Newbie question about "bugs"

tengquen · 01/14/2010, 08:49 PM

Quick question for you folks...

New tank. put in live rock/sand/water 2 weeks ago. Introduced 3 yellow tail damsels and 6 dwarf blue leg hermits 1 week ago.

Water parameters are
Temp: 79 degrees
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrite, Nitrate, Amonia: all show 0 now

There is brow algae in spots on the live rock and sand. There is more of this new green algae that looks like grass/weeds that covers a lot of the live rock.

Anyhoo, the new thing now is a couple hundred really tiny white "bugs." Each of them are about the size of a pinhead or maybe smaller. Most of them stick to the sides of the tank, so I thought they were some other type of alge growing. But then I saw some of them moving. I turned off my pumps/wavemaker and sure enough, they are moving on their own and in all different directions. Any idea what they are? I've seen plenty of copepods but they do not look like them at all.

I recently had one fish die, but I removed him from the tank immediately. I did not see any signs of ick or any other discoloration or swelling...so I am not sure why he died. I'm just hoping these new things aren't dangerous to the tank and the other living creatures that are in there.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

drparker · 01/14/2010, 09:13 PM

They are good critters, cope-pods. Some algae blooms are normal for a new tank. What water source are you using and what and how much food are you using? The wrong water or food can add very high levels of phosphates that will feed the algae and make your problem worse that the normal new tank start up.

jflick345 · 01/14/2010, 10:47 PM

Amphipods and isopods, all harmless scavengers. Your algae blooms are probably just part of your tank cycling. Just keep your feeding in check and you nutrient levels will stay down too

terri_ann · 01/15/2010, 12:53 AM

You have pods ;-) The algae is part of new tank syndrome. Continue to test your parameters, feed lightly, do WC's as needed and things will go be fine. Happy Reefing;-)!

tengquen · 01/15/2010, 03:59 PM

My LFS is convinced that they are parasites/isopods. They do seem different than copepods. They are shaped differently, have a different color, and don't hang out in the subtrate...they just stick to the side of the tank. Things that make you go hmmmmm...

tengquen · 01/15/2010, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drparker

They are good critters, cope-pods. Some algae blooms are normal for a new tank. What water source are you using and what and how much food are you using? The wrong water or food can add very high levels of phosphates that will feed the algae and make your problem worse that the normal new tank start up.

I'm using RO/DI water. I'm using a very small amount of a low phosphate food. The LFS guy showed me how much to feed them per day, it does seem like a small amount. That being said, I'm sure any food introduced to the system will increase algae.

Chiefsurfer · 01/15/2010, 06:14 PM

if they have black eyes, they are bad parasitic critters. If there are no black eyes, they are fine. Not sure what "pods" are what size and or shapes and colors, but the only bad ones are the parasitic ones, and I believe they have black eyes.

As to the general statement. Your damsel most-likely died because of the cycle. It is harsh to them, and the ammonia burns their gills. What are your ammonia levels?

bertoni · 01/15/2010, 06:54 PM

If they're on the tank walls, it's unlikely that they are fish parasites, or parasites at all. I'd guess isopods, of the algae-eating variety.

tengquen · 01/15/2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefsurfer

if they have black eyes, they are bad parasitic critters. If there are no black eyes, they are fine. Not sure what "pods" are what size and or shapes and colors, but the only bad ones are the parasitic ones, and I believe they have black eyes.

As to the general statement. Your damsel most-likely died because of the cycle. It is harsh to them, and the ammonia burns their gills. What are your ammonia levels?

No black eyes, so thats a good sign!

Ammonia levels were zero after I let the tank sit for 1 week with live rock/live sand. Ammonia spiked to .25 ppm after I introduced the fish. Its back down to zero now. The fish died during the time that the ammonia was at zero.

tengquen · 01/15/2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

If they're on the tank walls, it's unlikely that they are fish parasites, or parasites at all. I'd guess isopods, of the algae-eating variety.

Yeah, since they stick to the side of the tank and don't seem to go anywhere else, I thought that they must be eating the algae. I bet I can just leave them alone. The fish that is left in my tank seems to be doing fine. I'm going to get 1 or 2 more tomorrow (cheap and hardy fish) at the recommendation of the LFS to keep the cycle going.

01/14/2010, 08:49 PM	#1
tengquen Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 41	Newbie question about "bugs" Quick question for you folks... New tank. put in live rock/sand/water 2 weeks ago. Introduced 3 yellow tail damsels and 6 dwarf blue leg hermits 1 week ago. Water parameters are Temp: 79 degrees PH: 8.2 Salinity: 1.025 Nitrite, Nitrate, Amonia: all show 0 now There is brow algae in spots on the live rock and sand. There is more of this new green algae that looks like grass/weeds that covers a lot of the live rock. Anyhoo, the new thing now is a couple hundred really tiny white "bugs." Each of them are about the size of a pinhead or maybe smaller. Most of them stick to the sides of the tank, so I thought they were some other type of alge growing. But then I saw some of them moving. I turned off my pumps/wavemaker and sure enough, they are moving on their own and in all different directions. Any idea what they are? I've seen plenty of copepods but they do not look like them at all. I recently had one fish die, but I removed him from the tank immediately. I did not see any signs of ick or any other discoloration or swelling...so I am not sure why he died. I'm just hoping these new things aren't dangerous to the tank and the other living creatures that are in there. Thanks in advance for your responses!

01/15/2010, 12:53 AM	#4
terri_ann Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Marshalltown, IA Posts: 841	You have pods ;-) The algae is part of new tank syndrome. Continue to test your parameters, feed lightly, do WC's as needed and things will go be fine. Happy Reefing;-)! __________________ Happy Reefing!! :) Current Tank Info: 180g mixed 40B Anemone 5' raceway frag tank

01/15/2010, 06:54 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If they're on the tank walls, it's unlikely that they are fish parasites, or parasites at all. I'd guess isopods, of the algae-eating variety. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/14/2010, 09:13 PM	#2
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	They are good critters, cope-pods. Some algae blooms are normal for a new tank. What water source are you using and what and how much food are you using? The wrong water or food can add very high levels of phosphates that will feed the algae and make your problem worse that the normal new tank start up.

01/14/2010, 10:47 PM	#3
jflick345 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 884	Amphipods and isopods, all harmless scavengers. Your algae blooms are probably just part of your tank cycling. Just keep your feeding in check and you nutrient levels will stay down too

01/15/2010, 03:59 PM	#5
tengquen Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 41	My LFS is convinced that they are parasites/isopods. They do seem different than copepods. They are shaped differently, have a different color, and don't hang out in the subtrate...they just stick to the side of the tank. Things that make you go hmmmmm...

01/15/2010, 06:14 PM	#7
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	if they have black eyes, they are bad parasitic critters. If there are no black eyes, they are fine. Not sure what "pods" are what size and or shapes and colors, but the only bad ones are the parasitic ones, and I believe they have black eyes. As to the general statement. Your damsel most-likely died because of the cycle. It is harsh to them, and the ammonia burns their gills. What are your ammonia levels?