts: 758	Are they amphipods?

03/30/2008, 12:08 AM	#3
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	I think they look like that...thanks, do they grow or help or damage?

03/30/2008, 12:10 AM	#4
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	do amphipods flock to light sources for heat like moths on a summer night?

03/30/2008, 12:16 AM	#5
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	i just googled them and now i want to flush the whole bucket....ewww, yeah, i think they are amphipods

03/30/2008, 12:46 AM	#6
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	I stand corrected, i think they are copepods

03/30/2008, 01:40 AM	#7
ScubaDiver93 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angles, CA Posts: 566	DON'T FLUSH! Copepods are friends.

03/30/2008, 02:21 AM	#8
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	There are all kinds of pods out there, some good, some less desirable. This page will help: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/ Scroll to the PODS section.

03/30/2008, 07:49 AM	#9
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	no doubt about it....they're copedpods!!! thank Melev, Scubadiver93, and Random Aquarist!!! I'll keep em after all....