Black Bug-Like Critters

[nickkohrn]

I recently noticed many black bug-like critters in my grow-out tank. They scurry around on coral tiles and PVC fittings. I never see them on glass or coral tissue.

You can see them on the white PVC fittings in the attached videos. I do apologize for the quality of the videos; I wan unable to focus well on them, and I didn’t have a good area to rest my hands to keep from shaking. I can attempt to get better videos later, if these videos are unhelpful.

 

[AlexG]

Hard to say what they are from this distance. Might be a copepod, ostracod, amphipod. If you have or know anyone with a stereo-microscope then you could catch one and get some closeup images.

 

[nickkohrn]

Hard to say what they are from this distance. Might be a copepod, ostracod, amphipod. If you have or know anyone with a stereo-microscope then you could catch one and get some closeup images.

Thanks, @AlexG. I will look into that.

It makes me much less concerned since they are not on any of my corals. I just don't recall seeing them in previous systems. They don't appear to look like the "black bugs" that feast on Acropora, which I have seen in other threads. I just wanted to make sure that I am not overlooking an obvious pest.