Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

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jodilynn
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Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by jodilynn »

Hi All,

I bought one of those Moss Balls to put in my split 2.5 gallon Betta Tank, home to my blue crowntail "Spike" and my ancient and sadly blind Dragonscale "Captain America". I figured it would help with the oxygen in the tank (no airstone) and give my "old man" someplace soft to lay on.

Well, I flipped on the light this morning and I noticed tiny white spots on the moss ball, then I looked and there were tiny white spots CRAWLING all over the tank! I wigged! I had to take the kids to school and when I got back the tiny white pinpoints where not on the glass, but seemed to be concentrated on the ball. I yanked it out and rinsed it in cold water for several minutes. I removed my bettas and floated them in cups in my 55 gallon catfish tank to keep them warm (more on this later). I stirred the gravel, rinsed the plants, cleaned the filter and replaced the pad, and probably did about a 60% water change. The moss ball is back in the cup it came in and is probably going back to Petsmart x( .

Any idea what these are?!?!?!?! The fish didn't seem bothered or to even notice them. Friend? Foe? Fishfood? I am also worried as the one betta cup tipped and some of the water from the creepy crawly tank wound up in my catfish tank :(( .

If someone could please advise? I have rinsed all my buckets siphons and cleaning materials in scalding hot water in an effort not to spread this to my other tanks :-S .
dw1305
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Interests: Natural History, Ecology, Plants, Biotopes, Taxonomy, Nitrification, Cricket & Northern Soul

Re: Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by dw1305 »

Hi all,
They sound like "Ostracods", a small crustacean with a hard outer "shell". They are really common in nearly all liquid water. They are quite harmless, some fish will eat them, and some won't.

From <"http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/aqua ... 994/page-4">
Image

cheers Darrel
jodilynn
Posts: 339
Joined: 08 Feb 2013, 16:54
I've donated: $84.00!
My cats species list: 85 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 8 (i:0)
My Wishlist: 7
Spotted: 41
Location 2: BeeEffaEe, MI

Re: Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by jodilynn »

Ok, jeez THANKS as long as they aren't fish lice or something lethal! Ugh!

Is it safe to put that moss ball bank in the tank? I've rinsed and rinsed it! ~X(
dw1305
Posts: 1077
Joined: 22 Oct 2009, 11:57
Location 1: Corsham, UK
Location 2: Bath, UK
Interests: Natural History, Ecology, Plants, Biotopes, Taxonomy, Nitrification, Cricket & Northern Soul

Re: Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by dw1305 »

Hi all,
jodilynn wrote:Is it safe to put that moss ball bank in the tank? I've rinsed and rinsed it! ~X(
Yes the Ostracods are entirely harmless.

I have them in all the tanks, and where the fish don't eat them they will increase until they are visible.

If you can get past the "creep" factor a lot of small crustaceans (like Ostracods and Asellus aquaticus) can perform a useful role in the tank of both "janitor" and additional live food supply.

The yellow dots in the image are Ostracods (that I fed with some Daphnia). The male , didn't differentiate and ate both.

Image

cheers Darrel
jodilynn
Posts: 339
Joined: 08 Feb 2013, 16:54
I've donated: $84.00!
My cats species list: 85 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 8 (i:0)
My Wishlist: 7
Spotted: 41
Location 2: BeeEffaEe, MI

Re: Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by jodilynn »

Oh geez now I feel bad I need a "cleanup" crew in that tank as my poor blind Betta occasionally misses a pellet. I try to be super careful when I feed them as there are no corys or snails in the tank I know sometimes food goes uneaten.

Oh well! Maybe I missed a few, I will throw the mossball back in there.

THANKS!
jodilynn
Posts: 339
Joined: 08 Feb 2013, 16:54
I've donated: $84.00!
My cats species list: 85 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 8 (i:0)
My Wishlist: 7
Spotted: 41
Location 2: BeeEffaEe, MI

Re: Tiny White Creatures on a Mossball?

Post by jodilynn »

Well I now noticed that they are all over the driftwood in my son's 40 gallon cube. Hopefully the Mega Clown Pleco I am picking up tomorrow will feast on these little critters!

Can I ask if the reason I never saw these in any other tanks is because they all have snails and plecos living in them?
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