Copepods experiences?

[Tyler D]

I have just noticed some copepods in my 5.5 gallon tank. It's got 2 guppies(1male1female) 3 Sakura shrimp and a black apple snail along with some driftwood covered with live plants.

Now I have heard these are harmless while others talk about getting rid of them. Are these good or bad?

 

[Tyler D]

Also I read that they can be beneficial in your tank for smaller fish and fry because they could be a secondary food source..

 

[Fresh2o]

Harmless. I've noticed them in my shrimp tank. The population was pretty high for a while but it has gone down (availability of a food source?). No fish in the tank. Coincidentally, the population of FW limpets has risen (competing with the Copepods?) as well as the hydra (eating the Copepods?). I think they were introduced with the moss.

 

[Tyler D]

I read hydras could be dangerous to your baby shrimp but a good thing if you don't want then.

 

[Cactuspixie]

No real experience myself (they are almost imperceptible to me though, so for all I know my tanks are swarming with them!) but this article is informative: http://www.aquariumdomain.com/viewArticle.php?article_id=14