# What's that bug? How to recognize them



## rain-

I don't know if this belongs under "Shrimp" or "General Planted Tank Discussion", the questions about tiny aquatic creatures might usually be posted in the latter one, but I've always used to put shrimp, other invertebrates, bugs and weird things under same classification.

Here's some of the most common tiny creatures found from the aquariums.

*Copepods, Cyclops*










Size: 0,1 - 0,2 cm, 0.04 - 0.1 inches

Copepods are small and funny looking one eyed crustaceans. They usually move around the tank glass and other surfaces, usually with one short leap at a time. Harmless, cute, there's lots of different coloured species. 

*Water Fleas, Daphnia*










Size: 0,1 - 0,5 cm, 0.04 - 1/4 inches

Water fleas are usually used as fish food. They are tiny crustaceans and are easily recognized of their jerky vertical "swimming". They are completely harmless and really interesting creatures. I call them fat, sad reindeers (well, they look like it ).


*Seed Shrimp, Ostracoda*










Size: 0,1 - 0,2 cm, 0.04 - 0.1 inches

Seed shrimp are tiny seed shaped crustaceans. They are usually a bit bigger than Copepods. They move in a same fashion as Copepods, eating all kinds of nice things from the glass/plant/etc. surfaces and you can see them walking inside the substrate too. Sometimes they swim in open water looking like drunken bees. Here's a really young CRS baby looking at a seed shrimp. Really cute, harmless.

*Freshwater Limpet - Acroloxus lacustris*


















Size: 0,1 - 0,8 cm ; 0.04 - 0.3 inches

Since freshwater limpets, _Acroloxus lacustris_, are so small and also move really slowly, it might be hard to identify them as snails. They are small and can't do much damage to plants, but since they are small, it's impossible to find and remove eggs and the baby snails. Harmless. 

Something that looks a bit similar are Nerite eggs. They are singular, white, hard, round or oval shaped and about 1 - 2 mm in diameter.

*Tubifex*










Size: 2 - 5 cm, 3/4 - 2 inches

Red, yummy worms (used as fish food too) which live inside the substrate. If disturbed and dig up, they will form a ball, if left alone, they will gather pieces of sand/gravel around their body forming a sort of tube where they live in and they'll stick their head out of the substrate looking like red hairgrass. If there's lots of them, the substrate is too dirty and might be good idea to do something about it. Only a few Tubifex in the substrate isn't anything to worry about though. They are harmless.

*Nematodes*
Size: 0,1 - 0,3 cm, max. 0.1 inches

Nematodes are small, thin, white/transparent free-living roundworms and the "swim" moving themselves in a wave like pattern (well, forming an S shape). If disturbed, they will swim around wriggling briskly. You can find them from the substrate and they are the ones that might appear from the filter when you turn it on. These ones are harmless, but as with any other "pest", if there's too many of them, you are either overfeeding or just not keeping the tank clean enough of debris, decaying plant matter.

*Planaria, flatworms*










Size: 0,3 - 1 cm, 0.1 - 3/8 inches

Non-parasitic flatworms. Crossed-eyed grossness, just pure yucky! The only small creature I dislike (I get shivers down my spine even thinking about them). If you split it, it will regenerate and you will end up having 2 planaria. There seems to be several different colours in the common ones found in aquariums, transparent, white, brown and red. There's actually nothing really horrible about them, but they can bother small shrimp and snails and might eat fish/snail eggs. 

They love shrimp pellets, pieces of meat, dead fish/shrimp and they will also eat small live creatures if they can catch them. They move on the surfaces, even under the water surface and are most active by night. If disturbed, they will retract themselves (shorter and wider), let go and drop down to the bottom.

*Hydra*










Size: 0,3 - 1,5 cm, 0.1 - 1/2 inches

Hydra are beautiful, but a wee bit annoying creatures. They spend their life attached to surfaces (plants, glass, filter, decoration), they can move a bit, but usually don't have the need to do that. If disturbed, they will retract their tentacles and body to small buds. They catch small creatures (copepods, Daphnia etc.) with their tentacles which can sting, making it easier for them to haul the pray in to their mouth opening. They pose no threat to adult fish, shrimp or snails (might cause some irritation if they touch the Hydra), but newborn fish and shrimp fry are in danger.

The species in the picture is _Hydra viridissima_ and the green color comes from algae living inside the hydra. 

*Bryozoa, moss animals*










Size: individual creatures are only a few millimetres long, the colony can be tens of centimetres long

Bryozoans are interesting colonial creatures. They look a bit like corals with the hard skeleton structure of the colony. The individual creatures, zooids, are inside their own small part of the colony and they eat small particles (phytoplankton, zooplankton) floating in the water by guiding them (and water) towards their mouth opening with the fan like tentacles. If disturbed, the zooids will retract their tentacles inside the colony walls. They are harmless and really interesting.

*Springtails, Collembola*










Size: 0,1 - 0,3 cm, 0.04 - 0.1 inches

Springtails are cool hexapods. They are used as live food for fish that eat from the surface, for example small Betta species and labyrinth fishes. You can find them more often from soil or leaf litter than from the water surface, but once in a while they will appear on the floating aquarium plants. If disturbed, they will spring to safety releasing their "spring" (furcula) that's normally bent under their body. They can jump surprisingly far (several centimeters). Harmless and cute.

*Mosquito larvae*


















Text coming later.

*Bloodworms*










Text coming later


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## Color Me Blue

Wonderful pics! Very helpful in identifying those lil critters. 

I vote to make this a sticky too!


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## Wasserpest

These are awesome photos rain, thanks for sharing. I love taking macros, but this is almost micro! How did you get those springtails that big? 

I'd like to make it a sticky so we can refer to it when poster #74 asks what those coral looking algae are, but I am not sure in what section either? :icon_ques

Spypet - let's omit the food worms please.


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## rain-

Color Me Blue: Thank you. 

spypet: I don't have any experience with other creatures so I don't think it would be fair for me to present them. But if you do and have pictures and experience of those, go ahead and add to the list with descriptions, that's why this is a discussion forum, everyone can share their knowledge. 

I challenge you to add your share to this thread. And it applies to everyone else too. If something is missing, add it. I live in cold, cold Finland with not as much exotic creatures as you guys have there. 

I can add mosquito larvae to the list since I do have pictures of those. I've never had dragonfly larvae. Daphnia all look alike so they are good enough to be presented as one. Plant worms? Food worms? What are they? Brine shrimp are food, so they don't belong to this list, but I think that why you added it between the ().

Wasserpest: Thanks.  I took the springtail picture with my Canon EOS 350D and 60mm macro lens. Others are mostly taken with my P&S with close-up lens.


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## epicfish

Wow...great thread, great pictures!

Now, how about some information about leeches? I think I either have a leech (or many) or planaria in my tank, but I can't take pictures right now because someone else is taking care of the tank.

If I manage to snap some shots, I'll post them up here!


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## spypet

rain, here's my own picture of 2mm plant worms.
most get these when their gravel gets too filthy.
fish don't seem to eat them, so you need to do
water changes and gravel vacuums to remove
and keep their population more unnoticeable.










here is an underwater picture of ianmason's dragonfly larva/pupa.
they probably come from aquatic plants grown outdoors.
you can manually remove or hope the fish will eat them.










*rain- thanks again for inspiring this thread.
feel free to use this stuff in your main post.*


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## Color Me Blue

Exactly! Nice contribution. That's what TPT is all about!


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## sorab

excellent, I was staring at a seed shrimp in the shrimp tank wondering what it was, well now I know thank you


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## NeonShrimp

*I also vote to make this a sticky! * And if it isn't here you can always add the pictures to the list:icon_wink


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## Wasserpest

Okay, okay, made it a sticky :icon_wink 

I used to feed mosquito larvae to my fishies, and often the black ones would manage to hatch (the high temps accelerate that) and at night they would drive my crazy.

I love feeding the white ones ("glassworms"), they mady my fish go nutz, always manage to roll away when they are almost in their mouth.

350D... I am about to jump the gun and get one, either a 400D (XTI) or a 30D, which fits my large hands much better (and hits the pocket a bit harder).


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## Storm_Rider

Are those really what tubifex worms look like? There's lots of controversy and debate behind their usefulness as a food and their simularity to a blackworm. I grow blackworms at home in a container to feed to my turtles and corys but the lfs I buy them from (when I'm running low or or kill my coulture because I'm lazy and cleaning their water is hard) sells them as bloodworms.. which they obviously are not, so when I ask the manager about it, he says everyone calls them bloodworms but they're actually tubifex worms.. also which I do not agree because my research has lead me to believe they are california blackworms. The worms I have look simular to your pic but they are darker brown except when they split and form a baby, then they are pinkish for a while. They also get like 4 inches long frequently but split soon after. So anyways, I'm against using live tubifex worms unless the conditions they were raised is sanitary. Freezedried tubifex worms in the cube form are great though, press it against the glass and it's quite a show to watch if you have some sharks or aggressive fish.


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## rain-

Storm_Rider: Well, they are worms from my tank and they look like Tubifex and act like Tubifex, so I would say that they are Tubifex worms.  Here's more pictures: tubifex - Google Image Search

California blackworms (_Lumbriculus variegatus_) do look a bit like Tubifex (_Tubifex tubifex_), but they are totally different species. They both belong to class Oligochaeta, but tubifex worms belong to order Clitellata and family Tubificidae, blackworms belong to order Lumbriculida and family Lumbriculidae. 

Wasserpest: Thank you for making this sticky. I am really happy with this 350D, it fits my tiny hands perfectly. 

spypet: Thank you for your contribution, the pictures are great. I'll be adding some information and the pictures to the first post as soon as I have time, so we will have everything in the first post and in some sort of order.


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## James From Cali

These stickies are great. It really can help newbies, actually help anyone, that have "bugs" in their tanks!


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## A Hill

rain- ,

Another excellent job! 

I'll try and get some info on some others you missed, I get some nasty critters on the moss I collect occasionally...like larva of dragonflies, damselflies, small leaches, and random other things... There are some COOL damselfly larva though!

Ohh and those little coral type things, look awesome! Any Idea where I might be able to obtain some from?

- Andrew


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## h20 plant

I have a couple of these but the worst one to get rid of is planaria but not so destructive. The one that killed several of my Crystal bee's was the dragonfly larva. If you have an open top tank keep a eye out they are very ferocious and eat anything that comes close enough.


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## FelixAvery

great! stupendous!


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## Canadiancray

Fantastic thread. Keep it going.


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## standoyo

Fantastic! 
The worse IMO are dragonfly larvae. They are killers in the tank and live up to 7 years. Fishes and shrimp get eaten or killed by them.


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## starrystarstarr

Thank you for posting rain-. Just started a shrimp tank a few months back and have encounter a few of these other "pets"
I also agree with Color Me Blue about making this post a sticky.


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## RESGuy

standoyo said:


> Fantastic!
> The worse IMO are dragonfly larvae. They are killers in the tank and live up to 7 years. Fishes and shrimp get eaten or killed by them.


Indeed! I have them in a fountain outside and they look so evil and catch and eat tadpoles in there (which I don't mind :icon_twis ). Once they all mature which could take years, my backyard will be full of Dragon Flies lol!


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## iturnrocks

Previously I would have agreed that Ostracods (seed shrimp) are harmless. yesterday, a group of Ostracods attacked, killed, and ate 2 fairy shrimp in my tank.

I personally saw them attacking the first fairy shrimp- it was trying to kick them off. The second fairy shrimp disappeared sometime overnight.

I had previously seen ostracods consume a dead fairy shrimp, but this is the first time i have seen them kill one. I will add some more fairy shrimp to that tank next week and see if I cant get some photos of the swarm.

Here is another creature to add to the harmless list, although I doubt many of you will happen upon them in your tanks.

Clam shrimp - Here are some pics of one I caught wild by dip netting flooded fields. They swim kinda like daphnia by propelling themselves with their antennae. They are much larger than Ostracods. They have a very short lifespan, about 2-3 weeks. The one in these images is about 1/2 inch long.


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## RESGuy

Thanks for posting iturnrocks


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## sandiegoryu

Woooaaah. That looks cool. I just thought it was a magnified view of some strange looking daphnia! Clam shrimp eh? Kind of like saying Cat dog lol.


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## bulrush

These are really great pics. I have some comments: 

- Tubifex worms have their head in the sand and TAILS in the air. 

- Bloodworms are midge larva. Midge adults look exactly like mosquitos but they don't bite. Actually, midge larva are only one type of "bloodworm". Bloodworm is just a term for anything red that resembles a mosquito larva. 

- The second mosquito pic with the big head, is ready to emerge as an adult. 

- Can you find a pic of the mosquito eggs? They are a football shaped raft of dark brown, tube-shaped, slightly fuzzy eggs. Raft is about 4mm long.


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## CdoGG

spypet said:


> here is an underwater picture of ianmason's dragonfly larva/pupa.
> they probably come from aquatic plants grown outdoors.
> you can manually remove or hope the fish will eat them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *rain- thanks again for inspiring this thread.
> feel free to use this stuff in your main post.*


I just found one of these in my tank tonight. Are they harmful ?


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## Wasserpest

It depends on the size of other animals in your tank. Full grown Cichlids and such will probably make a quick snack out of it, while smaller fish might get eaten by it over time.


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## CdoGG

Wasserpest said:


> It depends on the size of other animals in your tank. Full grown Cichlids and such will probably make a quick snack out of it, while smaller fish might get eaten by it over time.



Well.... Just to be on the safe side I put it in my 90 gal with some fish that will take care of him ! :icon_evil


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## milalic

good, good...:smile:


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## aelysa

This is not a planaria with a spine and rudimentary legs. It is an Australian LEECH! Apparently the "spine" is it's developing young, and when they become free swimming, they attach itself to the mother and look like a billion tiny wiggly legs. Totally disgusting and mine was about a fourth of an inch long.

Actually, I come to find a year later, it was some sort of snail leach. Even more disgusting.


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## aquagirl

OMG, 
I have been looking for two weeks now for the type of bugs that I found in a banana plant that I purchased two weeks ago, for my blue shrimp tank. I purchased the plant at a LFS so the shrimp would have something to hold on to on the way home. My fault for putting it in the tank before proper cleansing, I know better! 

I have contacted quite a few "experts" to no avail. I just happened to do a web search tonight for CRS and found a link to your site. I saw the sticky about bugs in your tank and took a look. They are seed shrimp, lol. *You guys ROCK!!!!!!* BTW.....Now that I have them how do I get rid of them? They look so much like my newly hatched cherry shrimp. Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide.


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## Mangala

Gah... every time I dig up tubifex worms out of my substrate, I forget what they are and have to come back here. Thank goodness for you guys and this thread!


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## retoid

I've noticed some small, very small in fact white slug like creatures in my tank. 
They move across the glass very fast for their size.
They are too small for my camera to pick up, any idea what they might be?


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## LS6 Tommy

retoid said:


> I've noticed some small, very small in fact white slug like creatures in my tank.
> They move across the glass very fast for their size.
> They are too small for my camera to pick up, any idea what they might be?



Sounds like planarians to me.

Tommy <9))>>{


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## knuggs

Great Thread! Glad they made this a sticky. Foreign creatures can be worrysome. I have some of those plant worms that I want to get rid of. Are they harmful to fish or shrimp? And what is the best way to get rid of them?


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## spypet

knuggs said:


> Are they harmful to fish or shrimp?
> what is the best way to get rid of them?


NO,
Vacuum your gravel surface and cut fish feeding by half.


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## retoid

I hadnt noticed that strange worm like creature in my tank for a while, but this morning I saw him again. It has grown a bit and I was able to get a picture.
Can anyone help identify this?


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## retoid

Bump, anybody have any idea?


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## eon17

bumping a sticky is pointless. you dont need to bump after 2 hrs


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## retoid

thank you for your concern on my bumping.


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## retoid

anybody got a clue?


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## spade

Woops,i have found out that this thing is usually attach itseft to my shrimps,and after 1 day,that shrimp is with gods.So,is it really harmless ?


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## Zezmo

Here is another little nasty that is found sometimes in a planted tank.

Freshwater Bristle-worm:









They typically live deep in the substrate, or in the filter. The largest I have seen was nearly 4 inches long, it was munching on some mulm about 2 inches deep in the aquasoil, up against the glass. The smaller ones just look like red worm, and you have to look very close to see the bristles.
I believe they are harmless, since they seem to be a detrivore. However, I have not touched one to see if they sting like some marine varieties. There have certainly been no dead fish with a row of stings up their side.
IMO, this is the nastiest of the nasties you can find while working on your tank.


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## bsmith

i have a bunch of planaria worms wiggling around in my water in my shrimp tank! from what i gather thre not harmful and the onlyway to kill them is by starvation/manually removing them with a vravel vaccuum?


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## A Hill

retoid said:


> anybody got a clue?


Not sure, but i'll tell you I've seen some and they're harmless.



spade said:


> Woops,i have found out that this thing is usually attach itseft to my shrimps,and after 1 day,that shrimp is with gods.So,is it really harmless ?


Yes I'm 99% sure they're harmless.

-Andrew


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## CdoGG

retoid said:


> I've noticed some small, very small in fact white slug like creatures in my tank.
> They move across the glass very fast for their size.
> They are too small for my camera to pick up, any idea what they might be?


I have the same thing in my tank. I noticed them while squishing snails. Here is a video. You can barely see it but its on the right side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRYHCRcwiIU


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## tor16

Very nice pictures


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## Asgard

bsmith782 said:


> i have a bunch of planaria worms wiggling around in my water in my shrimp tank! from what i gather thre not harmful and the onlyway to kill them is by starvation/manually removing them with a vravel vaccuum?


Planaria can be killed with Flubenazol, it is harmless for fish, shrimps etc.


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## Timanator

Found this in my tank. Anyone know what it is?

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p211/timjing/HitchHikers/3-15-08039.jpg









http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p211/timjing/HitchHikers/3-15-08044.jpg


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## rain-

It's a damselfly nymph of some sort. They might try to eat the fish and other aquatic critters, but otherwise they are kind of cool.


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## lauraleellbp

x2 on damsel or dragonfly nymph, but no "might"- they WILL kill and eat anything they can get their claws into, you definitely want to get that out of there!


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## Timanator

Flushed, thanks for the info!


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## ZooTycoonMaster

How can I prevent getting any of the HARMFUL creatures in my tank?


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## Canadiancray

You can't unless you want to hermetically seal the tank.


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## Ryzilla

we are missing a failry common bug. I think they could be considered an aphid. Those dark brown mites that live mostly right above the substrate and on the plants. They are about .5mm in size to hard for me to photograph at home.


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## A Hill

Ryzilla said:


> we are missing a failry common bug. I think they could be considered an aphid. Those dark brown mites that live mostly right above the substrate and on the plants. They are about .5mm in size to hard for me to photograph at home.


Are you sure they're not just brownish springtails? 

If you are culturing aphids above your tank the dart frog people might envy you...

-Andrew


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## lauraleellbp

*Aphids*

Here's Aphids:










Milkweed aphids:









Aphids giving birth:


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## Ryzilla

A Hill said:


> Are you sure they're not just brownish springtails?
> 
> If you are culturing aphids above your tank the dart frog people might envy you...
> 
> -Andrew


These are brownish mites in the water. Not fast moving at all. They sit stationary and do no damage to plants. I think the are just detrivores


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## ZooTycoonMaster

lauraleellbp said:


> Here's Aphids:
> Aphids giving birth:


TMI But nice pictures! Are they yours or are they from the internet?


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## BiscuitSlayer

OK, I have one for you guys.

I recently cleaned my filter out and found what looked like blood worms that were alive in the mechanical filter. No big deal, right?

Tell me how I could get live bloodworms in my filter when I only feed my fish frozen bloodworms.

Can they survive being hard frozen?


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## fishsandwitch

Arnt bloodworms mosquito larvae


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## HatchetHaven

I just boght a small bag of daphnia, but it's not just good old Daphnias in there... A bit like those dragonfly nymphs Timanator was talking about (The body shape & colour) but no legs or 'streamers', and totally transparent body with a blue spot behing the eyes and near the end of the thing. A little pink swirl inbetween the spots. (The spots and the swirl are inside the critter - probably a kind of organ?) About 4/5 times the length of a daphnia. Also, there is this little grey daphnia sized beetle thing that dwells just below the surface like a hatchetfish.

There was also a mosquito larvae, tons of cute copepods, a little shrimp thing (I am going to try him in a tank if I can get him out! He looks a lot like a mini Amano shrimp) and a Tubifex. 

How do I get Bryozoa in my tank? It looks really cool. Also, where can I get some springtails, and how do I breed them? (Thinking of Bettas and Hatchets. Both carnivorous surface feeders.)

I really love staring into this bag of life right now! Gotta start culturing that daphnia.

Thanks!


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## BradH

Just found this post. It appears I have a limpet or perhaps more than one in my tank. I kept seeing this thing on the front glass and noticed from time to time it would be in a different spot, but in the same vicinity. After looking at the pics, I'm pretty sure it's a limpet. Should I leave it or destroy it? It seems to be eating algae off of the glass.


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## clifford

*Freshwater Isopods...*

Great thread, and fantastic pictures...unfortunately my camera is not so good...and my photography skills are worse, but here's a photo of a local freshwater isopod/amphiopod that turned up in one of my tanks.

They appear to be harmless and just snack on left over food and detritus in the tank. I probably wouldn't want them in a tank with egg laying fish, but I'm currently keeping them with gammarus (scuds) and cherry shrimp, and they are an interesting addition. 

A little like an aquatic sow bug...


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## schlip

Awesome thread! I'm new to this forum (because of the arrival of my new RSC's). Also arriving with them were some plants (thanks Jon) and quite a few critters - seed shrimps, cyclops. One thing about cyclops: The female carrying egg sacs are quite different.. like this(Darkfield, x100.)
:







I was quite puzzled until I found this picture from the following site. Great info. http://www.micrographia.com/specbiol/crustac/homeclad/clad0100.htm


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## BradH

Just saw something in my tank and I have no idea what it is. I turned the lights on and happened to see this thing about the size of . the period sign. It was white and moved super fast. It went straight for the substrate and I couldn't find it again.


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## t0p_sh0tta

I will be doing a necropsy tomorrow, but I believe that I have a eustrongylid (Nematode) infection. I thought it was just the pectoral fins, but there may have been red worms hanging out of one of my fish earlier. Maybe it's just my mind wandering as I enter my 14th hour at work. 

Article 

It's usually responsible for "incurable" forms of dropsy as it is due to a parasite living within the hosts' tissues (not in the GI-tract).




aelysa said:


> This is not a planaria with a spine and rudimentary legs. It is an Australian LEECH! Apparently the "spine" is it's developing young, and when they become free swimming, they attach itself to the mother and look like a billion tiny wiggly legs. Totally disgusting and mine was about a fourth of an inch long.
> 
> Actually, I come to find a year later, it was some sort of snail leach. Even more disgusting.


Better late than never, but this looks like a Trematode (liver flukes). A parasitic flatworm. (IIRC, the branching structures are ovaries/testes).


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## thelobster

I have so many tape worms in my tank...I was just informed that putting Neons in my tank might eat my CRS shrimplets.

they are so disgusting to my tank...first snails now this.


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## t0p_sh0tta

You sure they're tapeworms? They're of the class cestoda and strictly (IIRC) parasitic.


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## thelobster

sorry flat worms

i was going to get some neons for a month to clear them out...but then i was told neons may eat baby crs i was hoping ottos would eat them but nope


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## bulrush

This type of flat worm is called a planarian (singular). Notice the 2 "eyes" on the arrow-shaped head. Head is usually more clearly arrow-shaped.


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## thelobster

ya i have alot of them...i hate them...


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## psybock

If you have a magnetic scraper, put it in the tank with the highest light output. Place it near the surface and within a week it should be covered in algae (well at least the top), take it out and put in your shrimp tank, then the next morning check it out, usually there will be planeria swarming it, then you can just take it our and wash it off... Or another method I've used to dwindle their population is to take a leaf (preferably a long broad one like those of swords) that is either covered with algae or dying and put it in the shrimp tank, same idea, wait overnight (or maybe 2 or 3 nights depending) and let the planeria swarm it, then you can remove it and a good number of planeria at the same time. These two methods help me remove roughly 20-40 worms at a time...although I will say, the scraper will become very slimy from the worms...

Kevin


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## thelobster

thanks good looking!

when you say near the surface for teh magnet do i break surface or just near it?


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## psybock

I usually have it within 3 inches of the surface (I also have plecos that like browsing the algae, so that close means it maintains a good coat of it. When I first tried this my cherries and nerites swarmed it, and after all the algae was gone the planeria swarmed it for the residue. Then the next time they swarmed it before the cherries got a foothold. You just have to find the method that is good enough for you. You can always set a bait trap for them as well. Take rigid tubing or something of that nature and place bottom feeder pellets in it at night, usually by morning either snails or planeria are swarming the insides. However, you can also wait an hour after turning of the lights and check the tube, usually planeria have indeed swarmed it by then...

Kevin


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## cwilfinger

This morning I had looked into my tank and saw this Planeria crawling on the glass.  It was HUGE! It was a little over an inch long when it was stretched out. I quickly grabbed the camera but was unable to get a clear pic but I did get a fuzzy one. :icon_neut I them grabbed it out of the tank with a paper towel and took pics of it on the paper towel. The thing was creepy and eeewwww!










I kinda smashed up part of the face getting it out of the tank..as you can see on the napkin, there are bits of him....










He had measured 5/8 of an inch long - after being out of the water for several minutes and drying up...He measured longer than what was stated at the begining of this sticky.... But I neglected to get a pic of him against the measuring tape (kinda hard jigglying the camera and holding the measuring tape, at the same time)


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## lauraleellbp

How sure are you that that wasn't a leech? :icon_eek:


----------



## aelysa

t0p_sh0tta said:


> I will be doing a necropsy tomorrow, but I believe that I have a eustrongylid (Nematode) infection. I thought it was just the pectoral fins, but there may have been red worms hanging out of one of my fish earlier. Maybe it's just my mind wandering as I enter my 14th hour at work.
> 
> Article
> 
> It's usually responsible for "incurable" forms of dropsy as it is due to a parasite living within the hosts' tissues (not in the GI-tract).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Better late than never, but this looks like a Trematode (liver flukes). A parasitic flatworm. (IIRC, the branching structures are ovaries/testes).


Whatever it is, it makes me remember the abject horror of walking into my bathroom with that staring me in the face. I had to use the other bathroom.


----------



## rekles75

*What is this?*

I have these white things in my 10 gal. and I need to know if I should be worried. 

*What is this? Does anyone know? Should I be concerned?*


























I found this on the parasite sticky, It kind of looks like this. How do I get rid of them. 


This is not a planaria with a spine and rudimentary legs. It is an Australian LEECH! Apparently the "spine" is it's developing young, and when they become free swimming, they attach itself to the mother and look like a billion tiny wiggly legs. Totally disgusting and mine was about a fourth of an inch long.

Actually, I come to find a year later, it was some sort of snail leach. Even more disgusting.


----------



## bugman2494

Thanks Rain!
I've been trying to find out what the crustacean I had found in my small planted pond. It turned out to be a Seed Shrimp, Ostracoda.


----------



## bugman2494

Oh can Seed Shrimp, Ostracoda live in tropical temperatures? 
Mine are in the pond and I was wondering if I could put them into the fry tank to eat the uneaten food.


----------



## jaidexl

I was talking to a friend about some ostracods on another forum. She informed me during the conversation that Cyclops (below) are potential carriers for camallanus. I thought that was worth passing along because I always thought they were completely harmless. Some of the conversation:

_they_ [cyclops] _are generally not dangerous, but it is possible for cyclops to act as a carrier of camallanus worm larvae. The presence of cyclops doesn't mean "OMG--my fish are all going to get camallanus and DIE!" and indeed, I've had them in my tanks without incident, but they are capable of carrying it and it does happen in aquaria. If they are cyclops, and their origin unknown, it's worth keeping an eye out for symptoms of camallanus worms, especially if the tank is home to guppies._


rain- said:


> *Copepods, Cyclops*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Size: 0,1 - 0,2 cm, 0.04 - 0.1 inches
> 
> Copepods are small and funny looking one eyed crustaceans. They usually move around the tank glass and other surfaces, usually with one short leap at a time. Harmless, cute, there's lots of different coloured species.


----------



## mikeb210

I had some white worms swimming along my substrate and also in my HOB filters. I finally managed to catch one of them and put it under the microscope. Enjoy! The second picture is a weird looking bug in the same water as the worm. If anyone can id it would be nice.


----------



## LS6 Tommy

I dunno about the worm, but the bug almost looks like a diving spider, only a LOT smaller. It's really hard to tell with it being twisted around like that.

Tommy


----------



## yikesjason

I saw a wigglier in one of my tanks last night. From the pictures on the first page, it looks like a flat worm. Interesting what shows up in tanks.


----------



## echo135

*What are these?*









Found one swimming around my tank. Today when I'm cleaning my cannister filter 3 or 4 of them popped down the drain...mananged to get 3 of them on a food containter.


----------



## rainman

echo135, looks like a damselfly nymph to me.. better remove them as they prey on your fauna, especially shrimplets and fry!


----------



## fcastro16

i had Freshwater Limpets, but they disappeared for some reason.


----------



## OhNo123

Great thread! I figured out that I have Planaria worm things.. they eat snails.


----------



## t0p_sh0tta

So, many of us (including myself) have squiggly white worms that end up in the water column whenever we disturb the substrate.

Something like this.

All of the info that I've come across links it to the Stylaria lacustris. A species of oligochaete that is commonly found in freshwater systems feeding on waste.

The general consensus is that they're harmless to us and our fish.

Magnified Picture

Video #2

Brief overview of Oligochaeta


----------



## Spachi

RESGuy said:


> Indeed! I have them in a fountain outside and they look so evil and catch and eat tadpoles in there (which I don't mind :icon_twis ). Once they all mature which could take years, my backyard will be full of Dragon Flies lol!


i just pulled one out of my tank. what are the odds of having only one of these? i only saw it in the tank once, and then it ended up in my siphon-bucket. i hope its the only one.


----------



## jaidexl

Spachi said:


> i just pulled one out of my tank. what are the odds of having only one of these? i only saw it in the tank once, and then it ended up in my siphon-bucket. i hope its the only one.


The odds are pretty high if it hitched in on a plant, from an outdoor farm. If a dragonfly or damselfly actually laid eggs in your tank, then it's possible more will hatch out. Whether they survive very long is another question.

Edited typo (form=farm)


----------



## ZooTycoonMaster

Ahhhh I just looked at all of the different pictures on this thread while eating.

there goes my appetite


----------



## crimsonbull57

Do shrimp eat Tubifex worms?


----------



## conebone69

echo135 said:


> Found one swimming around my tank. Today when I'm cleaning my cannister filter 3 or 4 of them popped down the drain...mananged to get 3 of them on a food containter.


i found 2 of these guys in my 10 gallon. had no idea what they were. anyone know where these guys come from and if they are dangerous to my shrimps?


----------



## Esox lucius

conebone69 said:


> i found 2 of these guys in my 10 gallon. had no idea what they were. anyone know where these guys come from and if they are dangerous to my shrimps?


if they look similar to those pictured they are damselflies, which are carnivorous, related to dragonflies (Odonata suborder zygoptera), they might possibly eat baby shrimp, but i wouldnt worry about adult shrimp. If it is in fact a low instar dragonfly nymph then you should be worried. Many dragonfly nymphs can take very large prey and even small fishes when they reach higher instars. Damselflies are native to almost everywhere in the world, so without keying it out I couldnt tell you where it is from.


----------



## funkyfish

Oh wow I never knew that any of these can be found in a tank. Good to know. But looking at the pictures they gmaking y skin crawl, I don't like worms.


----------



## B16CRXT

Just found live blood worms in my shrimp/snail tank. thank you for your identifying picture! Should I try to get rid of them, or just leave them and let them breed/whatever and use them as a food source for my fish?


----------



## Cyriss

Help!!!! ...I notice my tank infested with these tiny creatures swimming all over the tank! When I switch the filter off, most of them end up swimming on the surface. How do I remove them? Are they harmful?

They are quite tiny .. this was the best picture I could get of them. I'm running DIY CO2 with bread yest .. could that be the problem?


----------



## B16CRXT

I don't know what those are, but I would be worried and I would be doing DAILY water changes until they are gone. they look like fleas or some sort of larvae.


----------



## jaidexl

Worried about what? Critters are a part of healthy water, it's natural. The only things to worry about are fish parasites, which are obviously only found on fish. Those are probably planaria, copapods or possibly daphnia if their swimming. Either way, not something to worry about in the least, they're interested in the water, gravel and glass, not livestock. I'd guess there are no predatory fish in that tank, or else they wouldn't be there. That's a hint on how to get rid of them. Don't be paranoid over things that aren't understood, it's really simple, if it's on a fish, then it's a problem. Gill flukes, Camallanus, and Creoland Isopod (SW) are probably the only parasites you will actually be able to see, and notice how uncommon they are by the number of first hand posts about them, I've personally seen none in my time except for Camallanus. Scavenger pods and worms like the ones pictured above will overpopulate if the tank is overfed, or can come out of topsoil if used as substrate.

B16, the scientific name if water "flees" is Daphnia (150 species), and just so happens to be one of the most sought after live fish foods.


----------



## Esox lucius

jaidexl said:


> Worried about what? Critters are a part of healthy water, it's natural. The only things to worry about are fish parasites, which are obviously only found on fish. Those are probably planaria, copapods or possibly daphnia if their swimming. Either way, not something to worry about in the least, they're interested in the water, gravel and glass, not livestock. I'd guess there are no predatory fish in that tank, or else they wouldn't be there. That's a hint on how to get rid of them. Don't be paranoid over things that aren't understood, it's really simple, if it's on a fish, then it's a problem. Gill flukes, Camallanus, and Creoland Isopod (SW) are probably the only parasites you will actually be able to see, and notice how uncommon they are by the number of first hand posts about them, I've personally seen none in my time except for Camallanus. Scavenger pods and worms like the ones pictured above will overpopulate if the tank is overfed, or can come out of topsoil if used as substrate.
> 
> B16, the scientific name if water "flees" is Daphnia (150 species), and just so happens to be one of the most sought after live fish foods.


right on! They look like daphnia or copepods, nothing to worry about.


----------



## B16CRXT

ah, okay. In that case, I would just add a fish that enjoys eating those critters. My guppies tend to eat things off the glass and love when I dunk a mosquito in the water for them. I guess they are mosquitoes anyway. They stay around the aquariums and leave black, worm looking exoskeletons behind in the tanks.


----------



## Cyriss

Jaidexl: You're right, it's a 5g with only 1 betta inside. The betta's not eating them though .. too tiny maybe? Should I be putting more small fish into the tank? I'm hoping to introduce some CRS in once the plants in the tank are more filled in.

Good to hear that they are not harmful to the fish. (betta is swimming about w/o anomalies) But the sure immensity of them really made me worry @[email protected] So many!!! It was like blurry cloud on the water surface @[email protected]

Thanks guys for the inputs!


----------



## B16CRXT

Do you have a filter on the tank?


----------



## Cyriss

Yes, I've got a submersible filter in it. Here's a pic of it (on the left). Will this suffice for a 5g tank?

I did a 50% water change prior to taking this photo


----------



## jaidexl

Nice looking tank. :icon_bigg

If the Betta's not eating them, then I doubt they're daphnia. Daphnia make Bettas go nuts, in my experience. They must be stuck on the glass? If that's the case then they might be planaria. How much and how often do you feed the Betta? If you're not target feeding him, as in putting it right in his face, and only giving him an amount of food equaling the size of his eye (which is close to the size of his stomach), I would try that, it'll cancel out any offerings for scavengers and their numbers will plummet before they completely disappear.

It's also entirely possible they're coming from your water source, make sure it's well filtered or chlorinated before being treated and added to the tank. Using natural water sources like pond or rain water that has been sitting out for a little while before collection can bring in all kinds of interesting critters. I actually leave containers of dirt out in the rain then collect the "bugs" for live fish food.


----------



## Cyriss

Thanks Jaidexl  Still new to planted tanks, so the tank's looking pretty bare at the moment.

Actually they are not stuck on the glass most of the time, they'll land on the glass for a little while, run about abit then take off into the water again. Have no idea what they can be 

Prior to this, I had some cloudy water (from bacterial bloom I think). Once the water cleared, I noticed these critters appearing.

My water source is from the tap, so it's chlorinated water which I need to treat before adding into the tank.

So little food or the betta? That serving size (i.e. size of it's eye) is for once a day sort of feeding?


----------



## jaidexl

Yeah, once a day, or twice is fine. That's all they need to stay healthy, sometimes they don't even get to eat all day in the wild. My bettas get no food for one day of the week, other days I rotate from dry pellets to bloodworms, in no particular order. Whatever I feel like for the day, and it mimics nature I suppose. 

The most important reason to only feed a Betta that much is because of their physiology. A betta's internal organs are all packed in close behind the gills, it's very easy for them to become constipated, especially with the dry foods. Constipation can mean death for them. If that ever happens, just hold off feeding until it's over except for some blanched pea to aid digestion.

That's very strange that these things move so much and the betta doesn't touch them, daphnia are really tiny and still get noticed so I can't see size being an issue. Whatever they are, perhaps they just don't taste good. I would borrow a danio and see if he eats them, would transfer the betta and danio back and forth, because I don't think the betta will appreciate the danio's energy, and that might be too much of a bioload for a small tank like that. Danios and tetras are some of the most opportunistic eaters, Bettas on the other hand have a reputation of being picky and even spitting offerings out and refusing them. Some tetras don't appreciate being "borrowed" or transfered around, zebra danios are tough as nails, though.


----------



## Dave k

I'm real curious.How do some critters get into the tank in the first place.I no they were not in my tank when i first started it up.Just now i was watching my shrimp and noticed a really small whirlly bug land on the tank glass and then i see this worm coming out of the moss i have in there.How do they get in there in the first place?


----------



## B16CRXT

I think from the microorganisms in the water and the food. I've got mosquitoes or some sort of water skimmers in my 10g. I guess because it still has a lid on it, they keep reproducing. I just smash them and feed to my guppies. They love them.


----------



## jaidexl

A lot of the plants we get commercially have been grown in outdoor ponds, even the "indoor" nurseries are not immune to water bugs and critters, if it's not a strict quarantine situation then they can get passed around easily. Some of them may even be thriving in the tanks of folks selling clippings in forums. Us anything natural in the tank, from the sub up to hardscape and you can easily bring in hitchhikers. Some fly right up to the tank and do their business.


----------



## dj2005

Figured out what my bug was thanks to the images in the OP.


----------



## eva321

This list is great -- while surfing the web for half an hour to no avail, I come here and find out instantly that I have two cute lil' ostrocoda in my tank! So exciting! They are friggin adorable, and must have come in along with my plants. My only fish so far are otos. I hope they don't get eaten when I add tetras


----------



## sewingalot

I hate to tell you this, but my emperor tetras love them.


----------



## dj2005

eva321 said:


> This list is great -- while surfing the web for half an hour to no avail, I come here and find out instantly that I have two cute lil' ostrocoda in my tank! So exciting! They are friggin adorable, and must have come in along with my plants. My only fish so far are otos. I hope they don't get eaten when I add tetras


One thing to watch out for with seed shrimp is that they may agitate any snails that are in your tank - particularly brigs since those do not have as much shell coverage as something like nerites. I actually had to remove all my brigs from my tank that has these seed shrimps as my brigs began to hide in their shells all day. Not very harmless...

However, my tank is purely inverts so there is nothing to keep the seed shrimp in check other than bi-weekly water changes.


----------



## B16CRXT

Anyone know what this tiny organism that attaches itself to glass and plants is? I can't take a pic because it is sooo small. It looks like a short shaft with 5 legs or whiskers sprouting off of it in a star pattern.

Actually, here is the best pic I could get...


----------



## jaidexl

Might be a hydra, check the first post.


----------



## B16CRXT

that's exactly what they look like. The ones in my tank have shorter bodies though. How should I go about getting rid of these guys? More water changes? I have baby RCS in there all the time.


----------



## jaidexl

http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html


----------



## eva321

dj2005 said:


> One thing to watch out for with seed shrimp is that they may agitate any snails that are in your tank - particularly brigs since those do not have as much shell coverage as something like nerites. I actually had to remove all my brigs from my tank that has these seed shrimps as my brigs began to hide in their shells all day. Not very harmless...
> 
> However, my tank is purely inverts so there is nothing to keep the seed shrimp in check other than bi-weekly water changes.


That's not a problem -- I got a little snail infestation on my hands at the moment. I was planning on getting some kind of botia or a pair of Rams to eat them, but with the seed shrimp in there I don't want to risk it. Time to break out the cucumber I suppose. :confused1:


----------



## crimsonbull57

somehow mayfly or stonefly larvae got into my cycling 20 long, how should I get rid of then? will they kill fish or shrimp?


----------



## B16CRXT

jaidexl said:


> http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html



dude this site worked 3 days ago. I checked last night because I finally got around to buying some safe guard and a digital scale, and the site is down. I just need to know the dosage amounts this particular guy used. I think he said like .1 gram per 10 gallons, but I want to be sure before I go tossing this stuff blindly into my tank...Any ideas on another site for killing hydra? EDIT: This resembles his exact accounts of the ordeal: http://www.fshfanatic.com/?p=134


----------



## jaidexl

That's right, 0.1gm/ 10gl. If you have the 1g packets you can just separate it into ten equal parts and add one per 10 glns.


----------



## jourdy

Anyone know what these are?


















I caught 2 of them today and 1 yesterday.
They swim quite slow, wiggling motion.
They have tails that look like those of swordtails, except that instead of vertically parallel, it's horizontally parallel.


----------



## jumpman7

I have an 8g tank w/ aquasoil and driftwood from my LFS;nothing else.
Today I noticed what appears to be a small, clear bodied almost flea shaped critter. 

It has less a dozen legs (I can't really count), definite eyes, some sort of heart/brain, and a tail-that it likes to tuck underneath itself similar to the way a crawdad would curl its tail.

It likes to crawl, but can jet around occasionally. Size wise, it's about the same size as a medium sized piece of aquasoil. I can see segments in its body, but I'm not sure if it's friendly or not. 

Does not appear to be a dragonfly/mosquito and doesn't seem to have any sort of appendages that would be used to attack. I can't take a clear picture of it.

Any ID?

Thanks


----------



## jaidexl

Jourdy, if you're still out there, they look like damselfly larvae.


Jumpman, at first your description sounded like a water flea, Daphnia or Bosmina. But I think you may have a mosquito pupa, not a larvae but pupa, kind of looks like a little shrimp. If so it won't be there for long, will probably be on the back of you neck instead. :tongue:

Crawling doesn't really support that theory, though.


----------



## jumpman7

Thanks jaidexl. I don't think they're pupa, they're pretty complex even at that small size and they have about a dozen legs and aren't worm like-as the mosquito pupa. The walk around the substrate and pick on things. I tried to squish one, but they are quite fast when agitated. I drew this pic w/ my mouse.... not sure if it helps.

They're easily visible, about the 1/2 the size of a bb and they do not like to swim to the surface, total ground dwellers.


----------



## jumpman7

Nevermind, I figured it out. It's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammarus_pulex. Anyone have experience w/ these or how to get rid of them?


----------



## jaidexl

Ah, ok, commonly known as an amphipod or "pod". You see a ton of these in SW aquariums.

Your pic really stumped me, I was going to say Diaptomus, maybe.


----------



## jaidexl

jumpman7 said:


> Anyone have experience w/ these or how to get rid of them?


They are good fish food. Only way to get rid of them besides adding fish would probably involve destroying everything in the tank. They're beneficial anyway, good detrivores... and fish food.


----------



## jumpman7

:icon_redf sorry about the pic...

Will neon tetras eat them?


----------



## B16CRXT

I doubt Neons will eat them unless they swim into the water column. My neons wont touch anything unless its floating in the water. Not on top or on the bottom. Has to be floating around in the middle. lol picky little things.


----------



## jumpman7

Yea, these scuds like to hang around the bottom. Any suggestions?


----------



## jaidexl

My rummynose are awesome bottom scavengers. Danios have a mean appetite, too, once saw a planaria on my glass, enjoyed it for about 2 seconds and a danio swam up and swallowed it.


----------



## jumpman7

Thanks again jaidexl. What about a dwarf cory? Are do you think they're fast enough?


----------



## B16CRXT

I have pygmy corys but they aren't very voracious eaters. I see them scavenging sometimes but I never see them eating the food I dop into the tank. So, I sprinkle some first bites into the tank for them to hopefully get a hold of. My pepper corys on the other hand will decimate shrimp pellets and algae wafers. I could see them munching on those creepy looking bugs. Emerald corys get a lot bigger(.5") than peppers though if you want to try one of those instead.


----------



## jumpman7

Thanks all. Heading to the store now...


----------



## jaidexl

I've had albino cories and false julii cories. The FJ's were timid, the albinos had a more aggressive appetite and I wouldn't put it past them to eat the scuds or pods. I'm not sure how many species are bred as albinos, but I think there is one that's most common.


----------



## non_compliance

Thank you everyone for making me terrified to stick my hands in my tank.


----------



## ladycrotalus

I didn't see any of these on this post. I have a 5.5 gallon that i am fishless cycling. I put in some java fern 3 weeks ago and yesterday i noticed these things everywhere. In the tank that i got the java fern out of at the store, i haven't seen any of these things in that tank.

They look like little segmented worms living in green tube things. This is the best pic i could get. The worm is the pinkish line and most of the tube things, the worm is shorter then it. Im too chicken to reach in the tank until i know that they wont burrow into my flesh.


----------



## ShortFin

Those look like blood worms. If you're afraid, get a long stick a poke it out of it's casting.


----------



## adrianng1996

what is the plant worms that spypet said in the first page? is it harmful to shrimps? i saw one or two in my 5.5g shrimp tank


----------



## DesertAquariums

any idea where i can get Bryozoa?


----------



## Bees

ladycrotalus said:


> They look like little segmented worms living in green tube things. This is the best pic i could get. The worm is the pinkish line and most of the tube things, the worm is shorter then it. Im too chicken to reach in the tank until i know that they wont burrow into my flesh.


You're describing Tubifex worms. They are thin, pinkish guys who form protective casings around themselves from whatever they can find. They are totally harmless and good fish food. They're a relative of earthworms so you'll be safe if you stick your hand in the tank! :icon_bigg


----------



## danielp

*Hi, first time poster*

Can you please help me identify this? It was walking along the top, didn't go into any water, didn't jump or fly - have no idea if it is aquatic or not:





































It was like a 2mm walking shrimp with a brush tail. It also resembled the monster from the Korean film The Host.


----------



## jaidexl

Haha, nice comparison. :hihi:

Looks kind of like a leafhopper larva to me. As far as I know they lay their eggs on leaf stems, so it may have hopped toward your tank light and landed on the water. Harmless fish food. See the images in these links...

link 1

link 2



.


----------



## danielp

Wow that was fast - and spot on too! I actually found a link to an Australian site which has the exact same looking bug! 

Thanks for the identification


----------



## jaidexl

Can you post the link? I can't seem to find a leaf hopper larva that has that brushy tail. Maybe that phase just hasn't been photoed enough for google to pick it up. I'm no entomologist so I don't know if they go through that phase or not, just recognized the head and legs as leafhopper.


----------



## danielp

Sorry, I can't post links yet (5 posts required) but it is:

(www dot) brisbaneinsects (dot com) /brisbane_planthoppers/index (dot html)


----------



## thewesterngate

That is the creepiest thing I've (never) seen..and I used to keep insects as pets. :hihi:


----------



## VincentK

danielp said:


> Sorry, I can't post links yet (5 posts required) but it is:
> 
> (www dot) brisbaneinsects (dot com) /brisbane_planthoppers/index (dot html)


The tail on that looks like one of those light toys, forget what they're called, but cool none the less.


----------



## jaidexl

danielp said:


> Sorry, I can't post links yet (5 posts required) but it is:
> 
> (www dot) brisbaneinsects (dot com) /brisbane_planthoppers/index (dot html)


Well I guess that settles it 

I'm guessing the hairs are so they can be picked up in the wind, like the way baby spiders wind surf to new areas.


----------



## chad320

i an a newbie and recently posted a trhead for biodiversity in an 8 yr old tank. i have seen all of these but most have bloomed and went collectively. great pics!! if you have any other recommendations please post. and a. hill i just got moss from you, i hope it come with the free hitchikers (minus the leeches). ill try to post some pics of my own miro-organisms but my camera isnt near as good. thanks for the info on that too!!


----------



## rushr

I had these in my tank...








now they look like these (at center).









I think they're hydra because now they have tentacles. Thought it might be helpful to see what they look like before they open up. I think the first one are the polyps before they open. Could they be other things?


----------



## BrentD

rushr said:


> I had these in my tank...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now they look like these (at center).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think they're hydra because now they have tentacles. Thought it might be helpful to see what they look like before they open up. I think the first one are the polyps before they open. Could they be other things?



The critter in the last pic is most definitely a shrimp, not a Hydra. (Unless you're talking about the really really really hard to see white filaments attached to the plant, in which case, they could be hydra, but it's really hard to tell without a higher magnification.


----------



## rushr

Lol no not the shrimp  ...i did mean the really small filaments. I have a better one sans shrimp.


----------



## jaidexl

Could be bryozoans


----------



## BrentD

In that new pic, the fact that they seem to be evenly spaced down the plat stem would seem to point more towards bryozoans than hydra.


----------



## rushr

I can see that. It does look like a little colony of bryozoans more so than hydra. I went to http://www.planetinverts.com/what_is_that_bug_in_my_aquarium.html and it mentions for both hydra and bryzoans that they retract into themselves when disturbed. They don't move at all. Maybe i just have a lazy variety.

Also, from http://naturalaquariums.com/plantedtank/0807.html says "Very large colonies that look like giant egg masses are found in some lakes....Colonies not only will grow but sometimes zooids will produce statoblasts, an asexual form of reproduction. Statoblasts, are somewhat similar to seeds in plants." Maybe the first pic with the bubble things are statoblasts that hold tons of tiny bryozoans? Wish i would've taken invert zoology now..i really missed out.


----------



## jaidexl

That first blob tipped me off. I've never seen pics of bryos like that, but have seen enough to know they come in all shapes and sizes. Have never seen hydra morph like that, and personally have never seen them group together or colonize in fresh water, only with colonial hydroids in reef tanks. I consider you lucky, because I've been watching and waiting for bryozoa for a long time but still haven't seen any in my tanks.


----------



## rushr

Lucky is one way to describe it lol. I've been away from my tank for a week and am sad to see they waved hello to me on return.


----------



## D'cecilia

retoid said:


> I hadnt noticed that strange worm like creature in my tank for a while, but this morning I saw him again. It has grown a bit and I was able to get a picture.
> Can anyone help identify this?


Did anyone clarify what this was? cus i just found some in my shrimp tank.
harmless? how do i get rid of them?

thanks, luis.


----------



## msnikkistar

Looks like planaria to me, but it doesn't have a triangular head though. Strange.


----------



## D'cecilia

yeah i tot it was that at first, but i cant even see eyes on the ones in my tank,
and they are not that flat, they are just like long strings. Eww!!!!


----------



## msnikkistar

Gross. I hate worms, and worm-like creatures.


----------



## D'cecilia

Oh dont get me started, im one of those people that gets all paranoid and 
i start to feel like their all over me and i get all itchy and stuff, ahah it sux.

Im just going to do water changes every day until i dont see them, unless
someone can recognize them.


----------



## msnikkistar

Yea, that's the advice I would give anyone with those. I had some planaria come in with some plants I bought. Started out with like 15 of the buggers 2 weeks ago, and I only saw 2 yesterday.


----------



## D'cecilia

Allright ill do that. Thanks


----------



## msnikkistar

But I do weekly 10% water changes for my BTs and the water I use is 70% distilled and 30% tap. My tap is highly mineralized. -_-


----------



## stewardwildcat

D'cecilia said:


> Did anyone clarify what this was? cus i just found some in my shrimp tank.
> harmless? how do i get rid of them?
> 
> thanks, luis.


Harmless. Its a freshwater limpet. They are similar to snails but very hard to eliminate as they are so tiny. You can scrap them off the glass and it seems to reduce their population. They have a tiny hard shell on their back and what you are seeing is their foot from the bottom.


----------



## tuffgong

This thread is why I always wash my hands and arms extensively after messing with my tank! lol

Good info. Bookmarked!!


----------



## Eden Marel

Tubifex or unknown nematode? It is small and white wormy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMI8X7ByzjE


----------



## YY7

Lots of great info in all the posts. Thanks guys!


----------



## rushr

Not sure if this should go somewhere else so tell me if I'm in the wrong place (maybe should go in shrimp and other inverts?). 

I have some strange little snails in 2.5 gallon of mine and was wondering if they do harm to plants. I've been googling around to try and find the species and the best i can come up with is they are in the ramshorn family (their shell is spiral and all on one plane). Though I'm not sure if I'm using the identification marks right. 

Anywho, anybody seen this snail before?









It's like a ramhorn shell but sideways. They are only about 3-4 cm large. Sorry about the picture. It's the best I can do with my lens.


----------



## Eden Marel

More unknown nematode video for all to enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyrC1I15vao


----------



## sewingalot

My mom's tank has hydra that's green! It came in after a purchase of new fish from a pet store. This is another reason why everyone should quarantine and not dump the water from the bag into the tank.


----------



## CL

Green hydra. That's odd...
Maybe there was dye in the water from dyed fish, or maybe they are photosynthetic/ have algae in them like coral do?


----------



## jaidexl

Hook me up, I wanna grow a hydra carpet.


----------



## sewingalot

I actually thought it was algae when I saw it the other day. I took a picture to bring home and identify it when I saw what it move. I'm curious why they are green, too.


----------



## oldpunk78

ok, check out what i just found living in xp2.










it's been a couple of months since i've cleaned it out. there's usually some rcs living in there - i think this guy ate them as there weren't any. 

i know it looks like a roach, but is this a water beetle of some sort?


----------



## jaidexl

Water beetle? Heh, yeah, if roaches were beetles and walked on water, that would be a "water beetle" haha. Once it finishes growing them wings, it'll be a butterfly. :icon_lol:


----------



## Eden Marel

Here are some more worm video for you guys to enjoy:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjM9UyBM6QA
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx0qDWCPssg


----------



## blondeyny

Zezmo said:


> Here is another little nasty that is found sometimes in a planted tank.
> 
> Freshwater Bristle-worm:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They typically live deep in the substrate, or in the filter. The largest I have seen was nearly 4 inches long, it was munching on some mulm about 2 inches deep in the aquasoil, up against the glass. The smaller ones just look like red worm, and you have to look very close to see the bristles.
> I believe they are harmless, since they seem to be a detrivore. However, I have not touched one to see if they sting like some marine varieties. There have certainly been no dead fish with a row of stings up their side.
> IMO, this is the nastiest of the nasties you can find while working on your tank.


I found one of these, almost 2" long a couple weeks ago doing a wc/gv. Freaked me out!!! This week I found 3 more of varying sizes. I'm keeping them in a tupperware dish. (they are kind of interesting to watch) But I can't seem to find much info on freshwater bristleworms. Everything seems to mention about them being in marine tanks. How did they arrive in my tank? Should I be worried for the inhabitants of the tank??


----------



## darius3

i found this Snail Leech (Glossiphonia sp.) in my tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYE8Zb1xDQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od169FBUyv4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwAZ39qj8oo
http://picasaweb.google.com/darius.munteanu/WormAquarium#

cool and creepy!


----------



## Tommo

That is what i have in my shrimp tank , how do you get rid of them ?


----------



## Eden Marel

My sis was vacuuming my goldfish tank and sucked up those plant bulbs that I had put in many many many months ago, and they never grew. But she noticed something about them when she vacuumed them up. She calls these worms, "Heartworms" (they aren't really though). Only because to her the bulb at the time looked like a chicken heart and worms were coming out of them! So she put them in a bottle and bought them to me and here are the pics I took of them.


----------



## AoxomoxoA

:help:What's these bugs?!?:help:


----------



## deleted_user_7

Aphids...


----------



## iturnrocks

iturnrocks said:


> Clam shrimp - Here are some pics of one I caught wild by dip netting flooded fields. They swim kinda like daphnia by propelling themselves with their antennae. They are much larger than Ostracods. They have a very short lifespan, about 2-3 weeks. The one in these images is about 1/2 inch long.


I have learned a lot more about these animals since the original post, and some of my previous information was wrong. The 2-3 week lifespan applies to the clam shrimp _Eulimnadia texana_. They are smaller, translucent clam shrimp. The species in this photo is _Cyzicus setosa_, I have observed a lifespan of about 6 months in my aquariums. The females tend to be orange-ish like that photo, and the males tend to be more olive colored. I have taken some much better photos since then, so I figured I would share.
Female with eggs (cysts- white circles just inside the shell on bottom left of image)








Male








another female closeup








mating








I also made a video of clam shrimp mating, not sure if that is allowed here or not. I'll post the link, remove it if its not allowed.

This was made with the video feature on a point and shoot camera, so its definitely not HD, but you can see whats going on for the most part. Sometimes 2 males would hook up with the same female at the same time. There is a lot of thrusting and pushing the females around the tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAcEU1QHurk

whoa, they unmuted my audio track, its a lot better with the music, lol


----------



## kvuyk2

Thanks for the great information!

How can you tell the difference between a springtail and a water mite?


----------



## redfishsc

My 10g has THOUSANDS of those seed shrimp.

I've kept aquariums for nearly all my life and never had them until now lol. 

I couldn't figure out how these little coquina clams got in my freshwater tank.


They look like little clams scurrying about, had me confused as heck. 


Glad to know they are just free cleanup-crew.


----------



## tw33kerloki

*planaria? Leech? some sort of worm?*

I've got these swimming "worms" in my 12gal setup. They're pale pinkish when smaller (less than 1/2" stretched) and active swimmers; tan or brown and more sluggish when grown (1" stretched).

Kind of weirds me out. Worried they may be potentially hazardous to fish or shrimps. Sorry, I am a terrible photographer.


----------



## defiesexistence

*Damselfly larva?*

Judging by your extremely helpful pics, I think it is, in any case. About .5" long. Three branches on the tail fin, though hard to see. This has been a very sticky-worthy thread!

How do I get rid of it? Planning on taking the tank down, bleaching everything (plants, rocks, tank) will this get rid of it? And how did it enter in the first place?


----------



## v369

great post! glad to see that others have a large intrest in tiny freshwater inverts.the pics you have of the bryophytes and clamp shrimp are incredible, i think i need a better camera ...


----------



## OoglyBoogly

I didn't see rain identify this one in the first post so I figured I'd give it a try. I believe it is a type of hoverfly larvae aka a rat-tailed maggot. They are also called "filth flies" since they lay their eggs in stagnant water. The adults are interesting b/c they mimic honeybees/bumblebees but you can tell the difference by looking at the eyes. They have giant fly eyes and legs. I took a bunch of pics of them this summer. This is what the pollen eating adult looks like and btw cardinal tetras LOVE them! 

 Eristalis Intricarius covered in pollen by mikeytitan on Flickr 

There is also a different kind of hoverfly since I saw a few posts about aphids. This hoverfly mimics a wasp and it's larvae looks like a caterpillar and stabs aphids. Here are some more pics that I snapped this summer! The adults eat pollen as well and they are excellent fliers with "hover" like control. 
Syrphus ribesii 
 DSC_0057_hoverfly_ by mikeytitan on Flickr 

I was lucky enough to catch this hoverfly larvae stabbing it's prey on a collard greens stem. 
 DSC_0247 by mikeytitan on Flickr


----------



## BradH

I had one of those flies floating in my tank the other day. It had the very back portion ate away. I thought it was a bee at first and then I thought no that's a fly but then I looked at it again and thought I have no clue what this is. I hope it didn't lay any eggs in my tank.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

BradH said:


> I had one of those flies floating in my tank the other day. It had the very back portion ate away. I thought it was a bee at first and then I thought no that's a fly but then I looked at it again and thought I have no clue what this is. I hope it didn't lay any eggs in my tank.


 lol free food!


----------



## BradH

Yeah I guess you're right! I hope so anyways I don't want them to hatch if they are in there.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

BradH said:


> Yeah I guess you're right! I hope so anyways I don't want them to hatch if they are in there.


 They are much bigger than mosquito larvae so you will know... My Celestial Pearl Danios had no problem with the mosquito larvae but couldn't even try to fit the rat tailed maggot in their mouth...


----------



## BradH

lol Rat tail maggot sounds so funny. It's a community tank with cardinals rams and platies so I'm sure if they are in there they will def. get eaten.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

BradH said:


> lol Rat tail maggot sounds so funny. It's a community tank with cardinals rams and platies so I'm sure if they are in there they will def. get eaten.


 yea leave it to scientists to label something that is an indicator of poor water quality with "rat tailed maggot"... I'd pay to see andrew zimmern? from that show "how bizzare" eat a bowl full of these and then be told the name hahaha


----------



## BradH

HaHa!!! Eat probably like it too. I used love that show.


----------



## Bell

Has anybody tried using Biomax No Planaria? Curious to give it a try.


----------



## boringname

I bought some plants from aquabid that had been grown outdoors. Had all sorts of stuff in it including a predacious diving beetle. I don't know if it was the same species as the picture, thats the first one I found on google.


----------



## decoman

very helpful


----------



## defiesexistence

By the way, the larva I posted turned into a dragonfly. A teeny one, by bright, colorful, furry dragonfly standards. Neither my fish nor turtle wanted to touch it.


----------



## avandss

Eden Marel said:


> Tubifex or unknown nematode? It is small and white wormy.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMI8X7ByzjE


Arghhhh i just found one in my tank. Guess he hitched a ride with a plant... Will they multiply ? Do i need to set off a mini nuke in my tank? What to doooooooo 

Btw the one i saw i killed with my finger in the tank... :angryfire:angryfire


----------



## sewingalot

No need to worry, avandss. They are creepy, but harmless. They freak me out majorly, though.

Edit: Here is a picture of one in my tank. I believe it is annelids since it has bristles and is segmented like an earthworm. **Shivers**




























By the way, this tank has been treated with both Pancur and Safeguard at the doses recommended to get rid of planaria/hydra. No hydra to speak of, but this worm is invincible!


----------



## Senior Shrimpo

Ew they're gross, I just found five in my tank. FIVE! And they're in a tank with my SSS shrimpies. Do I not feed the shrimp? Ever? I gotta get rid of these gross things.


----------



## SHMaRiM

I have some thin hairs-width annelids swimming in my water from time to time. They are white/transparent and about 1-1.5cm long. I sucked one up with a dropper and the dropper itself magnified it enough to where I could see little hairs on its body and segments. Wondering what species it is and if its harmful to shrimp.


----------



## g01ngog

I had/have a whole colony of those cyclop thingies living near my filter intake that was covered in lining. Switching to a sponge/cut filter foam from now on


----------



## Vancat2

Can't find my bugs in this thread. But I feel all itchy.


----------



## Xythus

Thank you for this stickied post! It has been most helpful. I think I have cyclops and planaria in my tank, but I keep their population leveled.


----------



## Zelth

they look pretty(lol im biologist)


sewingalot said:


> My mom's tank has hydra that's green! It came in after a purchase of new fish from a pet store. This is another reason why everyone should quarantine and not dump the water from the bag into the tank.


----------



## redhairsunshine

Ok, so are the planaria bad to have in the tank (if they are good, will they take over)? My tank is planted with only RCS and 1 otto. There are a bunch of planaria on the black sand and on the tank side at the bottom by the sand. Is there something that eats them that would not eat my shrimp? And is Flubenazol (mentioned earlier in the thread) really safe if for the shrimp I go that route?


----------



## flowmsp

The dewormer is safe for RCS. Usually planaria come from overfeeding. I had some at one point and the dewormer got rid of them.


----------



## redhairsunshine

I think the planaria are chowing down on the snail eggs as I have hitchhiker snails from my LFS plants that I had gotten when I started and they lay eggs like mad! So I guess I am going to see if I can find panacur in liquid form (this is the equal for flubenazol) and dose the tank. Thanks for the help!!


----------



## flowmsp

redhairsunshine said:


> I think the planaria are chowing down on the snail eggs as I have hitchhiker snails from my LFS plants that I had gotten when I started and they lay eggs like mad! So I guess I am going to see if I can find panacur in liquid form (this is the equal for flubenazol) and dose the tank. Thanks for the help!!



You can get some from aquarliam, owned by a member on here Mordalphus. Cheap and it comes with instructions and he can offer a syringe also.
http://aquarliam.com/?page_id=4&shopp_category=2


----------



## redhairsunshine

flowmsp said:


> You can get some from aquarliam, owned by a member on here Mordalphus. Cheap and it comes with instructions and he can offer a syringe also.
> http://aquarliam.com/?page_id=4&shopp_category=2



Cool, thanks! I am going to check the local store tomorrow and if they don't have it then I will order it from them.


----------



## accordztech

I been reading through this thread and found none of them in my tank. However i have aquasoil and in-between the grains there are these dust like bugs. They are very small and looks almost like dots. They move pretty swiftly and randomly and seem to be walking on the soil instead of swimming. There is no way i can take a picture of them.

Anyone have an idea? I can't even see faces


----------



## accordztech

accordztech said:


> I been reading through this thread and found none of them in my tank. However i have aquasoil and in-between the grains there are these dust like bugs. They are very small and looks almost like dots. They move pretty swiftly and randomly and seem to be walking on the soil instead of swimming. There is no way i can take a picture of them.
> 
> Anyone have an idea? I can't even see faces


nobody knows?


----------



## demonr6

Gah, I have creatures in my bowl I started last week and cannot identify them. Ghastly little things too. I have looked at all the pictures in this thread and see nothing like them in here. They are tiny little critters that you can just barely see, they sort of move from plane to place in short bursts of movement and if I described them to you, I would get laughed out of the thread. They are not planaria though, I have looked at the pictures all over and these are definitely not them. The only thing in that tank it one lone olive nerite snail. There are a few plants trying to survive planted in Eco Complete. I did a water change today and this must have pissed them off because they are all over the place. I am not putting my hand anywhere near that bowl now until I figure out what they are and how to exterminate them.. frak.


----------



## studentclimber

Here's a bug for you. I think its a copepod. It looks white against the glass, like a tiny miniature shrimp. It swims fast and in short bursts, like a pissed off shrimp. It also walks around in the sand and on the glass. Sometimes they look like little fleas in the sand.

I think one of them is carrying eggs. God I love microscopes.

FYI the top one is 40X, the middle is 100X, and the last is 400X


----------



## aelysa

I never knew those little things in the back were egg sacs. I always thought it was their mini shrimp tail. Awesome pictures


----------



## studentclimber

I was hoping they were baby shrimp at first. Waaaaaahhh.... no baby shrimp.


----------



## accordztech

accordztech said:


> I been reading through this thread and found none of them in my tank. However i have aquasoil and in-between the grains there are these dust like bugs. They are very small and looks almost like dots. They move pretty swiftly and randomly and seem to be walking on the soil instead of swimming. There is no way i can take a picture of them.
> 
> Anyone have an idea? I can't even see faces



The Guy i got the tank from said they were some type of osmosis that he added a while back which he said is supposed to be good for the soil.

You guys heard of it?


----------



## Buff Daddy

accordztech said:


> The Guy i got the tank from said they were some type of osmosis that he added a while back which he said is supposed to be good for the soil.
> 
> You guys heard of it?


Osmosis? *Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane driven by a difference in solute concentrations on the two sides of the membrane; that is from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. *You can't add "osmosis." Osmocote and similar ferts utilize this type of process for extended release of the fertilizer.


----------



## accordztech

IM not sure that's what jaggedfury said cause its his tank


----------



## doncityz

Hello guys. This is an awesome thread! Send the shivers up my spine... heebie jeebies all around... ack!!

Anyway, what do you think this worm is? this worm came to my tank before even i put any fish in it. I was in the water cycling phase.. and they start to show up. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g2-ynPRzrw

Anyway, I just intro'ed a few danios.. and they love these worms....


----------



## aelysa

Please internets, tell me what sort of yucky this is. The boulders are 1/2 inch gravel, the white rocks are really fine sand.


----------



## 10gallonplanted

Almost looks like a mosquito larvae but its not.


----------



## aelysa

Turns out it was a mosquito larvae, some sort of teensy tiny kind. Yuck.


----------



## poppyseed

I found this ugly thing in my tank today










it moves like a leech, and will cling to the side of the cup its in with its face.. it's light brown with two darker brown stripes on its sides

not sure what it is, but any insight would be helpful

and sorry for the horrible photo, I would so love to have a macro lens in my life


----------



## poppyseed

a better shot


----------



## UmbraSprite

Ok folks...what is this?

Link to a little video...

http://ecologieonline.com/file-storage/Fish tank/MOV00677.MPG

That's just the tail end sticking out btw. Looks to be the larvae of some insect. I assume a dipteran of some sort. Ideas?


----------



## 10gallonplanted

Ive caught these at my creek, they're really wierd lol.


----------



## UmbraSprite

It was maybe 1.5-2 inches total but very big relative to anything else in the tank. The tank has only been up for two weeks so I am shocked how quickly this thing must have grown.


----------



## WATduh

See below.

http://youtu.be/Bj7R_2WWdKs


----------



## Jeffww

You have a sarlacc in your aquarium. I honestly don't know. I don't think it's the larvae of an insect though...I want to say some kind of aquatic annelid.


----------



## UmbraSprite

LOL....love that movie! I think what I have is worse though...and bigger.


----------



## Complexity

My guess is that it's some form of a Hydrozoa. They go through various life cycles, one in which they anchor themselves to the substrate and put out filaments much like the one in the picture. They're also tubelike in form at that stage.

Run a search for Freshwater Hydrozoa. They're also commonly called Hydra.

I suggest getting it out of there. IIRC, hydra can capture and kill small shrimp and fish.


----------



## UmbraSprite

Defnitely not a hydra. That is the tail end sticking out as it was burrowing back into the substrate. I am fairly certain it is a larval stage of something...


----------



## UmbraSprite

Found it! I was correct...dipteran larvae!

Page 7 here: http://www.penobscotswcd.org/publications/insects.pdf

*Cranefly*​(Order: Diptera; Family: Tipulidae)
Habitat of Larvae: Ponds, lakes, and marshes.
Habitat of Adult: Flying insect.
Characteristics:
Larvae are plump, long, and cylindrical. Larvae may be up to 10 cm in length. At
the end of the abdomen are spiracles or breathing holes that look like fingers. The
larvae will move to the water surface to breathe oxygen from the air. The
abdomen of some species is flattened. The back end usually has several small
extensions or lobes. Often the small head is not visible and is hidden within the
first segment of the body. Larvae are a food source for fish.​
* 
*


----------



## reybie

I have these wigglers in my shrimp tank... I checked the thread and it mentioned tubifex but I'm not sure if they free float like these guys. I see a lot of them when I just switch on the lights. You can see some better against the black sponge filter.

http://youtu.be/cai8VSwUrPg


----------



## BradH

reybie said:


> I have these wigglers in my shrimp tank... I checked the thread and it mentioned tubifex but I'm not sure if they free float like these guys. I see a lot of them when I just switch on the lights. You can see some better against the black sponge filter.
> 
> http://youtu.be/cai8VSwUrPg


Detritus worms. They are harmless, just kind of annoying to watch them wiggle in the water. lol Keep cleaning and they will go away.


----------



## slash3

- Bloodworms are midge larva. Midge adults look exactly like mosquitos but they don't bite. Actually, midge larva are only one type of "bloodworm". Bloodworm is just a term for anything red that resembles a mosquito larva. 


I live in England where we have a lot of midge's, their larvae looks nothing like a bloodworm and yes they do bite!!! i have the bites to prove it! lol! they are worse in scotland though!.


----------



## Kitty_Kitsch

OMG! I was just checking on my shrimp and watching them eat a little piece of wafer I gave them and I saw my first planaria. Instead of screaming I came here. lol YUCK!!!!!


----------



## GeToChKn

Can hydra be red? I just found some babies in my crystal red tank, and was like, baby, baby, baby, ahhh what is that. Its red but has the hydra looking legs? Is there anything I can use to kill hydra and not kill the crystals? Its taken me a while to get my crystals to breed and I don't want to do anything to mess up their tank if not needed.


----------



## 10gallonplanted

Get some dog dewormer, kills em and not shrimp.


----------



## reybie

I put a guppy fry in my shrimp tank and its belly has been bulging since. It was feasting on the detritus worms


----------



## GeToChKn

10gallonplanted said:


> Get some dog dewormer, kills em and not shrimp.


I have to see if its available in Canada or not. There was some clear hydra too that seemed to all on the same plant as the red ones, so I took that whole plant out. It was in a back corner not getting much light, so water flow, so was collecting lots of debris, so the plant is gone. Was about 9 hydra on it and got them all out on the plant. The other plants don't sem to have any, been looking for a while with my magnify glass.


----------



## Jeffww

GeToChKn said:


> Can hydra be red? I just found some babies in my crystal red tank, and was like, baby, baby, baby, ahhh what is that. Its red but has the hydra looking legs? Is there anything I can use to kill hydra and not kill the crystals? Its taken me a while to get my crystals to breed and I don't want to do anything to mess up their tank if not needed.


Yes. I have green and red and clear hydra. Really neat. It's like a coral garden.


----------



## Eden Marel

Here is video I took of a freshwater limpet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N-rCVurUeg


----------



## slash3

retoid said:


> Bump, anybody have any idea?


I think i have one or two baby ones of these, sat and watched one of my RCS munching on it a while ago! dont know if she finished it as i wasnt looking when she moved away.


----------



## huldu

I've had aquariums for over 15 years and i have never seen some of the creatures you guys have got. Never had anything that shouldn't be in the tank just appear like that. Just freaky. Do you guys bring in plants or water from the outside? Are the tanks close to an open window, i have mine close to a window but never got anything through that. When i used to catch rudas(a fish, not sure what the english name is) and carps i could sometimes catch them with "karplöss"(Branchiura). These small creatures were pretty nasty as they would suck blood from fishes, very small so the fish would usually not even see them. However they were quite easy to manually remove using a tweezers. That was the only nasty bugger i would ever get. Not even bringing in moss from a lake would infest my aquarium with anything weird.


----------



## doncityz

poppyseed said:


> a better shot


Ooo... those are indeed LEECHES! they suck ur blood (or fishes').


----------



## Gold Finger

totally disgusting! I am going to take a long shower now. With every kind of soap I can find in the house. Maybe some bleach.:eek5: (really freakin cool though). Did anyone here know that hydra are biologically immortal? They don't suffer senescence (age) beyond maturity and will only EVER die from a problem with their environment or damage or something. Or that flat worms can learn a conditioned fear response (Pavlovian) by EATING the flesh of a conditioned worm (genetic knowledge). Strange... strange... strange... and cool.


----------



## BradH

Gold Finger said:


> Did anyone here know that hydra are biologically immortal? They don't suffer senescence (age) beyond maturity and will only EVER die from a problem with their environment or damage or something. Or that flat worms can learn a conditioned fear response (Pavlovian) by EATING the flesh of a conditioned worm (genetic knowledge). Strange... strange... strange... and cool.


Interesting!


----------



## crazstar

Anyone know what this white worm thing is? D: How do I get rid of it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvYb4G3_Haw


----------



## Newman

that's a common FW oligochaete, closely related to earthworms. you dont have to get rid of them, they are detritivores and fish love to eat them. especially fry large enough to catch them.


----------



## crazstar

Thanks for the reply! Is it harmless because I only have shrimp in my tank...


----------



## Newman

its harmless. they eat detritis and algae.


----------



## FriendsNotFood

I have tiny moving white dots all over my glass and driftwood. Sometimes they swim around and the fish will not eat them. They bite them and promptly spit them out. What are they and how do I get rid of them?


----------



## diwu13

Sounds like cyclops to me. If they are cyclops then they're really harmless. If you don't feed your fish for a few days they should start to eat them.


----------



## Newman

if they are like tiny bubble things, they are water mites...another common FW invert that you get with plants.


----------



## FriendsNotFood

I don't feed my fish very much and they still don't eat them ): Any way to get rid of them? I know they're probably harmless but they look really gross against my black tank background.


----------



## Newman

most fish i know don't eat them, they spit them out.
there is little you can do to get rid of them other than just manual removal, unless you want to go to chemical warfare which is riskier. 
i don't make an effort to remove mine (i have them in my smaller planted tanks) but when i do water changes, they get taken out with an air hose siphon and i suppose you can use a brine shrimp net to net them out...


----------



## Kitty_Kitsch

My ebi has a bunch of seed shrimp in it... really funny to watch! I've seen my one orange bee grab one and put it back down. 
I don't know where they came from lol Oh maybe they came in with my ramshorns(?)

I'll say this again, I love this thread. Since having a shimp tank I've seen so many strange things I've never seen in my community aquariums!


----------



## Mxx

Interesting topic. I managed today to collect a number of these species mentioned by dipping some duckweed from a local pond in the park into a waterbottle. (Yes on purpose, and I may add them to my tank yet as well!)

I may try to separate the bugs from the duckweed and put them into my planted 1 gallon Cherry Shrimp and Boraras brigittae. But I may leave them in the water bottle for a while to check whether anything else malicious is developing in there first but still in egg or otherwise tiny form. My planted bowl currently has hydra though, which is strange as my other three do not. I medicated it with an initial dosing of Levamisole, but that doesn't seem to have done anything so I may double the dose and try that again. 

I'm fascinated by freshwater plankton in general, but was also looking to add something to self-supply live food for the Bororas, so I may keep these bugs in a separate 1 gallon and then net them out from time to time to add instead. There are a few species of water bugs I can't identify from this thread as well, including what look like a few 0.5 inch long roaches with eight legs. I don't have a camera with enough zoom to photograph them very well though. I think I at least have cyclops, daphnia, and unfortunately only one gammarus shrimp. 

I also do have planaria there however, as well as the inchworm looking worms which are apparently a type of leach!, and a detritus worm, which I'm none too thrilled about and which are creeping me out. So I may hit the batch with Levamisole or Panacur Fenbendazole if that would wipe out the worms but leave everything else intact? And even if it does take out everything I could still just go back to the pond and collect another batch. I could remove them manually, but I suppose that still wouldn't remove any tiny ones. 

My son also received a kit for growing Triops (Tadpole Shrimp), which it turns out are quite an odd invertebrate as well. Sounds as if I'll need to pick up some RO water to get those to hatch though, as the osmotic pressure of very soft water indicating safe conditions is what triggers them to start to develop. The kit said fairy shrimp and clam shrimp may also hatch, so if I see any I'll try to remove them before the become food for any ravenous Triops...


----------



## mjbn

Anyone identify these worms please? I have tons of them in my tank... In the substrate, in the water column just floating around, on the glass, on the surface of the water... I do multiple water changes to try to get some out, but it's doing nothing..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClNbAJW9iFI


----------



## B16CRXT

Looks like planaria. I have them also. They don't cause any trouble that I've seen. Some fish like to eat them. They should also keep your substrate healthy


----------



## DesmondTheMoonBear

mjbn said:


> Anyone identify these worms please? I have tons of them in my tank... In the substrate, in the water column just floating around, on the glass, on the surface of the water... I do multiple water changes to try to get some out, but it's doing nothing..
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClNbAJW9iFI


Since no one has really gave you possibilities, those COULD be some type of planaria, none I've ever seen though. If they float in the water column they aren't nematodes. Nematodes will "swim" in an S shape.


----------



## Mxx

mjbn said:


> Anyone identify these worms please? I have tons of them in my tank... In the substrate, in the water column just floating around, on the glass, on the surface of the water... I do multiple water changes to try to get some out, but it's doing nothing..
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClNbAJW9iFI


If they're planaria or something similar, then can you get Genchem No Planaria? It's at least a natural treatment consisting of Betal Nut Palm extract. http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/genchem-no-planaria-50g-p-5606.html


----------



## mjbn

I've read that planaria are potentially lethal to shrimp.? And I thought some safeguard fenben- would kill them, but it hasn't done anything yet.


----------



## diwu13

mjbn said:


> I've read that planaria are potentially lethal to shrimp.? And I thought some safeguard fenben- would kill them, but it hasn't done anything yet.


They are harmful to shrimp. They have a toxin they use to digest prey and will do so after a shrimp molts.

Dewormer will kill them, but you may need multiple doses. Did you do a WC yet? You should dose, wait 3 days. Do a large WC. Redose if needed.


----------



## mjbn

I have done multiple water changes and have dosed with safeguard atleast 3 times.. Then when I look at the substrate, I see the worms have turned white and still moving, making me assume that they're just eating the undissolved treatment --> more growth.?


----------



## diwu13

Oh hold on. Did you take out the carbon/purigen in your filter before treating with fenbendazole? Also, you didn't do ANY WC's during the 3 days letting the fenbendazole sit in your tank did you?


----------



## B16CRXT

I didn't know they were hazardous to shrimp! Maybe I should dose fenbendazole in my tanks again! Ive had to do this to get rid of Hydra in my 10 gal tank before. Nasty little buggers.


----------



## mjbn

Yeah, no carbon/purigen or any other stripping material. &Yeah, i let it just sit and soak in, but I just keep seeing white bodied worms. Seems like they like the fenbendazole.


----------



## diwu13

So nemotodes don't die from fenbendazole. Planaria will definitely die with two treatments of the dewormer. Perhaps you do have nemotodes then if they aren't dying. Are you sure you see the arrow shaped head that planaria have?


----------



## mjbn

I dont think I seee it.? Can you check the video I posted top confirm?


----------



## mjbn

Thing is that I do seee the S swimming nematodes every now & then , but I seee these lazy floaters/glass surfers everywhere!


----------



## diwu13

Yea I can't see the distinct <===== shape of the planaria. Your worms are kinda just like ======== right? They probably are not planaria then. Which is why the fenbendazole isn't working.

When H4n and I saw a planaria in his tank it was only about "____" big but you could 100% see the arrow shaped head and the two eyes.


----------



## B16CRXT

hmmmm, I think one of my cardinal tetras may have a nematode coming from its anus. It has a curvy white thing coming out of it. It doesnt move or anything, but now there is a bit of red on the fin from the same area as the white creature. I'm a bit worried about that...

I don't have anything on the glass though. The only things I've ever seen is the substrate worms/"s" shaped swimmers


----------



## diwu13

B16CRXT said:


> hmmmm, I think one of my cardinal tetras may have a nematode coming from its anus. It has a curvy white thing coming out of it. It doesnt move or anything, but now there is a bit of red on the fin from the same area as the white creature. I'm a bit worried about that...
> 
> I don't have anything on the glass though. The only things I've ever seen is the substrate worms/"s" shaped swimmers


You should look up "horsehair worm". That might be what is inside your fish. Definitely not a nemotode though, as those are harmless. Planaria also aren't particularly dangerous to fish as they dwell in substrate/on surfaces where fish normally don't hang out much.

I actually used to have little white worms crawling around on my glass too. They weren't planaria, and no one could really figure out what they were. Ultimately the combination of fenbendazole treatment and manual removal killed off the population. Never found out what they were though. Unlike mjbn's case, my worms were ever only "__" long.


----------



## mjbn

Man..i'm just scaared it's gonna kill my shrimp


----------



## B16CRXT

Check this out:
http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/03/trematodes-and-nematodes-in-fish.html

I have the detritus worms in my tanks. Guess I need to do a good gravel vac and reduce feeding a bit. As far as the white thing thats exiting my cardinal tetra, I'm still unsure. I'll try to catch the fish and remove the worm-like thing with tweezers. I hope it doesnt die. It's one of my larger/healthier looking cardinals...


----------



## B16CRXT

Actually, it kind of looks like this, only coming out the anal fin area


----------



## diwu13

B16CRXT said:


> Actually, it kind of looks like this, only coming out the anal fin area


Well, from the site you listed.


> Generally a more positive identification of internal Nematodes is a thread like worm protruding from the anus.


Nemotode it seems?


----------



## B16CRXT

I checked on that tetra when I got home from work and the worm is gone. I hope it doesn't make a reappearance... :fingers crossed:


----------



## rbus

Just in case anybody's trying to identify a nematode, here is a video i took of one floating around my tank: http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/g459/rbus99/Aquarium Videos/?action=view&current=nematode.mp4


----------



## Wy Renegade

Sweet thread - bookmarked for reference and to play.


----------



## Psionic

This thread helped me when I was looking for what is filled in one of my tanks I'm tearing down. Copepods! Now I don't know what to do with them all. The water is FILLED with them. 


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.514886,-98.564812


----------



## mjbn

So I saw a lot in my substrate and decided to do a little vac. This is what I caught with about 2 gallons of water.. Again I have dosed Safe Guard and I even put some in inbetween cuts of the video, with no effect that I could see.

SWARM!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k4-ct3ufmw
Starting to form worm balls!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lsg2561SM0
After a couple minutes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPiA5OAUSg0&feature=youtu.be


----------



## diwu13

Holy nemotodes Batman!~ Seems dewormer won't kill nemotodes... even though they are very similar to worms :\


----------



## mjbn

So those ARE nematodes?


----------



## diwu13

Yea I said those are haha. Not sure about the ones on your glass though


----------



## h4n

holy crap!


----------



## Psionic

rushr said:


> Lol no not the shrimp  ...i did mean the really small filaments. I have a better one sans shrimp.


Ok, this is what I have in my tank. I can't seem to find any actual answer as to what they are. Google hates me! Anyone know what they are? They're attached to the glass in my tank. No plants or gravel are in there. The temp is at 85. 


-Val


----------



## KH2PO4

B16CRXT said:


> Actually, it kind of looks like this, only coming out the anal fin area


Smaller species of Eustrongylides perhaps. 
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/the_big_red_worm.htm


----------



## Sherminator

I just did a water change on my 4 gallon tank that I started back in November...never put any food into it etc etc...I just found two planaria worms in it! 

Any idea how this happened? I got some frogbit from someone, and it had some snails in it, which isn't a big deal...

Just a little puzzled....


----------



## diwu13

The planaria apparently can come in on anything. Cysts on plants, snail shells, anything really.


----------



## bryancb

*not sure*

what i got here








but just as im posting my neons ate it lol


----------



## diwu13

bryancb said:


> what i got here
> View attachment 43376
> 
> 
> but just as im posting my neons ate it lol


dragonfly nymph or damselfly nymph. Either way you're lucky your neons ate that before it started to eat your neons


----------



## mjbn

I have a shrimp that has what I count as 2 white worms on it's head, between it's eyes. How can I kill the worms without harming the shrimp? I'm treating with safe guard rightnow. 

PS, I noticed this when acclimating a new shrimp to my tank.


----------



## diwu13

mjbn said:


> I have a shrimp that has what I count as 2 white worms on it's head, between it's eyes. How can I kill the worms without harming the shrimp? I'm treating with safe guard rightnow.
> 
> PS, I noticed this when acclimating a new shrimp to my tank.


Actual worms or vorticella? If it's actual worms the shrimp is probably already dead. At least that's what happened to one of my tiger shrimps. It was also acting abnormally.


----------



## mellowvision

I have a daphnia culture that has a lot of these tiny green worm casings on the cylinder. I had them in a previous fry tank as well, that had no substrate. The worms that come out of the casings appear to be able to hold the glass with their back legs(?)/tip, and sometimes free float around, sometimes act a bit like an inch worm... I saw them trying to eat fish eggs hung under a rock as well. In a previous post, something similar was posted, but the replies were tubiflex, and blood worms... Both types of worms are way larger than anything I typically get from these. What i have are very tiny worms, no longer than 1/4" ever. any ideas?


----------



## randyl

I saw something in my shrimp tank that look just like tubifex but floating in the water column instead of at bottom (where I think they should be?). They wiggle through the water with water flow. Are they actually tubifex or?! At first I thought they were planaria but they have rounded body as opposed to flat body planaria. They are about the same size as tubifex too and I don't think my camera can catch a good shot of them.


----------



## diwu13

randyl said:


> I saw something in my shrimp tank that look just like tubifex but floating in the water column instead of at bottom (where I think they should be?). They wiggle through the water with water flow. Are they actually tubifex or?! At first I thought they were planaria but they have rounded body as opposed to flat body planaria. They are about the same size as tubifex too and I don't think my camera can catch a good shot of them.


Nemotodes. Also harmless. I have had a huge population bloom of them in my shrimp tanks as well. I had to introduce some fish since they looked disgusting in large numbers :\


----------



## randyl

diwu13 said:


> Nemotodes. Also harmless. I have had a huge population bloom of them in my shrimp tanks as well. I had to introduce some fish since they looked disgusting in large numbers :\


Thanks, I googled Nemotodes and they do look like that. Good to know they are harmless.


----------



## diwu13

Yeah... if you start to have 100's from decaying plant matter just introduce some fish for a short time. They make really quick snacks since they can't escape.


----------



## mjbn

Received some plants today and while washing them off, found this little bugger. Leach? Scared to put the plants in! Help! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8g5g4-7N0k&feature=youtu.be


----------



## diwu13

That does look like a leech since one end seems stuck on the plastic. Just soak the plants in some other container for ~1day. The leechs and other stuff should journey off the plants in that time.


----------



## Korzak

CdoGG said:


> I have the same thing in my tank. I noticed them while squishing snails. Here is a video. You can barely see it but its on the right side.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRYHCRcwiIU


Did anyone ever identify these?

I have a bunch of these in my tank. They live on the driftwood, are white, round, and tiny - smaller than the head of a pin. They will stay motionless for a while, then move VERY FAST.

Arrrrgh, what are they?


----------



## DesmondTheMoonBear

Korzak said:


> Did anyone ever identify these?
> 
> I have a bunch of these in my tank. They live on the driftwood, are white, round, and tiny - smaller than the head of a pin. They will stay motionless for a while, then move VERY FAST.
> 
> Arrrrgh, what are they?


Copepods. Did you not ID them on the first post, because this is what this thread is for lol.


----------



## Korzak

DesmondTheMoonBear said:


> Copepods. Did you not ID them on the first post, because this is what this thread is for lol.


Nope, I didn't. The pic links are broken, no pics load...and my critters don't leap, they skitter.


----------



## acitydweller

ok i found a critter in my nano that doesnt resemble anything in the first post. i originally thought it was a daphnia but it has hind legs.

Its about the size of one of the eco complete granules and climbs and moves over the substrate as a gorilla would move.

Its white in color and seems to be the only one in the tank so far as I know. The plant is heavily planted with a driftwood and 5 adult and 3 juvie cherry shrimps and oto. there are a dozen mts as well.

hope someone can help ID it.

i thought of trying to capture it but it crawls very quickly. It only travels on the gravel and does not appear to swim or go against the glass. Kinda resembles a flea but google searches came up empty.


----------



## diwu13

acitydweller said:


> ok i found a critter in my nano that doesnt resemble anything in the first post. i originally thought it was a daphnia but it has hind legs.
> 
> Its about the size of one of the eco complete granules and climbs and moves over the substrate as a gorilla would move.
> 
> Its white in color and seems to be the only one in the tank so far as I know. The plant is heavily planted with a driftwood and 5 adult and 3 juvie cherry shrimps and oto. there are a dozen mts as well.
> 
> hope someone can help ID it.
> 
> i thought of trying to capture it but it crawls very quickly. It only travels on the gravel and does not appear to swim or go against the glass. Kinda resembles a flea but google searches came up empty.


Does it look like this:







?

If so then it's a scud. Harmless but young scuds will eat moss


----------



## gowfan05

diwu13 said:


> Does it look like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ?
> 
> If so then it's a scud. Harmless but young scuds will eat moss


Does anyone know an effective way to remove this bug? I have alot in my tank. I did try neon tetras but that wasn't effective. Would CPD's work? if so which type? Also, this critter destroyed all my flame moss


----------



## acitydweller

That is it.... i noticed one one more this morning... there now are two.

These critters are FAST. i have plain ole javamoss and it did take a while to get established. is there a way of trapping these guys?




diwu13 said:


> Does it look like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ?
> 
> If so then it's a scud. Harmless but young scuds will eat moss


----------



## diwu13

gowfan05 said:


> Does anyone know an effective way to remove this bug? I have alot in my tank. I did try neon tetras but that wasn't effective. Would CPD's work? if so which type? Also, this critter destroyed all my flame moss





acitydweller said:


> That is it.... i noticed one one more this morning... there now are two.
> 
> These critters are FAST. i have plain ole javamoss and it did take a while to get established. is there a way of trapping these guys?


Angelfish or a betta would make quick work of them. You could also try the shrimp bottle trap on youtube.


----------



## TheGiantDwarfShrimp

This is kind of like a limpet but it has legs. it has an underbelly like a horseshoe crab, its just missing a tail.








I found it under a rock in my 10 gallon. Any idea what it is?


----------



## Wy Renegade

TheGiantDwarfShrimp said:


> This is kind of like a limpet but it has legs. it has an underbelly like a horseshoe crab, its just missing a tail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found it under a rock in my 10 gallon. Any idea what it is?


Looks like a water penny beetle larva to me. Indicators of excellent water quality.


----------



## TheGiantDwarfShrimp

Wy Renegade said:


> Indicators of excellent water quality.


Awesome!! :biggrin:


----------



## NEWBIE1985

*unknown creature*







Can anyone tell me what these things are called, there are a couple of them swimming in my floating riccia, they are about 1/8 inch long.



















anyway the photos are here if it doesnt work.


----------



## diwu13

NEWBIE1985 said:


> Can anyone tell me what these things are called, there are a couple of them swimming in my floating riccia, they are about 1/8 inch long.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyway the photos are here if it doesnt work.


Scuds, the pictures don't work though


----------



## nature

i found creature like dust with white colour moving slowly on glass of aquarium, is it freshwater limpets??


----------



## diwu13

nature said:


> i found creature like dust with white colour moving slowly on glass of aquarium, is it freshwater limpets??


Check first page, they have a picture of a limpet there.


----------



## nature

problems solve!some of them are limpet and the other are small snail


----------



## Complexity

nature said:


> problems solve!some of them are limpet and the other are small snail


I discovered by (pleasant) accident that assassin snails eradicate freshwater limpets. I had limpets in my 5g shrimp tank for a few years. Nothing I did ever got rid of them. That is until I added some assassin snails. I added them to eat some MTS snails in the tank, but then noticed the limpets disappeared. I've never seen limpets ever since. So it seems it had to be the assassin snails finally did the trick!


----------



## NutZilla

i have a bucket of needle leaves fern that is infected by this alien thing, not sure if its an insect or parasitic plant. anyone can id them? a solution will be wonderful. thanks.


----------



## steak

Cool! Definitely doesn't look animal. I think it is a colonial, green alga.


----------



## steak

Or, maybe your plant has cancer or a prion. Can you scrape that stuff off?

I'd treat it with hydrogen peroxide, and see what happens: make sure the water is still, pipet like 1-2 mL onto one affected leaf, and look at the results after 24 hours. That won't really confirm anything, but it may kill the organism if it isn't cancer/prion.

Maybe its a slime mold. According to the pictures, I would certainly put it down as a plantae.


----------



## NutZilla

steak said:


> Or, maybe your plant has cancer or a prion. Can you scrape that stuff off?
> 
> I'd treat it with hydrogen peroxide, and see what happens: make sure the water is still, pipet like 1-2 mL onto one affected leaf, and look at the results after 24 hours. That won't really confirm anything, but it may kill the organism if it isn't cancer/prion.
> 
> Maybe its a slime mold. According to the pictures, I would certainly put it down as a plantae.


yes it can be scrape off. i tried dip it in bleach today, lets see if anything will happen.


----------



## ravensgate

I wanted to bring up another bug. I had a huge infestation of these things in my last tank and no matter how I described it everyone kept saying 'planaria' even though I KNEW it wasn't planaria. I search for a couple of months and couldn't find anything and wound up breaking down the tank and starting a new one. AFTER I did that, I was looking up another bug and FINALLY found what I had had in the last tank. It's called Rhabdocoela. I did a search in this thread and didn't find any matches so I'm going to guess it hadn't been brought up. These are flat, white worms but they lack the triangle head or eyes planaria has. They climb up the tank walls, go through the substrate, etc. So for those folks who have flat white worms and know they aren't planaria but don't know what they are, they could be these Here's a photo. If you do a Google search you'll hit a good thread on Shrimpnow that goes through the differences between them and planaria.

http://www.crustahunter.com/sites/default/files/Rhadbocoela_0.jpg?1304201527


----------



## altiuscitius

I have a fluval ebi, with about 15 rcs in it. Been set up about 3 months. I started with 25 shrimp. Had a few females get berried, I saw 2 babies grow up to a decent size after a month, and after 2 months I started to see 3 or 4 tiny babies again. I have lots of mopani driftwood (that looks like swiss cheese), breeding tubes and plants, so its difficult to count them all. Ive never been able to count more then 15 of the originals at once. Ive found 3 corpses of dead, very large shrimp, so their deaths may have been old age or overfeeding.

I had, what I now know to be, harmless seed shrimp, covering the glass. I freaked out and I scaped it clean, and did some frequent water changes, and havent seen them since. Then I started to get whiteflys on the surface of my water, which were actually a harmless aphid type creature. Lots of surface skimming water changes and manually netting them out got rid of them. 

Now my new problem, I let the glass become covered in "film" for the babies to graze on, since the tank isnt a show tank, its just a cherry shrimp breeder for my main tank. Some brown dust, probably diatoms, some algae, various gunky things. But now the glass has white worms growing on it. They remind me of marine spaghetti worms if anyone ever kept reef tanks. They have a light brown tube made of detritus that is up to an inch long, they have one long white tentacle about an inch long that they stick out of the tube, and wave everywhere and scrape the glass all around them clean. They are not hydra. Ive seen hydra before, these are not hydra. Ive tried to take pictures, but I only have a panasonic point and shoot (the lumix dmx-zs3 if anyone knows how to use it for fish pictures) and Ive spent hours trying all the setting, but I just cant get pictures of tiny things in the tank. They almost seem like white tubifex worms, that prefer to glue themselves to plants and glass rather then live in the substrate.

But they freak me out. My shrimp population is shrinking, not exploding, and these worms worry me. I scrubbed the tank clean, scraped the glass, stirred up the gravel to get any out of there, did a few huge water changes, probably lost a few baby shrimp, but I thought it was worth it to get rid of them all. Today on closer inspection during a water change, I see that my java fern and rotala plants are covered in these tubes now too...


TLDR - 1inch long freshwater spagetti worms are corrupting my shrimp tank, and Im having issues with shrimp deaths... are the worms the problem, or are the worms and shrimps symptoms of the same problem. Maybe overfeeding?


----------



## ShyShrimpDoc

A few more for the list. These are from a microscope. Varying magnifications. These are two different nemotodes (intestinal parasites). The lower one moves like an inch worm, the upper just slithers. They are brought to you courtesy of a pleco (sensitive to paragaurd, not sensitive to hydrogen peroxide dips, and like plant travel). The feet on the lower one looked wider before I hit it with the alcohol to make it sit still.


----------



## ShyShrimpDoc

This is a harmless protozoa. Cool looking critter, likes hanging out in plants and detritus.


----------



## ShyShrimpDoc

This is a nasty parasite. It seems to have a serious affinity for the exoskeleton of the shrimp. I don't know if it kills the shrimp itself, or just opens them up to bacterial infection. The bodies and shells were coated in both (but they were also dead several hours before being placed under the microscope, and good bacteria should have started to break them down at that point). If you need more info on these check the shrimp diseases thread http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=1956951#post1956951 

And yes those are chloroplasts, they do use photosynthesis. The alcohol (same slide as the victim below, same dang fish too) did a number on the body, but it kept it still long enough for me to figure out how it moves.


----------



## diwu13

ShyShrimpDoc said:


> This is a nasty parasite. It seems to have a serious affinity for the exoskeleton of the shrimp. I don't know if it kills the shrimp itself, or just opens them up to bacterial infection. The bodies and shells were coated in both (but they were also dead several hours before being placed under the microscope, and good bacteria should have started to break them down at that point). If you need more info on these check the shrimp diseases thread http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=1956951#post1956951
> 
> And yes those are chloroplasts, they do use photosynthesis. The alcohol (same slide as the victim below, same dang fish too) did a number on the body, but it kept it still long enough for me to figure out how it moves.


Do you have a picture of how the shrimp looks covered in these? Is this "vorticella"?


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## ShyShrimpDoc

Other than looking stressed right before dropping dead, and excessive grooming of their tail region, they look and act normal.


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## diwu13

So what made you put the shrimp under the microscope? Like, what made you suspect something other than natural death?


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## ShyShrimpDoc

Natural death occurs rarely. Not between 3 and 10 shrimp per day, with the numbers trending higher as consecutive days pass. 

It did hit my adult population worse than the young, but both were affected. Before this there had not been a death (other than newborns which just disapear) in over 6 months. At least 40 shrimp died last week. Luckily it was a large colony. This morning after less than 48 hours of treatment it appears the death toll is dropping. There is only one in the tank that look stressed right now. It should be noted there are still about 100 shrimp in the tank, so I don't think the drop is from running out if shrimp to victimize. They also are picking at themselves less. Fingers crossed for the ones that are left.

This might be a subspecies of vorticella, but all the pictures I could find had propulsion by a single flagella. Thus there might be another name for it. I did some looking around but was unable to locate it. Vorticella is the closest I have seen thus far.


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## niedogg

*Does anybody know what this bug is?*

Hey everyone, I'm new here but have consulted this forum many times. Recently I have had a 5.5 gallon tank with CRS, plants, and a piece of driftwood. The shrimp have slowly died off and now I've noticed these small, white bugs. They crawl around on the substrate. They resemble a shrimp when they swim.

Anybody know what these creepy things are? Are they harmful?


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## AquariumNoob

Awesome information, dude. Thanks  Was wondering what those weird worms in my substrate was loll.


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## diwu13

niedogg said:


> Hey everyone, I'm new here but have consulted this forum many times. Recently I have had a 5.5 gallon tank with CRS, plants, and a piece of driftwood. The shrimp have slowly died off and now I've noticed these small, white bugs. They crawl around on the substrate. They resemble a shrimp when they swim.
> 
> Anybody know what these creepy things are? Are they harmful?


Surprised no one got back to you yet. Might be too late but those are scuds. Generally harmless, but some species have larger claws and may prey on shrimp. Chances are, they out competed the shrimp for food, which killed them off.


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## FlyingShawn

Just bought some Hornwort at the local mega-LFS (TFP in Lancaster) and did a Potassium Permanganate dip to try to kill the snails that came along with it (I don't mind the tiny ramshorns, but I don't ever want to have MTS again!).

After removing the hornwort for rinsing (it's not in my tanks yet), I saved some of the water at the bottom of the bottle to observe the snails for a few hours and make sure they're actually dead before I move the hornwort into my tanks. After letting it sit for a while, I came back to see if any of them had moved (not yet) and discovered a critter I'd never seen before swimming around! I looked through this thread, but I haven't seen anything quite like it.

At first glance, you'd never be able to tell them from the other hornwort needles that fell off in the container: they're no more than 1/4" long, very slightly thicker than a hornwort needle, brownish-green, and their bodies stay perfectly straight when they swim (propelled by tiny, invisible legs). I tried to take a picture, but they're so small there's no visible detail. They are the two top-most "needles" in this picture below. Any ideas what they could be?



Oh, and BTW, finally made it to 100 posts!!


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## KGsPFT

Dang, been dosing No-Planaria for 3 days with no luck. I think this is what I have, but tough to tell with my cheap magnifying glass. Any ideas on how to kill?!?!



ravensgate said:


> I wanted to bring up another bug. I had a huge infestation of these things in my last tank and no matter how I described it everyone kept saying 'planaria' even though I KNEW it wasn't planaria. I search for a couple of months and couldn't find anything and wound up breaking down the tank and starting a new one. AFTER I did that, I was looking up another bug and FINALLY found what I had had in the last tank. It's called Rhabdocoela. I did a search in this thread and didn't find any matches so I'm going to guess it hadn't been brought up. These are flat, white worms but they lack the triangle head or eyes planaria has. They climb up the tank walls, go through the substrate, etc. So for those folks who have flat white worms and know they aren't planaria but don't know what they are, they could be these Here's a photo. If you do a Google search you'll hit a good thread on Shrimpnow that goes through the differences between them and planaria.
> 
> http://www.crustahunter.com/sites/default/files/Rhadbocoela_0.jpg?1304201527


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## diwu13

KGsPFT said:


> Dang, been dosing No-Planaria for 3 days with no luck. I think this is what I have, but tough to tell with my cheap magnifying glass. Any ideas on how to kill?!?!


I believe these are a type of nemotodes as no-planaria/fenbendazole does not kill them. I have had these in my tank as well at one point, and I also dosed fenbendazole. Didn't work either. I just sucked a few out a day with a fine tipped syringe. The population eventually just went away.


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## KGsPFT

diwu13 said:


> I believe these are a type of nemotodes as no-planaria/fenbendazole does not kill them. I have had these in my tank as well at one point, and I also dosed fenbendazole. Didn't work either. I just sucked a few out a day with a fine tipped syringe. The population eventually just went away.


Hmmm. The only thing I have in the tank are Oto's and plants. Tossed in an algae wafer before a 4 day trip and came back to this mess.

Have been planning to add a school of habrosus, but thought I'd wait until the outbreak cleared. Should I instead add the fish and hope they clear the outbreak, or is there something else I might try before adding fish. I'd rather not wait for them to go away on their own!


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## Aquarist_Fist

Can someone identify the critters in this picture? Note that there seem to be two species - the brown guys and the grey ones in the lower right part of the image. 

They are very slow moving. Some kind of aphids? I have them on my floaters.


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## Aquarist_Fist

*cough*


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## Boznia76

*Any Ideas what this bug is...?*

I've been finding these small bugs in the buttom of my bucket after hoovering the gravel on my tropical fish tank, their really small so I've never been able to identify them before and found this thread a while back and just presumed they where copepods or daphnia, seed shrimp etc.... and didn't really worry but have just got a small microscope and managed to get a photo, it doesn't really look like anything I've seen in this post to me, I would appreciate any advice on what they are and how I get rid of them if I can...? 








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## trueblu8

spypet said:


> here is an underwater picture of ianmason's dragonfly larva/pupa.
> they probably come from aquatic plants grown outdoors.
> you can manually remove or hope the fish will eat them.











Holy cow. So that's what I found in my Daphnia culture. It ate all of them.
Must've dropped in from a plant that was just above the water.
It really freaked me out. I didn't know what it was.
So what should I do now? Feed it?
I'm a little scared. Lol.


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## iris

Can this be made into a sticky? 
I like referencing this occasionally.


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## lotzodomo

Are these nemotodes? I just set up a brand new 5 gallon tank with new aqua soil, new filter and new heater. I've put a few plants in there and have been letting the tank run without any fish or shrimp in it. After a few days though I noticed these worms wriggling around in the water, I've caught at least 20 of them by now. I'm almost positive they came from the plants, and I've contacted the seller/website where I bought the plants but they claim all their plants are worm-free... =( I thought these worms were only supposed to appear if there was an excess amount of food left in the substrate? 

http://youtu.be/g1J45R1pgG8


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## trueblu8

Apparently you should just be able to add some guppy fry to take care of them. I noticed that you're in Chicago and I've got some if you need them.

There's also a thread about it here that might help you out.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=176935


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## Wasserpest

Aquarist_Fist said:


> Can someone identify the critters in this picture? Note that there seem to be two species - the brown guys and the grey ones in the lower right part of the image.
> 
> They are very slow moving. Some kind of aphids? I have them on my floaters.


Yes, these are aphids. Very variable in color, size, winged or not, etc. Good fish food, not good for plants.



Aquarist_Fist said:


> *cough*


Better now? Sorry for the delay. :icon_lol:



Boznia76 said:


> I've been finding these small bugs in the buttom of my bucket after hoovering the gravel on my tropical fish tank, their really small so I've never been able to identify them before and found this thread a while back and just presumed they where copepods or daphnia, seed shrimp etc.... and didn't really worry but have just got a small microscope and managed to get a photo, it doesn't really look like anything I've seen in this post to me, I would appreciate any advice on what they are and how I get rid of them if I can...?


Yes, they are seed shrimp/Ostracods. Really harmless.



iris said:


> Can this be made into a sticky?
> I like referencing this occasionally.


This is part of the collective sticky in the Shrimp/Other forum: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184517 Rather than having 12 stickies clogging up the forum, we collected them all into one super-sticky.


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## whyviet

This thread is super disgusting. It makes my worm and copepod infestation bearable.


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## trueblu8

Copepods are cool.


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## trueblu8

Anybody have any idea what this is? I found it underneath a piece of mini pellia.


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## genomer

trueblu8 said:


> Anybody have any idea what this is? I found it underneath a piece of mini pellia.
> View attachment 111498


That's an amphipod...commonly referred to as "scuds."


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## trueblu8

Interesting. Thank you.

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/scud.htm


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## trueblu8

The dragonfly nymph eats a brine shrimp. A guppy fry watches.


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## bobpants

Does anybody know what this guy is? They move around very slowly on my plants/rocks.


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## bobpants

It's a snail...


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## TheGiantDwarfShrimp

looks like a small pond snail


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## p.lewis

I found this ugly guy a little bit ago and I've gleaned from this thread that it is a snail leech and it probably won't bother fish (likely deadly to snails).

I can second this observation found over on this thread on another site:


> When taking them out of the tank they feel pretty hard. If you don't get a good grip on them right away they curl up.


This one dies today, but I'm not sure if I have to go hunting for any more that might be in my tank. Are they harmless?


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## trueblu8

Holy crap. Those are freaky looking.


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## Mirzath

That is a flatworm, I think.


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## lochaber

Mirzath said:


> That is a flatworm, I think.


I just image googled "snail leech" and ran across quite a few pics that looks like that one up above. 

Also, the pic above looks like there is segmentation, which is a pretty big characteristic of annelids compared to other worms.

It is rather odd looking, with whatever internal systems giving it that strange marking pattern thingy.


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## Guest

What tiny black dots, some a bit elongated. The are on the top of my banana plant leaves at the top of my tank. They move and seem to feed on plant debris?


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## Derek1126

https://imgur.com/0lnvuM2
https://imgur.com/n1fBNwd
https://imgur.com/Db9QmrW
https://imgur.com/9RuQoAT
https://imgur.com/9RuQoAT
Are these Ostracod or something else? (The dark lines at the background in the photos are the one millimeter marks of a ruler.)
Ever since these bugs (multiplied to the thousands) invaded one of my shrimp tanks, they've nearly wiped out the existing copepods population that is essential to the growth of the nano fish baby fry. I also noticed there are less baby shrimps survived into juveniles after hatches.
Is there any effective way to eliminate these bugs without breaking down the whole tank?


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## Arty and Noodle

It seems this page hasn’t been used in a bit but I really hope someone answers me soon incase my aquarium situation becomes urgent. Hi, I just started my first planted tank with hornwort and Java fern. After adding the hornwort which I bought off Amazon, I saw these small bugs that look identical to the hornwort needles. I immediately threw out the hornwort after discovering other horrifying things. I’ve done three water changes and vacuumed the gravel maybe five times since hoping the bugs would be removed. I believe I’ve removed the majority but I’m still worried they could harm my fish when I add them.what arethey i’ve added a pic.


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