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[1package]

I posted this on the general discussion yesterday only got a few "don't know?" replies got any ideas?


I am setting up a 75 gallon reef tank that for over a year was a 38 gallon fish only. I took the substrate and rock, added some old dried out reef rock, removed the fish and have added 4-5 frags of coral on live rock from my 125 gallon reef tank. My 75 is crawling with transparent quick moving bugs. They range from 0.5 to 1 mm in length and very narrow. I have not found a photo of amphipods but this is what I believe that they are.

I think that there are some species of wrasse that feed on them.

Is there need to worry, attempt to remove? ........... Is there something else that will eat them? ...............Will nearly everything eat them and they are great? - that would be too good to be true.

If only they could be copepods.

I do not know but suspect that it is related........I have some fuzzy white open ended tubes growing on several of the rocks. I have seen somethin similar in my 125 tank's sump, stuck to the sides - any ideas?

[LowCel]

The tubes are most likely feather dusters, they are a good thing. The others are probably amphipods or copepods. If so then they are fine as well. I have them all over my tank, especially my refugium. Sounds to me like you have a healthy tank.

Here is a picture of an amphipod. Copepods look pretty similiar just much smaller. Hope this helps you out.
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/amphipod1za.jpg

[Shikaroka]

Yeh, I got lots of those little guys running around my nano. I think I even have a few more now, thanks to Bruce.

[1package]

I may bring the digital camera in at lunch or have the girl in documations snap a picture for me of the tubes. They are not on live rock. The only live rock in the 75g are the ones with the frags. These have popped up quickly and are over an 1/8" thick, bigger than normal small dusters also they look milky colored.

As for the bugs, they are way small and everywhere on the rocks. I have never noticed them in my 125g, this is why the worry.

[MattG]

whats at the end of the tubes? are they just fan worms? or maybe vermatid snails? a pic will definetly help w/ the ID

you sure the small bugs arent copepods? it sure sounds like them

[1package]

I will send a photo soon. Someone is coming by soon to show me the ins and outs of my camera software as well. This will help.