What Are These Tiny Little Spec Creatures?

[teanuhh]

I've had my freshwater tank set up for awhile now, everything's fine, cycling went great, platy just had four babies... Anyway, after staring at my tank for a few minutes the other day, I started to notice a few "sand particles" jumping around down there. When I looked closer, I noticed hundreds of itty, bitty gray sandlike creatures on all of the plants and in every corner of the tank. I've tried looking up what it could be but I don't have a microscope so I can't really tell which tiny crustacean or sand flea it could be. Here's a picture, this little anemone is their favorite place. It's from to watch them jump from arm to arm; they're so cute! Just hope they aren't harmful.

 

[FishMonkey]

Hi teanuhh, i can't help you with your question about the sand creatures unfortunately, but i am curious about your anemone and have a question for you if you don't mind?
 
How long have you had the anemone in your tank, and are you noticing it start to lose colour or fall apart? (I'm assuming it's a fake like mine was)
 
I had an identical one that was blue/purple and had to remove mine after about a month as it started to seep it's colour into the water and bits of it started falling apart, my fish would also try and pickup any debris on the anemone and they started taking chunks out of the 'arms', it also gave my aquarium a really strange rubber smell so i had to remove it.

 

[attibones]

Can you get a closer picture or circle the spaces where the tinies are hiding? I can't see them, and I'm not sure if anyone else can either.

What is your full stocking? I'm wondering if you have any shrimp or anything which might be breeding.

 

[teanuhh]

The little black spots all over the anemone in the picture are them. There's no way you can't see the little black dots.

I got the anemone at walmart. It's white with pink tips, I haven't had any problems with it yet but I'll keep an eye out now.

I have two platies (6 counting fry), a guppy, a couple tetras and an albino pleco.

 

[attibones]

Yeah I can't see them.

Have you recently added any live plants?
Had to zoom in a great deal, but I see what you are talking about. They look like baby snails. Might have come in on a plant or something. Have you seen any legs?
No, not snails actually, snails don't jump. Sorry about that.

 

[teanuhh]

Maybe this is better?

 

[attibones]

So do you have any live plants? Might have a few hitch hikers.

 

[teanuhh]

I don't have any live plants. The newest addition in like the past 6 months was the anemone. It came in a sealed plastic container from Walmart. I noticed them 2-3 weeks after putting that in, but I think that's only because it's white and they are easy to notice on it. I did a gravel vac a few weeks before that.

The more pictures I take, the more I see collecting on there. They must breed like gerbils. I think I got it this time, can you see them now?

 

[teanuhh]

Actually I figured it out. They are ostracods, tiny tiny tiny crustaceans.