Grey Critters

J

Jennie

New Member
I've noticed them before and am seeing them again. They are 'oval' shaped, grey and as far as I can see 'flat'. Very tiny. You pretty much have to look at a spot on the rock and just wait, and then you actually see them when they move. I guess since my coraline algea is thriving in nice dark bold colors Im just better able to see them. Anyone have any idea what they are called? I've been over to wetwebmedia and still haven't found them.
 
J

Jennie

New Member
no, I don't really think so, as I've seen the baby Stomella snails. You can't see the legs on these things (if they have any), and if they do my guess would be that they are 'under' the body.
 
djconn

djconn

New Member
Have we ruled out flatworms? Grey isn't the right color anyways. Flatworms are usually red/pink/brown. hmmm...
 
J

Jennie

New Member
I've tried to get pictures, it's frustrating. I can clearly see them on the dark coraline, they stand out like sore thumbs. Just can't get a clear picture. I don't think they are flatworms though. After watching them tonight, it's more like they are 'crawling'.
 
I

incysor

New Member
Sounds like amphipods to me....But you've probably already ruled that out.

B

1000 posts....I need to find another hobby. :lol:
 
J

Jennie

New Member
Incysor, no not an amphipod. The 'Whatchmacallits" are micro in comparison.

Does anyone know of anywhere else to look other than wetwebmedia & reefs.org? I'm not finding what I'm looking for there.
 
J

Jennie

New Member
After going back to something that caught my eye at work today, I'm wondering if they could be Harpacticoids copepods. Color is off and I can't distintly see the antanea and legs, but its the closest I'm finding. Size and shape (minus legs & antanea) sounds about right.

Here is a quote.


While Calanoid species are highly desirable, they are much more difficult to maintain in a tank system because of the delicate nature of their antennae and preference for live phytoplankton as a food. Calanoids will quickly die due to temperature or salinity changes. Harpacaticoids are a little hardier, and while they do not spend all of their time in the water column, they are present for a sufficient period of time for fishes to find and consume them. Their epibenthic behavior also gives them an advantage in the tank environment because enough of them can hide from their predators where they can continue to thrive and reproduce. Harpacticoid Copepods can also subsist on diets other than live phytoplankton and have the added advantage of keeping the tank clean by grazing on leftover fish food, bacteria, and other detritus. Harpacticoid Copepods are also not as sensitive as Calanoids, because they have had to eek out their existence in highly variable environments such as estuaries or tide pools. The little white bugs in hobbyists' aquariums either fall into the Calanoid or Harpacticoid category.
Click to expand...


It would also explain why they're still in there after the unexpected cycle my tank is going through right now.
 
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