Do Copepods Occur Naturally?

[Islander722]

Hi everyone!

I have an IM 15 gal AIO that has been running for 5 months now. I have two clowns, Yellow Goby/Tiger Pistol Shrimp pair, two snails along with GSP and Zoa frags.

In the last few days I’m starting to see small white dots on the glass and in the water column. Pretty sure they are Copepods, but I never added any, can they occur naturally?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

No they don't occur naturally, but they do hitch hike on almost everything wet - corals, rocks, frag discs, snail shells, macro algae.... so you have imported them into your system unknowingly.

 

[Islander722]

No they don't occur naturally, but they do hitch hike on almost everything wet - corals, rocks, frag discs, snail shells, macro algae.... so you have imported them into your system unknowingly.

That’s what I meant, I apologize. Did I import them.

Thank you

 

[slingfox]

If you added any sort of livestock then you almost certainly have copepods. Congrats!!

 

[MegabiteOG]

Great surprise, huh?

 

[Islander722]

Great surprise, huh?

Super cool to see the ecosystem develop. My clowns are taking occasional nibbles!

 

[fishface NJ]

You added coral and that is mostly where it came in. I QT and use chemicals to kill pest so I don't get pods the way you do.