help little snail looking creatures in my cichlid tank!!!!

[Jon-e]

ok two days ago i get thousands of little sesame seed size snail looking creatures in my 75 gal cichlid tank. they are salt and pepper color as they seem to be see through with their organs being black. they are feeding on algae that grew on my driftwood.
my cichlids seem to be excited because they are just all over their territories. these things are all over my tank, mostly on the bottom and some on the sides. they seem to be using a propulsion technique from a siphon or other similar organ. plz help is needed to figure out remedy for my distressed cichlids. i will attempt 50 percent water change with my python to suxk em out. :(

[TKOS]

Well there is a good chance that they are just snails. When ever I get new snails they seem to come in explosions of a whole bunch. They only way to get rid of them is to remove them by hand, though they will constantly come back. Just make sure to reduce the amount of food you give the fish as this will slowly start to stop the snail explosions, and clean the algea. I find the explosions generally tend to come about from excess food sources.

[wetmanNY]

When you say "jet propulsion" I get a picture of hopping or zipping or scooting. Ostracods? Try www.google.com set in IMG (image) mode: "Ostracod"

Ostracods are harmless mini-crusteaceans helping to break down detritus. There's a brief paragraph and some links at www.skepticalaquarist.com : "Invertebrates" in the "Crusteacean: subfolder.

[Jon-e]

wetman by jove you have it right man. ostracods is what they are.

[wetmanNY]

...it's so easy to make my day...