Copepods?

[April315]

I seem to have these very small bugs? that is on the glass of my aquarium that has all of a sudden in the last few days appeared. They look like brine shrimp, however I have not feed live brine shrimp in some time. Are these copepods? If they are, are they harmful? How do I get rid of these? I read somewhere here that if they are copepods, they can be eliminated by dragonface pipefish. I read that these fish are difficult keepers, not to mention I didn't even look at compatibility issues. I do not belive I am experienced enough for a "difficult" keeper yet. Does anyone have any advice?

April

[graphixx]

they are most likely pods. they are good to have in the tank, they are good snacks for the fish to eat. this shows the tank is maturing.

[graphixx]

in addition, some fish will eat only pods. a prime example is the mandarin goby. these fish need a very well stocked tank and mature tank that has a good pod population. a lot of the time people will get them and the tank is not mature enough and the little guys starve to death. they have been known to be switched over to prepared food but in most cases they perish.

[April315]

Thank you, I was worried. I only have two fish in this tank, that could be why I'm noticing them now. I recently moved my clown to the sick tank b/c he had something stuck in his mouth (it was removed) however I put him in the sick tank with maracyn two to help him heal. He could have been eating them before.

[April315]

My bristle worm population I noticed is getting high. Can too many of them be a problem? I have sand substrate. (I had some bristle worms hitchhike in on some live rock). I had read that a few weren't a problem. I have these little featherdusters (blue) that appeared, now I have to have at least twenty of them. Can these things get out of control? Should I be looking into an arrow crab?

[graphixx]

bristle worms are one of the best scavengers you can have, some people dont like it when they get big but I have never had a prob with them. I have them over 6 inches long in my tank. and an arrow crab will eat a lot more than bristle worms. anything it can get its pinchers on

[lReef lKeeper]

i agree with Graphixx22, copepods are good to have in the system. i would never try to get rid of the pods, they are a great snack for other fish AND they are ALL my mandarin goby will eat right now (i am tring to get him switched over to frozen foods, but no luck yet).

[graphixx]

April. also I forgot.............WELCOME TO CAPTIVE REEFING!!!!!

[seahorsedreams]

The bristleworms I'm sure are fine in the numbers you have.

Here are some pics of pods in my tank...
With eggs
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/verysmall.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/copepodtoday.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/isopodnew.jpg

[April315]

Thank all of you for all of your advice!!!! Thanks for the welcome also! I may get a mandarin goby someday. I read how they can be difficult to feed so that's why I haven't. They are stunning though. Right now I only have a convict goby and a spotted cardinal fish in there. Thanks again!

[graphixx]

Anytime, yeah I would hold off on the mandarin, if the tank has a good population to sustain a mandarin they are actually quite easy to keep. the food requirement is the hard part