So last night at 2 or 3am after getting up to tell my 2y/o to be quiet and go back to bed for the 3rd or 4th time- I was really awake and had trouble sleeping- ended up turning the filter and air pump off in the tank (doesn't normally bother me but wanted every help I could... don't worry no fish- still cycling- just run it to clear the water and mix things up.
So this morning... (woke late and late for work so didn't get to take pictures) - before I turned the filter on and right after I turned the lights on I noticed these weird little beasties on the glass. I assume I'd never seen them before because they didn't seem to like it when I turned the filter back on and made their way down the glass.
My first thought were "are those little mites running along the glass"- then I looked closer and thought, "no, these must be copepods, I've read about them, they're harmless."
They're between about ½mm to 1mm long... barely visible- had to really strain to see them- could just about make out little almond shaped bodies with two arches off the back.
So first chance I get I google "Copepods"- now I'm less sure I have copepods and wonder if they might be something else- according to everywhere I read- Copepods should be 1 to 3 mm long... I'm not convinced most of mine are even 1mm long- they're barely visible at all- certainly none are 3mm long.
Is there something else that looks like a Copepod only smaller? Or are these really copepods?
Not sure if they hitch-hiker through my tap water (read they are present in many cities tap water) or on my plants- but... I suspect they're here to stay now... (at least until I get fish and they become dinner).
So this morning... (woke late and late for work so didn't get to take pictures) - before I turned the filter on and right after I turned the lights on I noticed these weird little beasties on the glass. I assume I'd never seen them before because they didn't seem to like it when I turned the filter back on and made their way down the glass.
My first thought were "are those little mites running along the glass"- then I looked closer and thought, "no, these must be copepods, I've read about them, they're harmless."
They're between about ½mm to 1mm long... barely visible- had to really strain to see them- could just about make out little almond shaped bodies with two arches off the back.
So first chance I get I google "Copepods"- now I'm less sure I have copepods and wonder if they might be something else- according to everywhere I read- Copepods should be 1 to 3 mm long... I'm not convinced most of mine are even 1mm long- they're barely visible at all- certainly none are 3mm long.
Is there something else that looks like a Copepod only smaller? Or are these really copepods?
Not sure if they hitch-hiker through my tap water (read they are present in many cities tap water) or on my plants- but... I suspect they're here to stay now... (at least until I get fish and they become dinner).
