TINY 'BUGS' IN MY TANK!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Please help me if you can! I recently accidently killed all of my fish in my 55 tank by forgetting to add dechlorinator, except for one common pleco and a tiny yellow lab fry. A week or so later, I went to take out the zucchini that I had on a fork for my pleco and found what looked like little tiny bugs swimming around and on the squash! They are smaller than a pin-head! I put the squash and them in a container with the tank water, and now they are slowly dying, but some are still swimming around. I tried to see them with a magnifying glass, and all I can see is that they are bug-shaped and not worm-like. Reminds me of tiny water-bugs. Does anyone have any idea what they could be? I do not see them in my tank, but they must be there.

[fishyjoe24]

planton, maybe or some type of bug the water companys use to kill certin things in the water with. well that's at least what i hear from people.
maybe batiera(SPELLING)

oh yea you posted this 2 times

[EAST_TX_RN]

Yeah, I wasn't getting a response for awhile with the other post so I started a thread. They are too big for bacteria. Thanks Joey!

[EAST_TX_RN]

374I think I figured out what the 'bugs' are. Copepods! I did some research on the net and found out they are common in tanks when you over-feed, and I did not notice them until I fed my pleco too many algae wafers. They like to feed on plant material, from what I understand. Also, they are a good source of protein for fish, and are harmless to fish. That being said, I don't like them in my tank and plan on draining the tank after I transfer the one little fry I have and the pleco to my 50.
Here is a photo, and it looks just like what I found.

[bra8ndy8]

ewwww give me the heeebeeejeeebeee's!!! lol sp!!

[supersmirky]

those are truelly creepy. I feed about 4 to 5 algae wafers but I have a pleco and my banded that both love them. I better be careful. Thanks for this info!

[EAST_TX_RN]

I bet the tiny buggers where in the algae wafers and since I had several just drifting in the tank without being eaten, they hatched out or whatever.

[AndrewH]

Yeah, definitely thank you for posting!!!!

Something I'll definitely need to look out for!

[bgbdwlf2500]

I bet the tiny buggers where in the algae wafers and since I had several just drifting in the tank without being eaten, they hatched out or whatever.

im not sure where they come from exactly but they dont come from the food itself. the cause is overfeeding.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Thanks Bgbdwolf! I may let some Krib fry eat what is left.

[EAST_TX_RN]

As a matter of fact, I bet that is what my single yellow lab fry has been feeding off of since the mass extinction in my tank!

[bgbdwlf2500]

Thanks Bgbdwolf! I may let some Krib fry eat what is left.

no problem... if you have fish eating them id just let them do it until they are gone, then cut back on feeding

[EAST_TX_RN]

I got the Kribs from David(DCACJC) and they started eating them immediately! The other fry are also nibbling at them too!

[biggin]

So the Krib idea seems to be working?


I got the Kribs from David(DCACJC) and they started eating them immediately! The other fry are also nibbling at them too!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Yes it did! Thanks so much Blake, you saved me a ton of trouble!

[biggin]

Cool and you helped David out. Win / Win

[dcacjc]

It did help me out and I am glad they helped out Sharon.

Thanks to the both of you :cheers:

[EAST_TX_RN]

No, no, thanks to y'all I have fishies in my 55 again! :D

[tsunderl]

PICS!!!!!

[EAST_TX_RN]

The fry are hiding out in the rocks, will have to wait until they are a little older to take photos. Sorry!