What are these tiny white things all over my glass?

[laezur]

Just popped in to check on my tank this morning and noticed literally hundreds if not thousands of these tiny white things all over my glass. Seem to be concentrated around an area which has turned “misty” almost like condensation on the inside, which could also be algae growth so it appears they’re eating that?

Off to the right are some larger white creatures that look like tiny stars. Big white centres with legs reaching out in every direction.

If antone can help me here, thank you! I wanted to scrape the glass down to get rid of the algae but if these are good guys I don’t want to kill them.

 

[The Farmer]

the video is not loading

 

[laezur]

the video is not loading

Sorry videos can be funny on here

 

[The Farmer]

They look like tiny star fish when did you notice them after lights out?

 

[laezur]

They look like tiny star fish when did you notice them after lights out?

Actually I noticed them this morning as my lights started to ramp up, and could see them clearly as lights hit 100%. Didn’t check last night because I was away, but they all seemed to have appeared overnight

 

[The Farmer]

Like your pods they will only come out at night.
did you use live rock in your system?

 

[EricR]

Big ones in pic look like some type of hydroids.
Small ones on glass are too hard for me to see -- are they pretty slow (maybe flatworms?) or do they crawl around noticeably (like copepods)?

*wait for experts

 

[laezur]

Like your pods they will only come out at night.
did you use live rock in your system?

Yes sir, the tank has been live nearly a year. I dosed copepods recently, wondering if that’s what all the small white things are? The pods I added were red though, hence my confusion.

I was about to scrape the glass, but I don’t want to kill anything so I’ll just leave them. They seem to be eating the algae on the glass anyway?

 

[threebuoys]

spirobid worms

 

[laezur]

Big ones in pic look like some type of hydroids.
Small ones on glass are too hard for me to see -- are they pretty slow (maybe flatworms?) or do they crawl around noticeably (like copepods)?

*wait for experts

They’re quite still, eating the algae on the glass I assume - but when they do move they move quite fast and crawl like copepods.

I’ll have to Google hydroids, not sure if those are good

 

[The Farmer]

Hydroids, flat worms have a different body type

 

[The Farmer]

Medusa hydroids

 

[EricR]

Hydroids, flat worms have a different body type

Right -- there's at least 2-3 different types of creatures going on in the pics/video though.

 

[laezur]

Medusa hydroids

Thanks, Google is telling me these things are bad and will sting fish and corals. I’ll see if I can scrape these jerks off before they get out of control. Although I’m willing to bet if they’re on my glass, they’re on my rocks and it’s already too late.

 

[EricR]

Iaezur, if you haven't seen this before, maybe start with the first post here:

Common Hitchhikers

 

[laezur]

Right -- there's at least 2-3 different types of creatures going on in the pics/video though.

Inspecting the tank for a few minutes the small ones aren’t moving often but then they do they move very fast, like lice.

 

[EricR]

Inspecting the tank for a few minutes the small ones aren’t moving often but then they do they move very fast, like lice.

Probably just some type of "pods" then (probably copepods) and most consider them beneficial.

The hydroids are what you might have to worry about.

 

[NanoJHB]

Inspecting the tank for a few minutes the small ones aren’t moving often but then they do they move very fast, like lice.

Most likely copepods

 

[laezur]

Medusa hydroids

Medusa hydroids appear to be benign and can just be left or removed is that correct? This thread was from like 2013 though

 

[tharbin]

Medusa hydroids appear to be benign and can just be left or removed is that correct? This thread was from like 2013 though

Hydroids haven't changed in millennia. The thread is still valid