Small white creatures

[eros111]

Hi all,
I have got small ( and I mean REALLY SMALL!!!) little white creatures that are invading my tank. They are too small to see exactly what they are with the naked eye. I have tried to take a photo of them with no success - you can hardly see them in the photo (I should get someone with a microscope to see them properly I guess). They might even be a quarter the size of a pin head or a fine grain of sand. They swim around and gather in clusters - looks like a mini sand-storm. They swim on their own and tend to gather in hoards mainly against the glass. When they do settle on the glass, they can walk or scoot around against the glass. Looks kinda like a crab would look when walking.
Some of my fish also have a few of these little buggers settling on them and crawling around on their body - does not seem to affect or irritate the fish.
I did also have the same little critters in a small planted tank that only has Cardinals in it. I had to TRIPLE the recommended dose of Cupramine and it did get rid of most of them, but again they are back in there again
My question is this - is a Copper based product, like Seachem Cupramine, SAFE TO USE for my Discus.
Thanks guys - any info will be appreciated.

[pcsb23]

Sounds like it may be copepods of some sort.

It is impossible to say if cupramine is safe to use as such as with all copper based meds the water chemistry has an impact. If the water chemistry is the same as your cardinals then yes it will be safe as cardinals are far less tolerant of meds than discus. If the water is very, very soft and acidic it may be prudent to exercise caution.

[kkdiscus]

What I would do is try raise the temperature to 31 Degree C, most creatures died at such temperature.

[John_Nicholson]

Do a search on planaria. If it is them they are themselves harmless but they point to dirty water conditions. If you don't correct that you will at some point have issues with your discus health.

-john

[eros111]

I also suspect from what I have read, that they are Copepods !
My water parameters are: temp 31 deg, pH is 6,6. 80% RO water and 20% municipal. TDS is 181, Ammonia 0 and kH 2.
I do 30% w/c every week with aged water.

[eros111]

Hi John - just googled Planaria - it' is not that. these little critters are round in shape.

[eros111]

I have tried to video them - it's on you tube. because they are so small it's difficult to see.
http://youtu.be/qZ_cRL5O1nM[/VIDEO]

[adapted]

As John implied, copepods, like planaria, are harmless in and of themselves but an indicator of relatively poor tank hygiene. They're there because there's plenty for them to eat in your tankwater. All you probably need to do is up your maintenance game (water change amount / frequency, wipedowns, bottom siphoning etc.) and you'll be fine. No reason to add any meds, potions, or poisons to your water.


I had milions of them (along with planaria) in a tank I sort of let go years ago... copepods were the least of my problems

[pcsb23]

I also suspect from what I have read, that they are Copepods !
My water parameters are: temp 31 deg, pH is 6,6. 80% RO water and 20% municipal. TDS is 181, Ammonia 0 and kH 2.
I do 30% w/c every week with aged water.Need to improve your husbandry, Up your water changes to at least three times a week and see if that resolves, if not increase them again!