What is this in my tank? Friend or Foe? (1 Viewer)

[alstang1]

Since adding my new collection of frags to the tank the other day, I have noticed hundreds of (near microscopic) little bitty white dots swimming around on my glass. They are live. I know this because I have seen them going in circles that the water current could not have produced, and also, they stop moving all together for periods of time.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?


Al

 

[Guest]

Well Al, looks like you finally have seen that you have life in your tank. Like all reefs, life just happens even if you don't mean it to. Now when you get a little fish that loves to eat these little pods you will be amazed at how many hours a day the little fish will scour the tank looking on the rocks picking at these little buggers that you can't even see.

They would have come into your tank even if you would not have added the frags.

Nathan

 

[Guest]

Those are more than likely Copepods that have hitchhiked and spawned in your aquarium. They are "friends" as corals and certain fish LOVE to eat them

 

[Linda]

Way to go Al!!!! Can I have some?? And if there are these little bitty white dots on my glass, are those good things? Sorry Al....I didn't mean to steal your thread....just hoping I have the same good "stuff" as you....

 

[ShaneV]

Linda, sounds like spirorbidae, they are harmless filer feeders, a sign that your water is capable of supporting life.

 

[Linda]

But not the pods that I need for a mandarin or such?? Correct?? Thanks...

 

[ShaneV]

Do they move? Or if you look really close (try a magnifying glass) do they look like a little spiral?

 

[Linda]

I'm not home now but they do move and I had thought that they were tiny snails originally. I need to get a magnifying glass and look at them closer.

 

[sultros]

This is a bit off topic but if you really want a mandarin try and find one that will eat frozen/flake food. It takes a while to find one but its worth it.

I purchased a scooter blenny, same family as mandarin, from global and they fed it flake to prove it would eat it. It chows down on mysis, flake, pods, flatworms...just about anything i throw at it.

 

[Linda]

That is so great to know....I want a mandarin so bad but have been so afraid to get one....Thanks!!

 

[sultros]

mandarins and scooters are amazing fish.

I sit want watch my scooter for hours. It has tons of personality and looks absolutely hilarious when it rears up and extends its dorsal fin.

Patientce will definitely pay off when looking for one of these fish.

This is not always the case, but if it will eat live brines it may take mysis or other frozen foods.

Id love to have a mated pair of mandarins or scooters. The mating dance they do is awesome if you have moonlights and manage to witness it.

 

[Guest]

There is a guy on Nano-reef.com who claims to sale Mandarins that eat flake. And quite a few people say he is telling the truth, for it is the only way to keep Mandarins alive in a nano really.

Nathan

 

[Linda]

Thanks Nathan...I will check into that. I just think they are the most beautiful fish.