Water bugs...help!

[matty2085]

So today I went out and bought some lava rock and a couple of java fern for my SA cichlid tank that I am setting up. After walking home about 30 mins with 25 kilo of rock I couldn't be bothered to start aquascaping. I put the plants into the tank ready for tomorrow's big push at making a home for my new Afra Jalo Reef. Stupidly, I forgot to wash the plants and I now have a load of minute bugs floating around. They are probably about the size of a grain of sand, maybe smaller with a small tail like thing. White/brown in colour and don't move a great deal...just seem to hang in the water and squirm around occasionally.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what these might be? I sorry the description is not great but I cannot take a photo as they are so small. Also could the be harmful to cichlids once I get them? Thanks

 

[aqua_chem]

Could be scuds... Hydra is also a possibility. Without pictures it's hard to say.

 

[matty2085]

Thanks for that. Having had a look at images of scuds and hydra I would say that they aren't what I have. Mine look more like Copepoda although they don't have a split tail.

 

[Wyomingite]

Sounds lke copepods. A lotta the copepods only show a split at the end of the tail, and in smaller types it looks like they have a single tail to the naked eye.

WYite

 

[matty2085]

Brilliant thanks. I've been scouring images online and they are they only thing that comes close really. Harmful to fish? Well they go away/get eaten or should I water change?

 

[Wyomingite]

Brilliant thanks. I've been scouring images online and they are they only thing that comes close really. Harmful to fish? Well they go away/get eaten or should I water change?

Complicated questions. Most species are harmless and will get nommed on. On the other hand, some are parasitic. The so-called anchor worm is one such parasitic copepod.

Based on yer description, I'd guess the ones ya have are most likely harmless and will disappear quickly once ya have a predator in the tank.

WYite

 

[matty2085]

Managed to get a couple of pics. I'm guessing they are not so clear so clear but hopefully give an idea of what I have. They look like upside down balloons!