help what are these things in my tank

[dave76]

I have recently spotted a new lifeform in my tank. I had at first thought that my apple snail had hatched a brood without me knowing cause there are all the little round things crawling all over it. But on closer inspection they swim around. They are small round and brown. About the size of a head of a pin. They are in one corner of my tank they swim around but stay on the glass mostly. I have noticed that they crawl under the gravel. Any one know what these might be and if I should be worried about them?

 

[SBA]

is this any help?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12805

 

[dave76]

Yes thank you, I just wonder how they got in the tank.

 

[SBA]

no problem, not sure how they get in the tank (plants?), but wetmanNY describes them as 'part of the wider community in a planted aquarium, and I don't discourage them, on the general principle that diversity means stability' on his site www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/invertebrates/ostracods.shtml so it seems they are not a problem.

HTH

 

[dave76]

they also make a nice food source as well, my convict seems to really enjoy snacking on them .