Pods ?

[ambulocetus]

Okay, so i have had some pods running around my tank for like a week now, they look like miniscule white ants. I bought some more live rock from a lfs and now i see hundreds of small "pod-like" things swimming in the current? Three questions i guess :
1. What are the swimming things? (too small to photograph)
2. Are they beneficial?
3. Can you have too many pods etc ?

Thanks you!

- I have a 30 gal, which has been running for 5 weeks, about 25 -30lbs lr

 

[indy]

1. hard to say from the description
2. if pods/shrimp/etc, yes.
3. no.

 

[jackdp]

You can never have too many pods, lots of other critters will eat the pods..ie fish, hermits, crabs, shrimp...probably more than I can think of.

 

[jmc]

I have noticed a decrease in my pod population. I used to be able to see them cruizing around on my lr and sand with ease... now I have to look hard to find any alive. I'm noticing little transparent carcasses suspend in my water from time to time - could these be dead pods?? Will high (20 - 40 ppm) Nitrate levels cause a pod die-off??

 

[darb2]

try looking at yur tank an hour before lights on.
There may be a few thing affecting pos population. What fish do you have, how much lr? for example.
Not sure about nitrates, but It can only be benneficial to lower them

 

[jmc]

darb2 -

I looked again with the lights off and saw many pods ranging from very small to 2 mm... relief. I have 75 lbs. lr, 2 chromis, 1 maroon clown, and 1 yellow tang and assortment of snails and a few hermits in a 46 gal. Also running a protien skimmer in sump. I've got a RO/DI on the way so water quality should improve upon next change.

P.S. lost a few snails... think due to high Nitrate ... everything else is in check.