UNKNOWN Bug!

Turned on my Kitchen light last night to grab something to drink, and accidentally found these bugs crawling very quickly on the substrate , in and out of the hole of the LR. The bug has 4 antennas and many legs, it looks like some sort of of roaches?? And they seems pretty sensitive to light because after I turned the light on, they all running back and hide in side the holes in the LR....

Is there anything that I should be alert to these critters before I start adding Livestock?? Oh yeah, my tank has finally matured after 5 weeks... :

 

Odds are they are Copepods and are very beneficial to your system. The main reason they don't like light is that is when their predators (Fish, Shrimp, Crabs) can see them and eat them. Many fish will eat these little guys and a healthy population of Copepods is a good indicator that the basic elements (SG, Ammonia, Nitrites) of your tank are good enough to support life.


Jason

 

cool, I was worried if that's bad parasite. I will try to take a picture tonight to confirm with you guys. So is there any bad guys that are more typical and I should look out for??

 

If you click on the Red Copepod in my post it will take you to a site about them

J

 

Follow up, it is the "Copilia vitrea" that's on your copepod link.

 

okay, I got really freaked out now, I saw one of these critter that is at least 2 cm big? When I see them walk around, their tail/end part is always curaled up...are they really copepods?

 

Ok nevermind, just saw a picture posted by Karlas [smiley=thumbs_up1.gif]

 

if its whats in the pic there a good thing and fish love to eat them for snacks

 

I had a bjillion of those things in my tank for the longest time (I didn't have any fish). They would come out at any time day or night. Then I got some fish. Now I only see them at night. I guess they aren't stupid, they know when it's time to make themselves scarce. From everything I have read these are a very good thing.

 

they make them selves scarce till night time but some fish hunt at night for them i know the bangaii cardinals do mines a big night hunter thats why they have them big eyes lol