[apaniagua]

Hey guys,

So I was given a shrimp tank by a friend. He gave me 3 neocaridinas (blue angels or dreams, still getting to know names) and 2 caridinas shadow pandas. They have been doing well, molting, eating and all. A week later I found out the tank had a few dozens of small shrimps that my friend wasn't aware of (apparently from previous eggs) and they have also been growing.

This week I saw a bunch of little bugs or something...not sure how to call them. I have recorded 2 videos, sorry for the sound or shakiness.

http://imgur.com/a/1kvQGGO

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

Copepods are likely the small swimming specks, and saw two flatworms as well, though not clearly enough to ID. Likely all harmless, but try to get a close look at the worms.

 

[apaniagua]

Copepods are likely the small swimming specks, and saw two flatworms as well, though not clearly enough to ID. Likely all harmless, but try to get a close look at the worms.

I'll try to record you a better video. The copepods are eaten by baby shrimps?

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

Not to my knowledge, but they're a sign of a good ecosystem. You pretty much always see them in shrimp-only tanks, fish are very good at making meals out of them though.

 

[apaniagua]

Good to know! Here are a few pictures.

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

Don't appear to be planaria, and from those photos don't even appear to be flatworms at all. Likely beneficial to neutral as long as their numbers don't go crazy (they shouldn't).

 

[apaniagua]

Don't appear to be planaria, and from those photos don't even appear to be flatworms at all. Likely beneficial to neutral as long as their numbers don't go crazy (they shouldn't).

So planarias have a triangular head? I'll be observing these to see if they grow to have that. So far, shrimps have come close and the worm just stops moving and shrinks until shrimps leave.

 

[Zoidburg]

If they swim in the water column like a snake, head going in one direction, body wriggling, detritus.

If they swim in the water column like they can't control where they are going, nematodes.


My vote is some form of detritus. Not planaria, nor rhabdocoelas.


And yes to the copepods! Saw one definite female! A lot of people think their males with two sacks.... those are egg sacks! Not the other kind! lol

 

[apaniagua]

If they swim in the water column like a snake, head going in one direction, body wriggling, detritus.

If they swim in the water column like they can't control where they are going, nematodes.


My vote is some form of detritus. Not planaria, nor rhabdocoelas.


And yes to the copepods! Saw one definite female! A lot of people think their males with two sacks.... those are egg sacks! Not the other kind! lol

They aren't swimming but moving on the glass. They definitely have a head which moves them in one direction. I can't tell the shape of the head so I was thinking about taking all of them out with a syringe.

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

You'll never get them all without chemical control. If the head isn't triangular (doesn't appear to be) they aren't likely any sort of pest outside of being unsightly. They look too long to be planaria or rhabdocoelas, but there could be species I've not encountered.

 

[apaniagua]

So I found a worm swimming around the tank. It is fairly visible and looks like it has a tail and head. Tail looks like it is divided. Took it out and took a picture.

 

[blissskr]

So I found a worm swimming around the tank. It is fairly visible and looks like it has a tail and head. Tail looks like it is divided. Took it out and took a picture.

That looks like some sort of insect larvae or nymph don't know what kind of insect though. But to err with caution I'd remove anything you see that looks similar as many of those are predatory and will in fact eat your shrimp.

 

[apaniagua]

So I found a worm swimming around the tank. It is fairly visible and looks like it has a tail and head. Tail looks like it is divided. Took it out and took a picture.

That looks like some sort of insect larvae or nymph don't know what kind of insect though. But to err with caution I'd remove anything you see that looks similar as many of those are predatory and will in fact eat your shrimp.

Now that you mention it, it does look like a larvae or nymph. I removed that thing...I saw it and just thought "aw hell no!" Haha. But I'm paranoid. I see things and I wanna clean tank but my friend says all is good. One of my pandas mysteriously died and I couldn't identify why cuz the next day shrimps were feasting on it! So weird. My other 2 pandas are good, eating, swimming and moving around...so I don't know what happened.

Also I was able to zoom better and the previous worms look like this:

 

[en7jos]

In that second photo, the "worm" appears to have rows of legs along the length of its body !?!?!?! :surprise:

 

[apaniagua]

In that second photo, the "worm" appears to have rows of legs along the length of its body !?!?!?! <a href="http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/images/PlantedTank_net_2015/smilies/tango_face_surprise.png" border="0" alt="" title="EEK! Surprise!" ></a>

It does look like it. Is that bad?

 

[en7jos]

Have absolutely no idea!
Never seen anything like that before. It's it real, or just some quirk of the photo?

 

[Complexity]

apaniagua, I enlarged and cropped one of your photos to better show the bristles that are sticking out. I noticed a worm in my files with similar bristles: Annelida (Oligochaeta) sp. Pristina. I'm not sure if there's any relation to your worms, but thought it was worth posting.

 

[apaniagua]

apaniagua, I enlarged and cropped one of your photos to better show the bristles that are sticking out. I noticed a worm in my files with similar bristles: Annelida (Oligochaeta) sp. Pristina. I'm not sure if there's any relation to your worms, but thought it was worth posting.

I can't see your pictures. But yesterday researching a bit before bed I found the info on that same type of work (because of the little legs or bristles). So far it looks like they are harmless to the tank...unless I am missing something

 

[en7jos]

"The friendly neighbourhood oligochaeta Pristina sp."

From here: https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_parasites_parasites-in-your-aquarium

Looks like @Complexity wins the prize! And I thought the critters in my tanks were creepy... :surprise:

 

[Complexity]

"The friendly neighbourhood oligochaeta Pristina sp."

From here: https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_parasites_parasites-in-your-aquarium

Looks like @Complexity wins the prize! And I thought the critters in my tanks were creepy... :surprise:

Great link! That confirms it.

I thought you were joking when you called it "the friendly neighbourhood oligochaeta Pristina sp." until I opened your link. That's what they're actually calling it! :laugh2: So I think it's safe to say it's a harmless interesting tank mate for the shrimp! :smile2: