Help! Clear bugs, Red build-up - My tank is killing me slowly!!

[BellyUp]

Where to start! What a terrible tank mom I am! I have multiple "issues" that I hope someone can help me with! I have a 29g BioCube, maroon clown and blue damsel.

1. I have this red/brown stuff that grows and is all over parts of my sand and rock. My LFS said it was red slime so they gave me treatment to use but it didn't work. I've noticed that when I turn the lights on in the morning, the red stuff is nowhere to be found and the buildup on the rock is a grayish color, but after a while of the lights on - sure enough the red returns both on the rock and in my white sand. It's almost as if its alive and just needs to "wake up" after lights come on. With the sand it's both on the top layer and also deeper down (which then causes little snails to vacate the sand that's red, leaving little dark holes).. I tried to lightly scrape some of the layered build-up off my rock too and it came off in little chunks but of course I can't do that to all my rock cause I don't want to damage it. What is it and how can I get rid of it?? (See first 2 pictures).






2. I don't know if this is cause for alarm or not, but rather safe than sorry! I noticed there are tiny clear/white bugs - like lice - crawling all over my coral, rock and even on the sand. TONS of them! They are maybe 1-3mm long and look like they have a bunch of legs (like a centipede) and have 2 front antennae-type things. At first I thought they were teeny shrimp or something but they can't be...how'd they get in there. They make quick, short movements then stop. Then move again and stop. I honestly don't know if they've just always been there and I've never noticed, or if they are new in the last month and taking over! It's like my tank has lice! I don't know if I'm more alarmed they're there, or boggled at how they stay grounded underwater with the current!! (See picture #3)




3. Hopefully last but not least, I've noticed tiny white barnacle-looking, spiral growths on my back panel/wall. I haven't taken pictures yet but will tomorrow. I noticed the "lice" critters crawling on the back wall too but not sure if they came from these barnacle things or if they're separate. More to come when I inspect closer tomorrow.

So far my fish are alive and seem ok. I'm going to do new water tests tomorrow to to see what my levels are at. They were fine before other than my ph bring a little low (which I'm adding builder 2x weekly in hopes it goes up). Sorry I know this is a LOT for one post! I didn't know what else to do or if they were related.. Between these issues and having the flu last week - I was ready to give the dang tank away!

 

[bribo12]

Where to start! What a terrible tank mom I am! I have multiple "issues" that surfaced this last month that I hope someone can help me with! I have a 29g BioCube, maroon clown and blue damsel.

1. I have this red/brown stuff that grows and is all over parts of my sand and rock. My LFS said it was red slime so they gave me treatment to use but it didn't work. I've noticed that when I turn the lights on in the morning, the red stuff is nowhere to be found and the buildup on the rock is a grayish color, but after a while of the lights on - sure enough the red returns both on the rock and in my white sand. It's almost as if its alive and just needs to "wake up" after lights come on. With the sand it's both on the top layer and also deeper down (which then causes little snails to vacate the sand that's red, leaving little dark holes).. I tried to lightly scrape some of the layered build-up off my rock too and it came off in little chunks but of course I can't do that to all my rock cause I don't want to damage it. What is it and how can I get rid of it?? (See first 2 pictures).

2. I don't know if this is cause for alarm or not, but rather safe than sorry! I noticed there are tiny clear/white bugs - like lice - crawling all over my coral, rock and even on the sand. TONS of them! They are maybe 1-3mm long and look like they have a bunch of legs (like a centipede) and have 2 front antennae-type things. At first I thought they were teeny shrimp or something but they can't be...how'd they get in there. They make quick, short movements then stop. Then move again and stop. I honestly don't know if they've just always been there and I've never noticed, or if they are new in the last month and taking over! It's like my tank has lice! I don't know if I'm more alarmed they're there, or boggled at how they stay grounded underwater with the current!! (See picture #3)

3. Hopefully last but not least, I've noticed tiny white barnacle-looking, spiral growths on my back panel/wall. I haven't taken pictures yet but will tomorrow. I noticed the "lice" critters crawling on the back wall too but not sure if they came from these barnacle things or if they're separate. More to come when I inspect closer tomorrow.

So far my fish are alive and seem ok. I'm going to do new water tests tomorrow to to see what my levels are at. They were fine before other than my ph bring a little low (which I'm adding builder 2x weekly in hopes it goes up). Sorry I know this is a LOT for one post! I didn't know what else to do or if they were related.. Between these issues and having the flu last week - I was ready to give the dang tank away!

1. Sounds like cyano but looks kinda like diatoms. Is it hairy? If so it's cyano and you have a high nutrient/low flow problem. What are your nitrates and phosphates? How old is the tank?
2. These are copepods and amphipods. They are a beneficial natural food source for your fish.
3. Spirobid worms, completely harmless filter feeders. I have them all over my tank.

 

[BellyUp]

Thank you SOOO much!! I didn't even know what it was called to look up - you have given me so much great info!
1. I looked up both and researched and think now it is definitely diatoms. Doesn't look fun to try to treat, clean or remove.
2. Totally think they're cope/amphipods!! I'm so relieved they aren't harmful! I guess they've always been there and I never noticed..?
3. Same as above - so glad they aren't harmful. I'll still try to take a pic and post to be sure my description was accurate. They are about 1-2mm in diameter.. Super tiny.

Again thank you so much for these leads so I could do further (accurate) research!! You are my new favorite person today!

 

[bribo12]

Thank you SOOO much!! I didn't even know what it was called to look up - you have given me so much great info!
1. I looked up both and researched and think now it is definitely diatoms. Doesn't look fun to try to treat, clean or remove.
2. Totally think they're cope/amphipods!! I'm so relieved they aren't harmful! I guess they've always been there and I never noticed..?
3. Same as above - so glad they aren't harmful. I'll still try to take a pic and post to be sure my description was accurate. They are about 1-2mm in diameter.. Super tiny.

Again thank you so much for these leads so I could do further (accurate) research!! You are my new favorite person today!

Haha no problem diatoms aren't really something to worry about. They usually come and go based on available silicates. So you probably have a small silicate bloom and the diatoms will go away once they use it all up. Yup number 2 and 3 are signs of a healthy tank IMO.

 

[Mebbid]

With just being on my phone and not being able to get a good loo at your pics I can safely say that the only problem is #1. What are your nitrates and phosphates at? How long do you run your lights daily?

The small bugs are likely isopods and are harmless bugs that ride in on live rock. The small spiral growths are harmless filter feeders that are a good sign of a fairly healthy aquarium. I can't remember their name off of the top of my head though.

 

[Jerinanyon]

+1 Diatoms. Tank is probably new. Happens to everyone. Give it a week or 2. Should clear up and won't be seen again for a while.

 

[Zactheninja]

The only thing you should be worrying about is the tiny apstasias in the photo with the Copepods.
I'd try a peppermint shrimp, they usually get the little ones like that.

 

[BellyUp]

The only thing you should be worrying about is the tiny apstasias in the photo with the Copepods.
I'd try a peppermint shrimp, they usually get the little ones like that.

Are the apstasias these crazy duster anemones? There were always just a few but over the last 2 months those multiplied like crazy and some are really big now - literally starting to take over any open coral, rock, sand and the back wall even. I wish it was a simple as "weeding" them! My LFS said get a snail (which didn't really work) but then someone else also said a peppermint shrimp. A couple employees steered me wrong a couple times so I don't know who to listen to anymore or want to be wasting money buying the wrong livestock or supplements. I was however trying to get my ph up a little before adding/trying the shrimp.



The tank has been established for 7+ yrs with everything except the blue damsel I added, but came to me when a friend was suddenly moving back in July so I'm still learning!

 

[bribo12]

Are the apstasias these crazy duster anemones? There were always just a few but over the last 2 months those multiplied like crazy and some are really big now - literally starting to take over any open coral, rock, sand and the back wall even. I wish it was a simple as "weeding" them! My LFS said get a snail (which didn't really work) but then someone else also said a peppermint shrimp. A couple employees steered me wrong a couple times so I don't know who to listen to anymore or want to be wasting money buying the wrong livestock or supplements. I was however trying to get my ph up a little before adding/trying the shrimp.

The tank has been established for 7+ yrs with everything except the blue damsel I added, but came to me when a friend was suddenly moving back in July so I'm still learning!

Yep those are 100% aiptasia. Peppermints are hit or miss in eating them IMO. No snail will touch them lol. Good idea not listening to them anymore, they don't seem to know much. Don't try to pull them off as any fragments will turn into new nems and spread further. You can inject them with boiling water or lemon juice right in their mouth. Berghia nudibranchs eat them to but that's all they eat, so once they eat them all you will need to rehome them.

 

[BellyUp]

With just being on my phone and not being able to get a good loo at your pics I can safely say that the only problem is #1. What are your nitrates and phosphates at? How long do you run your lights daily?

The small bugs are likely isopods and are harmless bugs that ride in on live rock. The small spiral growths are harmless filter feeders that are a good sign of a fairly healthy aquarium. I can't remember their name off of the top of my head though.

Thanks so much for your reply and info! The lights used to be on a timer that broke so I've been doing them manually until I replace it, which with busy life and toddlers means I'm inconsistent. On a timer - 8 hrs/day. With me doing it, 8-10 sometimes even 12 hrs when I'm gone all day until night.

 

[BellyUp]

+1 Diatoms. Tank is probably new. Happens to everyone. Give it a week or 2. Should clear up and won't be seen again for a while.

Tank is established (7+ yrs) but I AM definitely new!! I got it from a friend who was moving back in July. Glad to hear its nothing major. Do you know what would suddenly bring it on in an established tank? My light timer recently broke and with me manually doing them they've definitely had days where they're on for more than 8 hrs (if I'm gone all day). Could that contribute?

 

[BellyUp]

Yep those are 100% aiptasia. Peppermints are hit or miss in eating them IMO. No snail will touch them lol. Good idea not listening to them anymore, they don't seem to know much. Don't try to pull them off as any fragments will turn into new nems and spread further. You can inject them with boiling water or lemon juice right in their mouth. Berghia nudibranchs eat them to but that's all they eat, so once they eat them all you will need to rehome them.

Holy MOLY you are giving me all sorts of crazy stuff to look up!! (Thanks! Ha ha) Ok so those berghias are slug-type things? Aka- shouldn't be too hard to catch and remove! I'll try that. I don't know how I could get boiling water into their mouths. Thanks so much! Yeah my LFS guys also told me the diatom was "red slime" and had me buy the removal treatment (needless to say that didn't work either..ha!)

 

[bribo12]

Holy MOLY you are giving me all sorts of crazy stuff to look up!! (Thanks! Ha ha) Ok so those berghias are slug-type things? Aka- shouldn't be too hard to catch and remove! I'll try that. I don't know how I could get boiling water into their mouths. Thanks so much! Yeah my LFS guys also told me the diatom was "red slime" and had me buy the removal treatment (needless to say that didn't work either..ha!)

Yeah berghias are slug like. They are pretty tiny though lol. They are the only animal I know of that is 100% effective when it comes to eating aiptasia. Everything else is hit or miss.

 

[BellyUp]

Yeah berghias are slug like. They are pretty tiny though lol. They are the only animal I know of that is 100% effective when it comes to eating aiptasia. Everything else is hit or miss.

Worth a shot! I literally have hundreds of those dusters and see new ones everyday. Thanks again! I'll let you know how they do!!

 

[BellyUp]

Yeah berghias are slug like. They are pretty tiny though lol. They are the only animal I know of that is 100% effective when it comes to eating aiptasia. Everything else is hit or miss.

Hey one more random thing since you're such an awesome smarty pants - do you have any suggestions to raise the ph level of the tank? Ever since I got it from my friend and set it back up back in July, the ph has been around 7.8 instead of more around 8.2.. I have reef builder I've been using for a month to raise the carbon alkalinity in hopes the ph would naturally raise too but there's been no change. I'm afraid any smaller creatures (shrimp, emerald crabs, maybe even the slug things) will die with low levels..

 

[patrick seastar]

Are you using tap water? Because your aquarium is full of algae. The brown stuff on your sand & rock is brown algae called diatoms. They feed on phosphates found in tap water & silicates found in new sand-(in this case it dies once it runs out of silicates from the sand) The little bit of red algae that I can see there is called cyano & it too lives of off those two things. The purple of curse is just caroline algae which is both beautiful, harmless, & dons't need phosphates or silicates to live. Live rock that comes from the ocean has many organisms living in it. The term live can mean either live because bacteria have cycled, matured, & live on it or that it comes from the ocean or someone els's tank where it was exposed to pests that inhabit it. Some of them are bad, some of them are good. Really, live rock is more of a gamble then anything but I digress. The ones that you show here are harmless since they feed on algae & maybe other microscopic crustaceans (pods) that live with them as well. The bad ones eat & damage corals.