Tiny little things?!?

[MarkW19]

I've just looked at my tank closely, and I've noticed lots and lots (a hundred or more) tiny little "mites", white, that are running around the inside of the glass!!

I've not noticed these before in the past 18 months.

My tank has never had live rock in it - just baserock that I put in initially, and then some of the off-the-shelf bagged "live" sand.

What can they be?!?

[Fluff]

They are copepods. I know lots of people don't like the bagged aragalive sand and say it's not possible to get life from it but I started my tank the same way. Aragalive sand and dry base rock, and had pods show up. I do believe it is over priced and you'd get more from a few cups from another persons tank but you do get some life from those bags.

[MarkW19]

I've not seen them at all in 18months though...now they're crawling all over the seems and front of the glass...weird?

[Fluff]

Their numbers will fluxuate depending on the food source in the tank and they do better in a mature system. One of the reasons why it's suggested not to get a fish that feeds off them til your system is established. Your tank is prime right now for them to reproduce.

[Brenden]

You might want to cut down on the mood lighting

[MarkW19]

lol...

[MarkW19]

Can I get an orange sea star (echunaster) now then? Will it eat them and be able to survive?

I was advised before that with my tank being fairly new and not having any specific LR in there that it wouldnt...