Little mite like critters?

[chester3]

Can any one help me? I have thousands of little dark coloured mite like critters crawling around in my gravel. They were pinky looking things on the glass and have since darkend up and infested the gravel. Does anyone have any idea what these things are and how I can get them OUT! Thanks

[Ardan]

Hi,
Getting them out with gravel is difficult. Clean, clean , clean. Wipe sides of tank, clean gravel, keep filters clean, wc, wc , wc. this might control them, but with gravel it will be difficult. One reason many of us go bare bottom.
they are probably some sort of copepod or water mite.

hth

[Carol_Roberts]

Fluke tabs worked in my bare bottom tank. Dose day one after water change and redose on day 4 after water change. It's OK to do water changes on day 2 and 3. It's best to do all your tanks. May be too many hiding places in gravel