Weird pods taking over...

[Siemering11]

Hello reefers,

I have a Nuvo 25ext with a 20 gallon sump that’s been running for about 5 months. The tank is pretty well stocked, and thanks to my large refugium, the display is always loaded down with pods. My spotted mandarin is fat and happy 3 months in, and the glass is still covered in a couple different species of pods 24/7. What’s weird is this new kind of pod on the glass. They’re small, round, white, definitely move around, and have absolutely exploded!!! My glass is covered in these guys and I’m starting to wonder if they’re the bad kind...I see them on coral and on the stocks of my mangroves. Any insight helps! Thanks!

 

[Soren]

I have the same creatures in my 75-gallon FOWLR. I believe they are identified as ostracods. I still need to confirm mine under a microscope, but they look identical to your pictures as far as I can tell. Your video shows exactly the same thing I have in my tank.

Edit: I do not know if they are harmful or not.

 

[Siemering11]

I have the same creatures in my 75-gallon FOWLR. I believe they are identified as ostracods. I still need to confirm mine under a microscope, but they look identical to your pictures as far as I can tell.

That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. They’re the only thing that looks similar through my macro lense. Are they known to be bad?

 

[Soren]

That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. They’re the only thing that looks similar through my macro lense. Are they known to be bad?

I don't know if they are harmful. I do see them crawling on my Sarcophyton toadstool leather (only coral in the FOWLR) and all over the aquascape in addition to on the glass. My purple tang occasionally eats them off the glass even though they are so tiny.

 

[Subarody]

I have recently seen these guys appear in my tank shortly after adding a handful of snails/hermits and two zooanthid colonies. Coincidentally I have just started seeing algae forming in my tank fir the first time as well and as the film over the glass gets more apparent I see more of these little white guys all over the glass. The two clowns I have eat them off the glass regularly. I tried to get a couple of microscope photos.