Little white dots on glass (they move)

[kamehameha]

My water started looking a bit cloudy yesterday, but I just did a 20% WC three days ago. I noticed some algae on the front glass and started to go at it with my magnet scraper. When I got going I noticed these little white specs on the glass that are moving around. I tried to take a pic, its very difficult to get them in focus though. Not sure what they are. Any Ideas? if they are a pest, how can I get rid of them?

 

[shakacuz]

could quite possibly copepods, which are beneficial.

 

[shwareefer]

Copepods. If you can get a magnifier you will see they are little dudes with antennae. They are eating the algae.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Did you seed with pods or use live rock? if so those are probably pods.
IF your tank has an air stone those could just be bubbles too

 

[flyingscampi]

Most liklely copepods eating the algae on the glass.

I blow mine off with a turkey baster before cleaning the glass. I love anything that eats algae.

 

[Soren]

My water started looking a bit cloudy yesterday, but I just did a 20% WC three days ago. I noticed some algae on the front glass and started to go at it with my magnet scraper. When I got going I noticed these little white specs on the glass that are moving around. I tried to take a pic, its very difficult to get them in focus though. Not sure what they are. Any Ideas? if they are a pest, how can I get rid of them?

The picture is not magnified enough to ID for sure, but here are some possibilities:
Munnid Isopods (beneficial?, fish food, fast crawling movement, small but not tiny)
Gammarid Amphipods (beneficial?, fish food, probably not what you mentioned here since they are relatively large around 3/8"/9mm long, fast crawling movement)
Ostracods (harmless?, fish and coral food, tiny - typically about the size of a pinhead or smaller, slow and jerky movement)
Copepods (beneficial, fish food, fast darting movement in short bursts, tiny - around the size of a pinhead or smaller)

Compare to these images to help determine what you have in your tank.

My guess from your picture is that it is likely ostracods or copepods.
Ostracods have a "seed" shell with small apendages and move slowly and jerkily.
Copepods have a round "body" with a tail and move quickly in short bursts.

I have both copepods and ostracods in large numbers in my 75-gallon FOWLR, probably due to running it dirty at higher nutrients and allowing some algae and cyanobacteria while also having no predators (though my 4"+ purple tang occasionally eats ostracods off the glass; it amazes me that a fish can have such pin-point accuracy with such a large size difference!).

 

[kamehameha]

I didn't (knowingly) seed with copepods. And all of my rock was base rock. I tried to make sure I got as little outside water as possible in the tank when adding my fish. If I look very closely it seems there is a single antenna on one side of them. They are definitely critters of some kind!

 

[kamehameha]

I'm trying to track down a magnifying glass now, will report back soon!

 

[SlugSnorter]

I'm trying to track down a magnifying glass now, will report back soon!

if you cannot find one, you can use a glass bottle and try and get an angle that magnifies it

 

[kamehameha]

Ok so these were very difficult to take, but I only had a very cheap magnifying glass and an iPhone.

 

[kamehameha]

So I'm guessing copepods then.

 

[kamehameha]

The picture is not magnified enough to ID for sure, but here are some possibilities:
Munnid Isopods (beneficial?, fish food, fast crawling movement, small but not tiny)
Gammarid Amphipods (beneficial?, fish food, probably not what you mentioned here since they are relatively large around 3/8"/9mm long, fast crawling movement)
Ostracods (harmless?, fish and coral food, tiny - typically about the size of a pinhead or smaller, slow and jerky movement)
Copepods (beneficial, fish food, fast darting movement in short bursts, tiny - around the size of a pinhead or smaller)

Compare to these images to help determine what you have in your tank.

My guess from your picture is that it is likely ostracods or copepods.
Ostracods have a "seed" shell with small apendages and move slowly and jerkily.
Copepods have a round "body" with a tail and move quickly in short bursts.

I have both copepods and ostracods in large numbers in my 75-gallon FOWLR, probably due to running it dirty at higher nutrients and allowing some algae and cyanobacteria while also having no predators (though my 4"+ purple tang occasionally eats ostracods off the glass; it amazes me that a fish can have such pin-point accuracy with such a large size difference!).

I am currently attempting to leave a bit of nitrates and phosphate in the tank (no skimming) so the algae stages can get going.

One concern though, I just got a deal on a 75g myself, currently running a 32g. I plan to switch over in about a week to the new one, should I try to take the pods with me? if so how? syphon them?

 

[SlugSnorter]

I am currently attempting to leave a bit of nitrates and phosphate in the tank (no skimming) so the algae stages can get going.

One concern though, I just got a deal on a 75g myself, currently running a 32g. I plan to switch over in about a week to the new one, should I try to take the pods with me? if so how? syphon them?

They will come when you transfer the rock and substrate, You can siphon them too

 

[Soren]

Ok so these were very difficult to take, but I only had a very cheap magnifying glass and an iPhone.

Yes, I'd definitely say they are copepods now that you got a closer picture.

I am currently attempting to leave a bit of nitrates and phosphate in the tank (no skimming) so the algae stages can get going.

One concern though, I just got a deal on a 75g myself, currently running a 32g. I plan to switch over in about a week to the new one, should I try to take the pods with me? if so how? syphon them?

As @SlugSnorter mentioned, they should come over with your rock and sand when you transfer to the new tank, but siphoning them would save as many as possible and give an even greater chance for them to continue to thrive in population in your 75-gallon tank.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Yes, I'd definitely say they are copepods now that you got a closer picture.


As @SlugSnorter mentioned, they should come over with your rock and sand when you transfer to the new tank, but siphoning them would save as many as possible and give an even greater chance for them to continue to thrive in population in your 75-gallon tank.

A refugium couldn't hurt, or even a little bit of macro in the DT. Im going with either blue hypnea or red dragon for my 15 gallon

 

[hollback]

Copepods. Your population is spiking. Their population will balance out, based on predators and available food, and you will likely not seem them in those numbers.

 

[kamehameha]

A refugium couldn't hurt, or even a little bit of macro in the DT. Im going with either blue hypnea or red dragon for my 15 gallon

My new setup came with a sump, will they make their way through that if I setup some chaeto in the center bay?

 

[Not an IT guy]

So I'm guessing copepods then.

Yes. They are great. Means your tank is starting to thrive

 

[SlugSnorter]

My new setup came with a sump, will they make their way through that if I setup some chaeto in the center bay?

If you make the center bay your fuge, you can grow chaeto or many other algaes, the pods will thrive

 

[kamehameha]

While looking at these things, I noticed I also have 15-20 Bryopsis branches on the glass, kind of glad I stopped scraping the front now! What's a good plan for getting those out before they become a problem? I have a razor scraper, should I just scrape them and pull them out of the water?