Do I have babies?

[astride13]

Hopefully someone can help me ID something I found today while I was doing some maintenance on my tank. (top up, etc.) I noticed hundreds of white dots swimming around. They are about the size of the "period" at the end of this sentence. I can see eyes and they swim like a fish.

I recently added a Bursa Trigger about 2 weeks ago which is my only new addition. For fish I have one Yellow Tang, one Blue Damsel and one Percula Clown. For Inverts I have emerald crabs, blue leg hermits, a coral banded shrimp, a cleaner shrimp and a bunch of various snails. I also have a Sabae Anemone, yellow polyps, button polyps, ricordia and mushrooms.

I put as many as I could catch into my fuge so they would have a better chance. I would have taken some pictures, but they are so tiny I don't think it would come out. Let me know if you have any ideas of what these could be.

 

[steve-s]

Some possibilities would be hermit larvae, crab larvae, pods, mysid shrimp or possibley polychaete larvae (Metatrochophora).

Do they swim in all directions, horizontaly or seem to kinds "bob" up and down?

Cheers
Steve

 

[astride13]

They swim mostly horizontal, but the do "bob" up and down a bit. I can see two big black eyes and a clear to white body.

I looked up your possibilities and the look similar to Hermit Crab Larvae. I could not find anything on Trigger fish larvae. I wanted to see what they looked like since my Bursa Trigger was the newest addition although it seems that the eggs would need to be externally fertilized to hatch.

 

[steve-s]

Most likely then hermit larvae or mysid shrimp.

Here's a pic of hermit larvae. They will generally bob in the water.

Cheers
Steve

 

[astride13]

They look similar to the picture, but appear to have a dorsal fin. Since they are small and I do not have a microscope, it is hard to compare to a picture zoomed in this much. I think we have a match, but I will let you know when they grow up unless they all get eaten first.

If they are Hermit Larvae, should I put some small shells? If so, how small?

 

[steve-s]

If they are Hermit Larvae, should I put some small shells? If so, how small?

Not likely they will survive the other inhabitants as well as the equipment but on the off chance, might want to get a small handful of CC from someone if possible. That will often contain small shells.

Cheers
Steve