# Strange white tiny crawling dots in aquarium



## aquariumrookie (Jan 28, 2014)

He everyone! Recently I have noticed about maybe 10 or so of theses tiny white specs in my aquarium that look like dust. However, upon closer examination, I realized they were moving (crawling) on the glass. It was not some particle being pushed by the water current. Also I saw them crawling on my betta fish. 
Can anyone tell me what this is, if it is dangerous, if so, how can I cure it?
Thanks!


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## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

huh, its ironic that you say this because this past weekend I was looking at my grow out tank that only has java moss in it....and what do you know I thought I was seeing lint all over the glass until I closely examined, as you did, and noticed they were moving to....so I definitely want to know what they are and how the heck they got there...I don't do anything but change the water.....


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## SmexxyNick (Feb 15, 2014)

My only guess is "Scuds" I had 1 when I setup my planted tank, but I removed it immidietly, some say they can be very benificial, some say horrid. They eat decaying things and keep the tank very clean. But they can be semi hostile if there isn't enough food. There like a bigger version of a ghost shrimp.


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

look up daphnia, that's what I have in my tank, little white bastards. they are actually harmless, some fish eat them. if you put a light on the side of the tank(on the outside obviously) at substrate level they will go towards it. Then take your gravel vacuum and suck up as many as you can.


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## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

mine are long and skinny like sewing thread....I originally thought it was lint.....


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## Fajita (Feb 3, 2014)

Aqualady said:


> mine are long and skinny like sewing thread....I originally thought it was lint.....


sounds like you may have either planaria or nematodes....planaria have arrow shaped heads where as nematodes don't and have much skinnier bodies



aquariumrookie said:


> He everyone! Recently I have noticed about maybe 10 or so of theses tiny white specs in my aquarium that look like dust. However, upon closer examination, I realized they were moving (crawling) on the glass. It was not some particle being pushed by the water current. Also I saw them crawling on my betta fish.
> Can anyone tell me what this is, if it is dangerous, if so, how can I cure it?
> Thanks!


daphnia sounds about right...i have them as well...while not so pretty to look at they are harmless


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

Can either/both of you post pics? I have no idea what might be crawling over your betta, but it doesn't sound good.

I'm guessing that Aqualady has detritus worms. These typically show up in the first month of a tank. They could be a sign of overfeeding, but they may just go away all by themselves as your tank gets more established. But without seeing them, this is just a wild guess.


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

OP, could be water cyclops. I had them until I got CDP.


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## frankiefire702 (Dec 18, 2013)

I have the same thing in my tank I noticed the other day. Tiny white specs and they appear to "jump" along the glass.


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## JohnEX (Jan 28, 2004)

I also have little dot-like critters in my shrimp tank, but mine are black not white... don't know what they are but I'm guessing they're harmless...


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

I have them too I don't know what they are but they hang out mainly in the substrate. Anytime a shrimp dies they are covered in white specs which look like they are breaking it down the same thing happens when I feed bloodworms. I first assumed they were snail eggs but I realized they were tiny living things when I caught them moving on the glass


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## dvscar (Oct 16, 2013)

Shrimp seed


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## 9apple (Feb 16, 2014)

I too have a similar problem.







they seem to hang out on my moss ball. Don't really know what they are, too.


9apple

I did some research and found that they were amphipods. Good or bad?


9apple


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## vladguan (Dec 19, 2013)

9apple said:


> I did some research and found that they were amphipods. Good or bad?
> 
> 
> 9apple


Harmless. I had an outbreak a while ago. They were all over the DW and were fun to watch, going about their daily crawls. My fishes did not seem to be interested in them (I had Platys and Mollys and BNS). They disappeared all on their own a few weeks later.


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## Mizuhuman (Mar 16, 2013)

Here guys read this: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=40061

Its very helpful. it might answer all or most of your questions or problems


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## DaveP1982 (Mar 9, 2014)

I get this often in fry tanks I guess it is linked to live food or salinity of constant brine shrimp perhaps?


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## 9apple (Feb 16, 2014)

Ok thanks you guys! 


9apple


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