What are the little bugs in my saltwater tank?
Do you have tiny white “bugs” swimming in your saltwater aquarium? You are probably seeing copepods or amphipods. These tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans dwell in marine substrate as adults, but during their larval and juvenile stages, they swim freely through the water.
Are flatworms bad in a saltwater tank?
You may or may not want to do something about these flatworms. They are unsightly, but not necessarily bothering anything except your pride. They may irritate some corals.
Are there parasites in saltwater?
Roundworms, called nematodes, are the most common parasite found in saltwater fish, such as cod, plaice, halibut, rockfish, herring, pollock, sea bass and flounder, according to Seafood Health Facts, an online resource about seafood products operated by the Delaware Sea Grant.
What do flatworms in a reef tank look like?
The Rust Brown Flatworm (Convolutriloba retrogemma) is the most common flatworm found in home marine aquariums. It is rust brown to tan in color with a bright red dot about three-quarters of the way down its body and will reach a size of about 1/4″. They are oval and somewhat elongated with two tail-like appendages.
What are saltwater flukes?
Flukes are a common name for monogenean trematodes, or flatworms. They live on your fish’s skin or gills and feed on the cells and mucus for survival, using suckers and grasping hooks to attach to the tissues.
What is marine velvet?
Marine velvet disease is one of the most common diseases that affects marine aquarium fish. It is known by a variety of names including; amyloodiniosis, marine oodinium disease, oodiniosis, and gold dust disease. The scientific name of the infecting organism is Amyloodinium ocellatum.
How did I get copepods in my tank?
Copepods and amphipods are often naturally introduced into closed aquarium systems when live sand and/or live rock have been added. They will begin to multiply and grow in the tank when the aquarium water temperature is slightly warmer and a food source is available.
How do I get rid of copepods?
Tip: Copepods are attracted to light – shine a flashlight in one area of the tank to gather a cluster of them together, then they can be easily removed from the tank via siphon.
How do I get rid of a huge aiptasia?
a safe, chemical-free approach One chemical-free way to control Aiptasia is to inject scalding hot RO water into the polyp with a hypodermic needle. The hot water effectively kills the Aiptasia. Lemon juice may also be used to inject the Aiptasia.
What eats aiptasia in a saltwater tank?
Shrimps: The “true” peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) is by far the top choice of aquarists for eating aiptasia anemones, but the trick with this one is making sure you get the right species.
Are flatworms reef safe?
Controlling Flatworms Both the Rust Brown Flatworm and the Acropora-Eating Flatworm can overrun the corals in your tank if left unchecked.
What is eating my fish in my saltwater aquarium?
Aptasia Anemones Aptasia anemones are one of the most common nuisances of the saltwater aquarium. These pests may start off as a single organism and quickly reproduce out of control in your aquarium. Larger anemones have been known to sting and even eat smaller fish as they try to rest.
Are vermetid snails really that much of a pest problem?
A new crop of vermetid snails to colonize available sponges, corals, or live rock. Say, the surfaces in YOUR aquarium. The thought of mucus nets crisscrossing your display tank like Spider-man gone crazy probably makes you a little queasy. But are vermetid snails THAT much of a pest problem? Actually, yes.
Are pests harmful to our corals?
We had such a difficult time keeping our corals alive that little thought was paid to the potential that some of the animals arriving with the corals may have been harming them. All of this changed however, when we became successful at keeping corals over the long term, then seemingly all of a sudden myriad pests arose that could harm our charges.