Wierdest bug that floats on the water and hops?

[slipstreamv2]

I first noticed these tiny bugs (maybe 1/20th of an inch long and thin) that float on the water and hop quite long distances (maybe over an inch).

I also set aside some tank water to culture "green water" in a glass fishbowl. I noticed that these also live inside the water, and crawl along the glass VERY QUICKLY, and very erratically.

I'm concerned about two things, primarily:

1) that they may be harmful intermediaries/parasites of fish-to-human disease. I know this is relatively rare, but I'd like to feel more at peace.

2) that they aren't harmful to my fish.

 

[Weezer]

Iv seen them in our tanks also, cant recall there name at the moment, but there not harmful, our fish eat them.......

 

[Fishfiles1]

my sister had them, we killed them with protozoa pro

 

[Notophthalmus]

Springtails. Absolutely harmless.

 

[slipstreamv2]

Springtails. Absolutely harmless.

I'm assuming to humans as well? Good to know.

Looking more closely, I guess what you're calling spring tails seem to be round (at least looking down at tank from above), but the ones in my green water culture that move quickly and erratically along the glass (as opposed to jumping) seem to be longer. Are they the same thing?

I think they are -
http://www.google.com/search?q=spri...avclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS272US272

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springtails

"...though it has been documented that the scales or hairs from collembolans can cause irritation when rubbed into the flesh." Maybe that's why I'm so itchy all the time (along with my dry skin).


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As an aside, for those of you who crush snails in their tank, you may not want to -

http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php/why-you-never-19472.html

 

[Notophthalmus]

Sorry, didn't see the second part of your post.

Springtails do not go underwater. The bugs in your green water are probably crustaceans, either scuds (amphipods) or copepods. The erratic swimming sounds more like scuds, but they get fairly large (at least 1/2"). You could just have baby scuds; watch them and see if they grow. Both scuds and copepods are great fish food and totally harmless.

 

[slipstreamv2]

Thanks, Notophthalmus...you seem to be quite knowledgeable about micro-organisms.

I might even try to culture them as treats.

I also have 1/4 inch white worms that are floating in the water column and sticking to the glass in my green water culture...are these common?

 

[Notophthalmus]

Probably planaria. They're pretty common, and also harmless. Do they stretch and contract like earthworms?

 

[slipstreamv2]

The do a bit, but they wiggle more. They don't look like the planaria I've seen on the web, with big heads. I guess these look like them -

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/planaria_white_worms/

They are segmented, whitish, 1/16th to 1/4 inch long, and about 5-10% length is how wide they are (in other words, pretty thin).

I have a Canon SD800IS point-and-shoot, and even with macro mode, I just can't get close enough (I may be missing something obvious).

http://www.voicenet.com/~ginette/planaria.htm

According to that link,

"Don't feed them at all during their mating season during February-March.
After you feed them (let them eat for about 30 minutes - 1 hour at most) make sure you change their water (rinse them off carefully) and add fresh water. This prevents any uneaten food from decaying and dirtying the culture. They also create a 'slime' that needs to be removed.
Keep them at a reasonable room temperature (68-72 degrees). Do not refidgerate them.
Do not expose them to harsh light. In fact, keep them in the dark for most of the time; maybe in the container they came in with a lid (loosley closed) and store it in a closed cupboard.
They are sensitive to extremes of light, temperature, and ph. Being such sensitive creatures, when you begin your experiments, any changes you may make in their environment should be the smallest that you can measure. "

Do you agree with this, especially the light part - I have them in my green water culture:grinyes:?

 

[KarlTh]

Worth mentioning, since there are so many of these "what are these? Will they harm my fish?" threads - 99% of aquatic organisms which you might find in a tank are harmless to fish.

I can think of only two free living creatures I'd worry about in a freshwater tank - leeches and water tigers (great diving beetle larvae). There are a small number of other organisms which would worry me in a fry tank. Everything else will be ignored or eaten, but present no threat to the fish.