Miniscule white creatures

External Since: Dec 04, 2004 Posts: 1

Hi and thanks in advance.

Have a 5.5 gallon freshwater tank with one three-inch fish and lots of
plants. Sponge filter. The fish is not being overfed (it gets 4
small feedings a day, and eats it all).

The plants are finally starting to take over, reducing the algae
population, but I am noticing tiny, really tiny, creatures in the
water. Some are swimming around, and seem to congregate near the
strongest light. Others seem attached to the back glass, which I do
not clean.

The water is changed 20% a week. The side and front glass are kept
clean. So is the gravel.

Any ideas what I am looking at here? They do not seem to be bothering
the fish, and I assume they are eating the algae. They are so small
that I cannot tell what they actually look like.

Thanks again.

External Since: Sep 15, 2004 Posts: 217

On 4 Dec 2004 17:03:28 -0800, wealtheow1.RemoveThis@yahoo.com (Artis Gripemore)
wrote:

>Hi and thanks in advance.
>
>Have a 5.5 gallon freshwater tank with one three-inch fish and lots of
>plants. Sponge filter. The fish is not being overfed (it gets 4
>small feedings a day, and eats it all).
>
>The plants are finally starting to take over, reducing the algae
>population, but I am noticing tiny, really tiny, creatures in the
>water. Some are swimming around, and seem to congregate near the
>strongest light. Others seem attached to the back glass, which I do
>not clean.
>
>The water is changed 20% a week. The side and front glass are kept
>clean. So is the gravel.
>
>Any ideas what I am looking at here? They do not seem to be bothering
>the fish, and I assume they are eating the algae. They are so small
>that I cannot tell what they actually look like.
>
>Thanks again.

The two most common "small things" I find in my tanks are gammarus and
ostracods. From the size description, I'd guess ostracods for your
animals. Harmless.

--

- Charles
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-does not play well with others