Bug Like Things In Tank

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

Hello, I have always had tropical fish but have never noticed this before.

I bought a new tank and used old sponges from other thank and water to help it mature.

I have noticed bug like things in the water, they are extreamly small and look like a grain of sand. They dart around on the bottom and glass.

Does any one know what this is and if they are harmful to have?

Many thanks

Steph

three-fingers · Mar 18, 2007

Other than being small, can you give a description?

What's the approx size in mm?

Also, do they stay on the glass and dart around on it?, or do they look like they jumping about in the water?

They are most likely cyclops, daphnia or seed shrimp, did you buy any plants for this tank?

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

three-fingers said:
Other than being small, can you give a description?

What's the approx size in mm?

Also, do they stay on the glass and dart around on it?, or do they look like they jumping about in the water?

They are most likely cyclops, daphnia or seed shrimp, did you buy any plants for this tank?

They can jump and have seen them swimming (darting) in water but mainly dart on any surface. I have got sand and they are the sam size so about 1mm. looks like two bits of sand stuck together, one being larger.

Yes i do have plants

three-fingers · Mar 18, 2007

Look like this?

The one in the pic has eggs, but they dont all have eggs.

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

three-fingers said:
Look like this? The one in the pic has eggs, but they dont all have eggs.

Its hard to say as i cant see them that close up. They do look like that as they had the two round bits. Ill try and have a closer look (when u want to see them they hide)

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

Stephanie p said:
three-fingers said:

Look like this? The one in the pic has eggs, but they dont all have eggs.

Click to expand...

Its hard to say as i cant see them that close up. They do look like that as they had the two round bits. Ill try and have a closer look (when u want to see them they hide)

Just seen one, this one looked slightly different, more like the one in the pic

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

Right, im looking and im sure there are two types of bugs.

On of which it like a grain of sand (roundish in shape)

Other is llike a grain of sand with like a split tail on the end (like the egg effect in the picture)

Rugby · Mar 18, 2007

i think i know what u have. i cant remember there name though. i had them in an old 5 gallon. were the kinda a milky white to clear color? if so, i had them, and they are harmless. i still wanted to get rid of them, so just a large water change, and they were gone. hope i helped!!
Rugby

Stephanie p · Mar 18, 2007

After looking on google, im sure they look more like cyclops. Ill try and get one out tomorrow and have a closer look.

Thank you for your replys

Stephanie p · Mar 19, 2007

Hello, after having a closer look they do look like the one in the picture. Some have eggs and some dont (thats why i was thinking there was two types).
What are they and are they harmful or good to have?

Many thanks

Steph

three-fingers · Mar 19, 2007

Nah, cyclops are harmless little freshwater copepods, they are beneficial for a tank because the fish enjoy eating them :good:

.
The ones without the eggs are the males.
You frequently get them with live food if you buy the little bags of live daphnia.
Here's a link - http

/www.micrographia.com/cyclops

Stephanie p · Mar 19, 2007

three-fingers said:
Nah, cyclops are harmless little freshwater copepods, they are beneficial for a tank because the fish enjoy eating them .
The ones without the eggs are the males.
You frequently get them with live food if you buy the little bags of live daphnia.
Here's a link - http/www.micrographia.com/cyclops

Thanks for all your help. Its a new tank and have never put live food in my old tank. Only used frozen bloodworm. Do you think they came from the plants or playsand? I did soak the playsand in boiling water before hand

Thanks

Steph