did something lay eggs in my tank?

[Tryx]

Hi guys... Newbie here with a 3 month old 36g tank.
I just set up a small sump so I could add cheato and some phosguard to try and deal with my phosphate problem. Two days ago, when I was cleaning out my filter sock, I noticed some kind of hatchlings in there. I tried to take some pictures with my little point and shoot but couldn't get a clear picture.
They looked orange in color with two black dots (eyes?). It looked like they had a small tail that was clear compared to they body color.
I didn't see anything in the tank all day that day, but then last night when I was checking out the tank in the moonlight, I saw a bunch of them floating around! In the lower flow areas, they looked like mosquito larvae floating tail up and moving my flicking their tails to climb the water column.
Today with the lights on, I don't see any of them anymore. Did one of my fish lay eggs? I was thinking baby brine shrimp, but I only feed frozen foods. I can't see how that many eggs would have made it into my tank.

Sorry for the long post. Any help would be appreciated.

[reidcrandall]

If you have live rock in there, they are copepods of some sort. They are good for you... for the most part.

[Saltyfry]

If you have any snails it could be snail eggs they reproduce alot in my tank ...
takes long time for them to get big ....

[tcp316]

It is excited to find new critters isn't it? I found a baby starfish and some ampipods ( spelling wrong) last night. Pretty cool!

[travis32]

Yeah, I got miniature starfish with my live rock and only saw a few in the first week and I can easily count 15 to 20 now.
I had always only seen 1 or 2 big snails on the side of my tank, last night had 4 big snails crawling around on the side of my tank. Either they got tired of living on or in the rock and moved out or the starfish gossip line reached the snail hide outs that there's plenty of food on the side of the tanks now.. Last night I also saw a snails head attached to another snail all stretched out.. I'm not sure if that was a cleaning or mating gesture. Was kinda funky.

So, yeah, strange things happen in these little bubbles of life.

[cloak]

This would be my guess.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/rs/index.php

[DaveAngie79]

if those star fish are white and small about the size of a pincel eraser they are neat for awhile untill 15 turn into thousands and the start depleting your rocks of the good things
i would try to keeping them under control now while you can

[eldiablosrt8]

very interested in what it is, trying to learn all i can here

[Tryx]

Originally Posted by cloak

This would be my guess.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/rs/index.php

according to the picture of the swarm, thats not what i saw. the critters in my tank have an orange body and clear tail instead of all clear. Unless baby mysid still have their yolk sac attached. It looks similar to the first picture on that page but without the antenae and legs. (from what I could see at least)

[Boundless]

But if those mini starfish have 6 legs get rid of them fast!

[tcp316]

I only found 1 tiny one. About 1/8 in diameter. No legs
If it had 6 legs what would it be?

[Tryx]

They're definitely not starfish, but I would like some input on what they could be...

[drewp808]

yeah what are the things with the 6 legs?

[spw4949]

Tryx, they are most likely some sort of copepod or amphipod, do an internet search & find some pics.........drewp, the starfish people ar etalking about are asterina stars, harmless IMO.........& IME.........