Copepod ID (friend or foe?)

[ClaraBell]

I caught sight of these little guys in my tank this morning before I left for work, I googled around and I’m guessing that they’re copepods but I wanted to get confirmation that they’re not harmful.

Tank is at least 6 months old (possibly more, I’m the second owner), and the parameters stay surprisingly stable for a 5 gallon tank (i am currently working on building a larger tank to upgrade to, but I test the water weekly and do 20% water changes biweekly). The tank had live sand in it when I got it and I added some dry rock myself.

I currently only have a maroon clown (the main reason we are having to upgrade lol), a green bubble tip, a neon blue cleaner goby, a red legged hermit, a cerith snail, and an astrea snail. I let some film algae grow out before I got the hermit and the snails and they’ve been doing a great job about cleaning it up. I offer them a small piece of seaweed 2-3 times a week for a few hours at a time and I typically feed frozen brine shrimp, plankton, and a marine mix with krill, spirlina, and plankton in small amounts (like 3 small pipets full) twice daily.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Pod friend. Specifically to me it looks like a large tisbe pod with a large clutch of eggs.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Also maroon clowns get BIG and eat a lot. It'll foul the water in a 5 gallon quickly. I'd upgrade sooner rather than later. Also once established unless you get a pretty big tank it'll likely bully any fish you add so keep that in mind

 

[ClaraBell]

Also maroon clowns get BIG and eat a lot. It'll foul the water in a 5 gallon quickly. I'd upgrade sooner rather than later. Also once established unless you get a pretty big tank it'll likely bully any fish you add so keep that in mind

Unfortunately I am aware lol, she came with the tank as a last minute add on and I was already planning on getting a larger tank anyways. We currently have a 75 gallon & stand that is ready to fill and cycle but we are waiting until we move next month so we don’t interrupt the cycle. I am considering upgrading to a 20-30 gallon tank in the meantime since she is thriving and already starting to grow.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Unfortunately I am aware she came with the tank as a last minute add on and I was already planning on getting a larger tank anyways. We currently have a 75 gallon & stand that is ready to fill and cycle but we are waiting until we move next month so we don’t interrupt the cycle. I am considering upgrading to a 20-30 gallon tank in the meantime since she is thriving and already starting to grow.

One option is once you get the 75 cycled add a first allotment of 2-3 fish you want to add BEFORE reintroducing the maroon clown. This would minimize aggression, but I'd still choose fairly "can stick up for themselves" fish or fish that can effectively hide/live in sand for that 75.

 

[ClaraBell]

One option is once you get the 75 cycled add a first allotment of 2-3 fish you want to add BEFORE reintroducing the maroon clown. This would minimize aggression, but I'd still choose fairly "can stick up for themselves" fish or fish that can effectively hide/live in sand for that 75.

That was my basic plan although I’m very glad to hear it from someone else lol. The tank is going to compose of mainly semi-aggressive fish around 3-5 in because the main inhabitant will be a snowflake eel. (Although I think she’ll be added after some of the first fish mainly just for my peace of mind)

 

[Cthulukelele]

That was my basic plan although I’m very glad to hear it from someone else lol. The tank is going to compose of mainly semi-aggressive fish around 3-5 in because the main inhabitant will be a snowflake eel. (Although I think she’ll be added after some of the first fish mainly just for my peace of mind)

Be sure to have good filtration. Snowflake eels are MESSY