Little Bugs on glass?

[GpixL_]

Hi, I left on vacation for 5 days. Had a ATO and auto feeder and everything went well. Came back and I see these little bugs crawling around the glass. Not sure if they are copepods or not or if the vacation correlates to these. If anyone can tell me if they are harmless and what they are it would be appreciated. Thanks

I am aware the videos are bad and ai will try to get better ones.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Hi, I left on vacation for 5 days. Had a ATO and auto feeder and everything went well. Came back and I see these little bugs crawling around the glass. Not sure if they are copepods or not or if the vacation correlates to these. If anyone can tell me if they are harmless and what they are it would be appreciated. Thanks

I am aware the videos are bad and ai will try to get better ones.

They look like copepods to me, but the video quality is a little blurry. Maybe try to get a higher resolution video and post it to YouTube, then link it here. Seems to help me on video quality also.

Have you ever stocked copepods? Did you start with live rock? If it is copepods, they seem to move like them, you seem to have a good population. Any fish in the tank, how long has it been running?

 

[GpixL_]

They look like copepods to me, but the video quality is a little blurry. Maybe try to get a higher resolution video and post it to YouTube, then link it here. Seems to help me on video quality also.

Have you ever stocked copepods? Did you start with live rock? If it is copepods, they seem to move like them, you seem to have a good population. Any fish in the tank, how long has it been running?

It has been running few months coming up on a year. I have never stocked copepodes so no idea from where they showed up. My camera won’t focus on them so the resolution won’t help. There are a few fish in the tank.

 

[Rennurdoar]

It has been running few months coming up on a year. I have never stocked copepodes so no idea from where they showed up. My camera won’t focus on them so the resolution won’t help. There are a few fish in the tank.

Gotcha, most likely you had pods that hitchhiked over on live rock, algae, coral frags. If you don't have any fish that eat them, they could have just been growing. They're good a cleanup crew and if you have certain fish, they'll eat them all day. We stock our 65-gallon with copepods for our wrasses and mandarin dragonet.

All the copepods on the glass in our tank look like little white specs moving around. I'm pretty sure what you showed are copepods as well.

 

[thelonereefer1]

I had a similar deal recently. Never stocked the tank with copepods. And recently noticed a similar sighting a few months back. Now the tank has been up and running over 10 years so my guess is they hitched a ride in somewheres in time

 

[GpixL_]

They look like copepods to me, but the video quality is a little blurry. Maybe try to get a higher resolution video and post it to YouTube, then link it here. Seems to help me on video quality also.

Have you ever stocked copepods? Did you start with live rock? If it is copepods, they seem to move like them, you seem to have a good population. Any fish in the tank, how long has it been running?

Ok thanks. There seem to be 2 different types of things on the glass. The bugs that are moving and are thin and longer and some nonmoving ones that are more ovalish and bigger.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Ok thanks. There seem to be 2 different types of things on the glass. The bugs that are moving and are thin and longer and some nonmoving ones that are more ovalish and bigger.

See if you can get a picture with white lights on. That way everything is a little bit clearer also. Not sure what the oval things may be yet. Are they just stationary and not moving at all? What color? Maybe algae growing on the glass?

 

[GpixL_]

See if you can get a picture with white lights on. That way everything is a little bit clearer also. Not sure what the oval things may be yet. Are they just stationary and not moving at all? What color? Maybe algae growing on the glass?

Yeah dont seem to be moving. Not sure what color, they are dark. I dont think it is algae based off positioning and the other creatures on the glass but could be.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Yeah dont seem to be moving. Not sure what color, they are dark. I dont think it is algae based off positioning and the other creatures on the glass but could be.

Kind of looks like flatworms from the outline. Crank white to 100% and then take pic. Makes pics a little clearer, as the camera can focus easier.

 

[GpixL_]

Kind of looks like flatworms from the outline. Crank white to 100% and then take pic. Makes pics a little clearer, as the camera can focus easier.

The moving ones seem to have disappeared as lights came on but here is a photo I got of the nonmoving ones.

 

[Rennurdoar]

The moving ones seem to have disappeared as lights came on but here is a photo I got of the nonmoving ones.

Yup, can definitely see them now, I think they're Acoel flatworms? Someone with more experience may give a better ID on them. Some wrasses will eat them, and dragonets will also, I think.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

The moving ones seem to have disappeared as lights came on but here is a photo I got of the nonmoving ones.

Yup. Flat worms. Almost look like acoel, so google that and compare.

Also look at planaria flatworms or google

“flatworm reef tank” should pull up ton of pics and allow you to ID them.

 

[GpixL_]

Yup. Flat worms. Almost look like acoel, so google that and compare.

Also look at planaria flatworms or google

“flatworm reef tank” should pull up ton of pics and allow you to ID them.

Cool thanks so much. Is this a problem if I am transferring corals, rocks, fish, and sand to a new nano?

 

[GpixL_]

From what I see, maybe it is best to get a small wrasse for the tank for a while to clean them up. Is this correct?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Cool thanks so much. Is this a problem if I am transferring corals, rocks, fish, and sand to a new nano?

Acoel are usually not an issue. Others can be big issues. Best is to ID them first and then we can go from there on treatment. If moving, dips can remove them and scrubbing coral skeletons can remove eggs. There are also chemical treatments, but I only recommend those if bad ones and they are really bad infestation. Most time some elbow grease can get rid of them.