little grey insects in aquarium

[Taylor]

I have a 10 gal freshwater aquarium with some small common store-bought
fish. I had a red-eared slider turtle in there for a while, but let him go
in a nearby pond because he got too big (I live in Texas where they are
native). I had snails in the tank for algae but the turtle ate them. I put
some snails and tadpoles from my friends pond in there yesterday, and I
noticed I have these little grey insects (I believe) quickly darting about
in the gravel. They are small, about 1mm in size, and seemed gouped in one
corner. They are too small to really describe or photograph. Anybody know
what they are, and if they are harmful? Thanks.

[Altum]

Taylor wrote:
> I have a 10 gal freshwater aquarium with some small common store-bought
> fish. I had a red-eared slider turtle in there for a while, but let him go
> in a nearby pond because he got too big (I live in Texas where they are
> native). I had snails in the tank for algae but the turtle ate them. I put
> some snails and tadpoles from my friends pond in there yesterday, and I
> noticed I have these little grey insects (I believe) quickly darting about
> in the gravel. They are small, about 1mm in size, and seemed gouped in one
> corner. They are too small to really describe or photograph. Anybody know
> what they are, and if they are harmful? Thanks.

Not insects, but crustaceans. There are a lot of harmless freshwater
crustaceans that appear in fishless tanks including rotifers, daphnia,
and copepods. Most are harmless and your tadpoles will probably eat them.

I had a bunch in a fishless planted tank for a few weeks. They look
pretty cool under a magnifying glass. Mine ate all the algae off of the
glass and then the population crashed.

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[Charles]

On Fri, 12 May 2006 18:33:45 GMT, Altum >
wrote:

>Taylor wrote:
>> I have a 10 gal freshwater aquarium with some small common store-bought
>> fish. I had a red-eared slider turtle in there for a while, but let him go
>> in a nearby pond because he got too big (I live in Texas where they are
>> native). I had snails in the tank for algae but the turtle ate them. I put
>> some snails and tadpoles from my friends pond in there yesterday, and I
>> noticed I have these little grey insects (I believe) quickly darting about
>> in the gravel. They are small, about 1mm in size, and seemed gouped in one
>> corner. They are too small to really describe or photograph. Anybody know
>> what they are, and if they are harmful? Thanks.
>
>Not insects, but crustaceans. There are a lot of harmless freshwater
>crustaceans that appear in fishless tanks including rotifers, daphnia,
>and copepods. Most are harmless and your tadpoles will probably eat them.
>
>I had a bunch in a fishless planted tank for a few weeks. They look
>pretty cool under a magnifying glass. Mine ate all the algae off of the
>glass and then the population crashed.


Add ostracods to the list, that would be my guess.

[Taylor]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 12 May 2006 18:33:45 GMT, Altum >
> wrote:
>
>>Taylor wrote:
>>> I have a 10 gal freshwater aquarium with some small common store-bought
>>> fish. I had a red-eared slider turtle in there for a while, but let him
>>> go
>>> in a nearby pond because he got too big (I live in Texas where they are
>>> native). I had snails in the tank for algae but the turtle ate them. I
>>> put
>>> some snails and tadpoles from my friends pond in there yesterday, and I
>>> noticed I have these little grey insects (I believe) quickly darting
>>> about
>>> in the gravel. They are small, about 1mm in size, and seemed gouped in
>>> one
>>> corner. They are too small to really describe or photograph. Anybody
>>> know
>>> what they are, and if they are harmful? Thanks.
>>
>>Not insects, but crustaceans. There are a lot of harmless freshwater
>>crustaceans that appear in fishless tanks including rotifers, daphnia,
>>and copepods. Most are harmless and your tadpoles will probably eat them.
>>
>>I had a bunch in a fishless planted tank for a few weeks. They look
>>pretty cool under a magnifying glass. Mine ate all the algae off of the
>>glass and then the population crashed.
>
>
> Add ostracods to the list, that would be my guess.

Cool. I googled each of the species and they appear to be ostracods or
daphnia, probably ostracods. It is hard to tell. They move quickly for
short distances. I wonder where they came from? It is exciting, because I
have tried to make a little ecosystem in my tank by using real plants and
some native species. Having these new species spontaneously appear is very
satisfying. I hope they last.

[Taylor]

"Taylor" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Charles" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 12 May 2006 18:33:45 GMT, Altum >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Taylor wrote:
>>>> I have a 10 gal freshwater aquarium with some small common store-bought
>>>> fish. I had a red-eared slider turtle in there for a while, but let
>>>> him go
>>>> in a nearby pond because he got too big (I live in Texas where they are
>>>> native). I had snails in the tank for algae but the turtle ate them.
>>>> I put
>>>> some snails and tadpoles from my friends pond in there yesterday, and I
>>>> noticed I have these little grey insects (I believe) quickly darting
>>>> about
>>>> in the gravel. They are small, about 1mm in size, and seemed gouped in
>>>> one
>>>> corner. They are too small to really describe or photograph. Anybody
>>>> know
>>>> what they are, and if they are harmful? Thanks.
>>>
>>>Not insects, but crustaceans. There are a lot of harmless freshwater
>>>crustaceans that appear in fishless tanks including rotifers, daphnia,
>>>and copepods. Most are harmless and your tadpoles will probably eat
>>>them.
>>>
>>>I had a bunch in a fishless planted tank for a few weeks. They look
>>>pretty cool under a magnifying glass. Mine ate all the algae off of the
>>>glass and then the population crashed.
>>
>>
>> Add ostracods to the list, that would be my guess.
>
> Cool. I googled each of the species and they appear to be ostracods or
> daphnia, probably ostracods. It is hard to tell. They move quickly for
> short distances. I wonder where they came from? It is exciting, because
> I have tried to make a little ecosystem in my tank by using real plants
> and some native species. Having these new species spontaneously appear is
> very satisfying. I hope they last.
>

OK, I looked at them under a magnifying glass and I definitely see 2 shells
like a clam. This makes me think they are ostracods.