What will eat my copepods?

[Raevyna]

A few days ago I noticed that my tank is absolutely infested with thousands of near-microscopic, flea-looking bugs. After much frantic searching I am 99% sure that they are copepods.

I keep seeing people say that the fish should take care of the problem. But the only fish in the tank is an Oscar and he is completely uninterested. I don't think he can even see them, to be quite honest.

So what kind of fish will eat them? And should I turn up the temperature as well?

Has anyone had success killing the copepods off without doing a complete tank cleaning and all brand new water? This tank is still cycling and the Oscar is a sensitive albino, so I am leary of starting his home from scratch again.

 

[HN1]

I'm not sure there is a good option to go into a tank with an Oscar. What size tank? I deffinitely wouldn't add ANY fish to a cycling tank. Don't sweat the pods, regular water changes will gradually diminish them. If you're in a rush and have no inverts or desire to keep them in the future, had-a-snail should work.

FYI- The albino will be no more or less sensitive than another color variant.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[mgamer20o0]

they are sign of over feeding. gravel vac more and cut back on feeding. smaller fish tend to eat them but with a oscar he really wouldnt go after them. they really dont hurt anything.

 

[Raevyna]

Thanks for the responses!

Yes, we have already cut back on feeding. We were doing 4 times a day, about 10 pellets at a time. But now we've dropped to 2 times a day and only 5 pellets.

I guess if they won't harm my fish than there's no rush. I was afraid they were some sort of parasite or something. I think aesthetically it was a little disturbing as well... it's not every day you look into your tank and see "fleas" dancing around!

I will keep doing frequent water changes and hopefully time will do all the work of wiping out the copepods for me!

Thanks again-
Raevyna