Copepod Type Bugs In New Fresh Water Set Up.

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ben3486

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I started a marine tank and due to unforeseen circumstances had to opt out of it just at the point it was ready for fish and revert back to tropical fresh water. The marine tank went well with clean up crew and lots of copepod small bug things all over the live rock. Any way. I sold the live rock and clean up crew, gave the tank a very very thorough clean to get rid of any salts etc and filled it back up and put some bog wood in there. I used the same substrate but that also got a good rinse. Any way.... The tank seems to be fine, just some leaching from the tannins in the bog wood making the water a bit yellowy brown. I've also started to notice though some small bugs swimming around. Too small to photograph but they look exactly like the Copepods that were in the marine tank??! Is this possible? Could they be left over from the marine tank and thriving in the fresh water? Would they survive ? Or is this a hitch hiker from the wood? The woods getting a fluffy white covering too that I just wash off at water changes. I did use some stuff in a bottle that came with the tank called "cycle" that's meant to be full of good stuff. I'm sceptical but thought can't do any harm and put it in too. Any advice most welcome. Just curious really. I'm sure when some fish go in they will take care of these little critter......this is just more to satisfy my curiosity. I've had fresh water tanks befor but never noticed these bugs. Only in the marine. Thanks in advance. Ben.
 
There are freshwater copepods so it's quite likely you are seeing them as well. This is the primary food source for my scarlet badis who go about hunting all day.
 
Thanks for that reply. I thought they were carried over from the Marne set up so it was confusing me they were surviving.
Just googled that fish. Nice looking. Looks like a cichlid?? Too large for a 46ltr fluval edge?
 
Just had a proper read. Defo one to look out for for stocking. Thank you very much tcamos.
 
It's a tiny fish. There is the badis, which is larger, but the scarlet badis is tiny. I have two of them in my 6 gallon but could easily have more if I added females. You can't have more than a couple of males or they will fight and they need plants for territories. There's a great article in the last edition (not the one that just came out) of Amazonas magazine on them. Great fish.

Though I suppose it's possible that some species of copepod (there are hundreds) could acclimate to freshwater I can't say it's likely though there being so many species I can't say for sure that this didn't happen. Since there are freshwater copepods that seems more likely.
 

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