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bugs... SW Waterstriders?
-08/27/08 Hi guys, I am sorry if I missed my answer in one of
the archives but I am lost on what is in my tank. I just started a 35
gallon saltwater tank with live rock I bought from LFS. It has been
running about 4 days and today when I opened the lid to test the water
I found all these bugs swimming on the surface. They are the size of
gnats and are black. I scooped most of them out but I don't know
where they came from. It looks like there flying around but when I look
at water level they are skimming the surface. They do not appear to be
swimming around my tank. I have two other tanks and I am familiar with
most of the common "bugs" but I could not find an identity
for this one. Any help is greatly appreciated-thank you. <Hmm...
sorry, it's really hard to say without a picture. Have you seen any
more since? Best, Sara M.> White Critters, water striding somethings in a SW sump 6/20/07 Ok I have live rock in my wet/dry where the water intake from the tank goes/where bio balls were. Floating on top and only on top are white gnat like creatures skimming the top of the one side. There are hundreds of them and I can't get a pic of them they're too small and fast! White with wings and legs size of a pin drop. Any clue cause it's only in this part of the sump and not in the house or tank. Sorry for not much info just maybe you have some sort of an idea or heard of this before thank you. Don V. <... Are these insects? Not common in SW... Maybe Halobates, Gerrids... Please see the linked files in this search: http://www.google.com/search?q=saltwater+water+strider+insects&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7PCTA Bob Fenner> Barnacle in Tubastrea, Concerns Unlikely to come to Fruition - 02/09/2007 Hello to the wonderful crew at Wet Web Media, It's Brandon again. <Hi Brandon! It's Mich again.> I am writing because I had a thought, while watching my Sun Coral. <Hmm, maybe I could send a couple a people to see your Sun Coral so they might have some thoughts.> I bought two colonies, because I knew that the LFS they were in was either going to starve them, or sell them to someone who could not care for them. <"Rescue" is not necessarily the best policy here.> I will admit that I was not terribly interested in hand feeding two colonies of Sun Coral, but I have grown quite fond of the guys, watching them eat and all. <I hope you do not tire, another reason why rescue is not always a good thing.> I noticed that there was a creature inside one of the colonies. I have identified it to be some species of barnacle. <OK.> My concern is that all things grow, and I am quite sure that the barnacle will grow, resulting in one of two outcomes. <Actually barnacles usually don't do well in captivity and typically starve.> Outcome one, the barnacle splits the colony, and assists me in propagating it. <Unlikely.> I am hoping that this is the way things go. Outcome two, the barnacle grows larger, but is not able to break the colony, and dies a horrible pressure death, causing me to have to take the colony out, or risk the reef. <Also unlikely.> I have already looked at pulling the barnacle out and relocating it, but he is bigger than the hole he lives in. I was hoping that someone at WWM had run into something like this before. I have been reading an article that Anthony wrote regarding coral propagation. I am planning on buying his book as soon as I know the name of it ;). Hoping that you guys could tell me that too. <"Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1: Reef Gardening for Aquarists" by Anthony Calfo.> If I have to split the colony on my own I was wondering what would be the best way to go about it without loosing either creatures. <Unfortunately, I don't think this will be an issue.> I also recently asked about a Trachyphyllia. I was concerned that it would die because of a loss of tissue, and algae growth on the skeleton. I moved it out of the light to a slightly shaded area, and it is doing much better. So thank you for the help Mr. Fenner, as you were the one that answered me on this. <He will see.> I would also like to thank you all for the help that you have given me in the past, <You're welcome. Glad you have found it useful. -Mich> Brandon R. Foster Barnacle in Tubastrea, Concerns Unlikely to come to Fruition - II - 02/11/2007 Greetings all, <Greetings to you Brandon!> I had a few concerns that the barnacle would starve to death as well. But I have been observing him, and he seems to be eating quite well. <One can only hope.> I have actually observed him sticking out some sort of feathery hand like appendage, and "catching" food items with it. <Yes, typical behavior.> I have been feeding a mix of Mysis, and phytoplankton. It is pretty interesting. When the Tubastrea eats, the barnacle eats. I have frequently seen him eating, actually I can't recall not seeing him catching things. The only time that he isn't seen is when one of the larger fishes swims by. As to the rescue. I am kind but not fool hardy. I waited for about three weeks before purchase on the sun coral, and I read all that I could on the site, then I read http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0797/0797_3.html. The article by Eric Borneman. Armed with this information, I felt that it was easily in my capability to care for these organisms. <Thank you for making an effort and educating yourself, I was merely commenting on your self described questionable commitment to hand feeding.> I have been feeding them nightly. <Very good.> I have let them continue to be nocturnal, because I leave work when the lights are already off. I have noticed as of late that they will come out any time that I add food to the tank, and I have even seen them catching free floating food items. <All good signs.> This encouraged me, and I think that it has even lightened my load a bit. By the way, I did QT them for a month, during which I did feed them. <Very good.> I didn't notice the barnacle until a few weeks ago. I saw him come out. I thought that it was something with a tongue. I watched a bit closer and realized that it was the aforementioned feathery hand like appendage. I have had both colonies, and the barnacle for a few months now. I thought that if he were going to starve he would have done that by now. <Maybe, maybe not.> Thanks again, <Welcome! -Mich> Brandon R. Foster Mighty Mite? 5/9/06 hi its me again <Okay...> recently about 2 weeks ago , i think i saw a mite crawling along 1 of my hermit crab leg .. since i was new i didn't think much abt it .. it end up dead about 2 to 3 days later ... after which , my the other hermit crab went into moulting and successfully molted . then a few days ago , i saw mite crawling on it again .. and i went to wash the crab like they say on the web and now it seems to be cleared of mite . i boiled the substrate too and now how would i know if its REALLY cleared of mite?? <See WWM re... use the Google search tool. Bob Fenner> Marine Bugs Hi, I have a question regarding (for lack of a better term) BUGS in my tank. They look like transparent termites. They are crawling around my glass and powerheads. Also I have seen what looks like a small, very thin worm. Could you try to identify these parasites for me. I have a 120 gallon invert/few fish tank with Fiji rock. Thanks Richard <<Greetings, Richard. I can take a guess, but I can't positively identify these without pictures. But... it's a safe guess that these are copepods and amphipods which are part of a healthy system. These are frequent riders on live rock. Similarly, the worm is likely a small bristle worm or similar detritivore. No worries. Cheers, J -- >> Bugs! Good morning WWM Crew, <Good morning to you!> I
have a 72g bow front tank. For the last three weeks all my fish have
been in quarantine due to ich outbreak. Over the last week in my main
tank I have noticed little bugs in my tank, really gross! Had never
noticed any bugs prior to moving fish. I have searched WWM but could
not find anything. Could you please tell me what they are, if they will
hurt anything or point me where to read on WWM. <Probably copepods
or amphipods. They are beneficial. Probably were always there, but your
fish ate enough of them to keep the population down so you never saw
them.> Thank you, Lori <You are welcome. -Steven
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