Something walking around on rocks in tank?!

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Dinky, Nov 8, 2013.

  1. Dinky

    Dinky

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    Hallo everyone!

    Seems this week is open to some challenges where my tanks are concerned.

    I've added some white rocks to my betta's tank and covered them with Riccia that still has to grow in on places.

    I had my nose plastered to the tank wall just now and noticed something walking around on the white rocks. It's very, very tiny and only a microscope will magnify it to the point of seeing what it actually is - so a photo is out of the question. It's definitely not a snail and it's definitely not swimming.

    Now my question is - there's not supposed to be anything alive in that tank besides the Betta.

    Anyone have any ideas what it could be? If I should get rid of it? And how I should get rid of it?

    Would greatly appreciate some input.

    Have a great weekend!
     
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  3. dash

    dash

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    Could be a bug??? But not sure.
     
  4. OP
    Dinky

    Dinky

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    There's quite a few of the little things.

    Until I know what else to do, I've done a major water change...

    Hoping someone will be able to shed some light on the subject.
     
  5. KiazerG

    KiazerG Sailfin Molly

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    I had them in my Betta Tank... used to occur in the cover of the rock overhang or in areas with high moss. Did no harm to my fish and I enjoyed the fact that my tank had a resemblance of an ecosystem. I wouldn't stress too much unless they get out of hand.
     
  6. OP
    Dinky

    Dinky

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    @KiazerG

    Thank you very much! Was really worried that I may be breeding some flesh (fish) eating micro somethings on this side!
     
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  7. eros111

    eros111

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    @Dinky - I wonder if you and I do not have the same thing. What I have discovered in the last week are hundreds, no, probably thousands actually, of tiny and I mean REALLY TINY little creamy white 'thingys' crawling and creeping around on my bare tank floor and all over the pieces of wood in the tank - also need a microscope to be able to see them - almost the size of the smallest imaginable grain of very fine sand ( a bad case of dandruff it looks like he he ) They seem to almost launch themselves off the floor or wood, get carried by the water stream, and land somewhere else. My cardinals in the tank are not eating them and they do not seem to be bothering the cardinals.
    On Thursday, I went to Dorry pets, and Lanzo and Roberto could not tell me what they are either, but, they recommended I get a bottle of Seachem Cupramine (buffered active copper), and Lanzo said to use it half strength as recommended on the bottle for freshwater. Friday evening - NO RESULT - so I dosed again at the FULL STRENGTH dose recommended. This morning, half of the little f---ers are dead lying in piles on the floor - the other half are moving slowly and lethargic. The dead ones have formed little piles of what looks like 'playsand' in the areas where the water flow is much slower behind the pieces of wood - like where the mulm also collects
    So, half are dead and I think I am going to repeat the full does treatment again this evening to see if the others will die.
    Oh, and the other thing that happened, is that the Cupramine killed all the aquatic nematodes - (those thin also minute little white wriggly worms) that I did not even know I had that were obviously living in the wood - well I had seen them before but never realised how many there actually were !!As they came wriggling out of the wood the cardinals ate them all up - not sure if that was a good thing or not - we wait to see.
    Does this seem like the same little critters that you have Dinky ?
    EDIT: also to say that it is very strange, because this had been a closed community - I have not added fish or wood or plants - nothing - to the tank for 6 months - only water changes and ferts!!
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2013
  8. eros111

    eros111

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    also @Dinky - if this is not the same thing as what you have, I might start a new thread to try to identify what these little buggers are !
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 2, 2016
  9. OP
    Dinky

    Dinky

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    @eros111

    Tx very much for the response, I appreciate.

    It sounds like the exact same thing. I also noticed that they seemed "jumpy" or like you put it, launching themselves. Had it not been for the absolute whiteness of the rock, I never would have spotted them.

    I haven't spotted any after yesterday's siphon but will keep a close eye and get some Cupramine.

    I'm wondering where they come from. If you haven't added anything new, it can't be from the rock or the plants I've added.

    What ferts are your using and what are you feeding?

    Found this while googling. Doesn't shed much light but it's an interesting read with regards to unidentified things in the water.

    http://www.planetinverts.com/what_is_that_bug_in_my_aquarium.html
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 2, 2016
  10. eros111

    eros111

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    Feeding tetra bits and spirulina flakes, frozen blood worm, and frozen brine shrimp once or twice a week, using tropica ferts .
    looked at that link you posted - can't really tell much - one would have to look at them under a microscope to see what they look like and then try and identify the little buggers.
     
  11. eros111

    eros111

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    @Dinky - the Cupramine is working like a bomb I have to tell you - very few of the little buggers still alive this morning !!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 2, 2016
  12. OP
    Dinky

    Dinky

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    @eros111 - that's great news! Tx a lot!
     
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