parasites in filter????

[406camino]

ok, on my 38 i have a hang on back filter. it has the typical white pouch with charcoal, plus an "aeration grid" which just looks like grey foam to me. the last few times i cleaned the filter and replaced the media, i have found these little guys in there. they look like a cross between a white flea with an elongated body and mosquito larva.....
anyone with ideas? should i be concerned? the single goldfish i have in there is healthy, great fins, and about 5" long.
just dont want to be setting up the goldie for doom, as hes my daughters only survivor from the original 4 fish, and hes about 4 years old!!!
thanks,
rob

 

[Devilishturtles]

Are they like small worms? Does it have legs or anything?

 

[zao]

I don't know how much help I am going to be. I have never heard anything about that, that is new news to me, I did find this website tho. The only problem about the site is that it is talking about a reef aquarium not freshwater setup.

So yeah I am just shooting in the dark on this one. The site has good pictures of what they look like. So if that is them, which I don't know. Then I guess the next step would be to figure out how to get ride of them.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php

 

[Devilishturtles]

zao, isopods are a marine invertebrate, and can be a rather nasty one.

406camino, I think you are dealing either with flatworms/roundworms, or some sort of copepod. All are harmless, and usually just means that more tank maintenence is required to keep them at bay.

 

[406camino]

not a worm or anything....think of a flea with a longer body...
and yes, the tank has been on the backburner a little more than i care to admit.
thanks for all the replies!
rob