Something strange in tank

[scott s]

Just lookin at the tank I have thousands of tiny little "bugs" crawling/swimming all over my substrate. Black in color, kinda look like thousands of fleas jumping all over the substrate. My larger female has been climbing the walls alot lately. Seems as if the rays are irritated. I've always had dark sand, this time I went with white. Is this normal? Don't have a microscope...Any ideas? Any treatments recommended?

Normal water changes, parameters ok. Still eating fine. Thanks alot.

 

[johno27]

You might just want to get as close of a view as you can and compare with pictures of common parasites from the net.

It is really hard to give any kind of a guess as to what they may be without seeing them

 

[scott s]

Looked as close as I can. Looks like a dang flea circus on the bottom of my tank. Gonna do a large water change tomorrow morning and add salt. Almost looks like some of them are attatched to the outer edge of ray's disc. Fast breathing, and ray's seem to be trying to scratch them off in the sand. Never seen this before.

 

[scott s]

Oh, I didn't see anything on the I-net that looked like em. Maybe black spot, but none of the fish are covered in them. Ate like champs few minuites ago.

 

[ajsmith235]

i dont think its fish lice bc they look like lil ticks almost, and bigger than flles

 

[scott s]

I've delt with fish lice years ago...I would agree, it's not that.

 

[knifegill]

Sounds like gammarus, scuds. Try adding something that will eat them all and can avoid predation. Perhaps a trio of giant danios.

 

[Crotalus Scutulatus]

Might be Planeria...non parasitic flatworms. Might be over feeding! Look them up and compare. Good luck

 

[ShadowStryder]

Not planaria as planaria are usually all over the glass and free swimming. They are tiny white little worms and not at all like a flea.

 

[jeffers]

might as well start doing big water changes and suck as many out as you can while doing them. or even siphon out all the sand so they will be easier to see and get out.