View Full Version : Need help identifying bugs in my tank
I was cleaning out my filter and along with the many snails I found these crawling around. Are these water fleas or fish lice? Are they harmful or should I leave them for the fish to eat?
Pic 1 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics1.jpg)
Pic 2 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics2.jpg)
Pic 3 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics3.jpg)
Pic 4 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics4.jpg)
Pic 5 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics5.jpg)
Pic 6 (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dabrudda/images/pics6.jpg)
Thanks for any info
Wippit Guud
12-30-2003, 8:12 AM
Well, I can't speak for freshwater, but those look exactly like the sand fleas on my beach...
mrbigisbudgood
12-30-2003, 9:02 AM
I can't tell how big they are, but they look like ostracods (http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/invertebrates/ostracods.shtml) and are a sign of a healthy biosystem that you have going. Leave 'em in, they'll do your tank good.
this is a wetman type of question.......... unfortunately i haven't noticed him around lately...... :confused:
you might be be able to pm him or something.........
until then, you can try his website..... www.skepticalaquarist.com or you could also try the krib....... www.thekrib.com
good luck and nice pix. :)
edit: speeling...... and i also just realized mrbig gave a link but it was hidden :)
kveeti
12-30-2003, 9:52 AM
Tom E. is also great at identifying these things!
But your bug is definitely cool! In pic #5 his body looks shrimp-like to me (?).
If so, it’s an amphipod: they grow 5 to 20 mm; have 7 pairs of legs. They are side swimmers. This is partly what my book says on them: They are widely distributed among vegetation in quiet and moving waters. At night, they scurry about grazing on the rich protist films covering submerged vegetation or debris. When they swim, they invariably roll over on their sides. This behavior makes them easy to identify.
So, put him in some water and see if he swims on his side!
Originally posted by kveeti
Tom E. is also great at identifying these things!
But your bug is definitely cool! In pic #5 his body looks shrimp-like to me (?).
If so, it’s an amphipod: they grow 5 to 20 mm; have 7 pairs of legs. They are side swimmers. This is partly what my book says on them: They are widely distributed among vegetation in quiet and moving waters. At night, they scurry about grazing on the rich protist films covering submerged vegetation or debris. When they swim, they invariably roll over on their sides. This behavior makes them easy to identify.
So, put him in some water and see if he swims on his side!
LOL! :D
the true scientist peeks out. :p
nice post kveeti :)
They are about 1/16 inch long.
mrbigisbudgood
12-30-2003, 11:39 AM
Originally posted by Dman
They are about 1/16 inch long.
You can forget what I said, osctracods are pretty tiny.
buggeek
12-30-2003, 12:09 PM
It is an Amphipoda from what I can see. Some people call them scuds.
Very common in freshwater streams and lakes.
Scuds are what the little critters are.
Thanks for the info.