# Tiny, white bugs on my betta tank glass?!



## pftrex (Feb 27, 2015)

Hello,
I have a heated, filtered 5-gallon tank with one betta, four ghost shrimp and several live plants and mosses.

Today, I noticed tiny, TINY white specks against the glass. A few of them move occasionally, so I know they're living things. What are they?? Are they harmful? Do I need to remove them, and if so, how?

I usually feed my betta freeze-dried, flakes and pellets. Recently, I fed him a few live brine shrimp. Did these creatures come from them?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Picture will help. Can you post one? Thanks!


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## pftrex (Feb 27, 2015)

They're too tiny to get a pic of...


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## pftrex (Feb 27, 2015)

I can barely make out two little tails on the end of them, like a split tail or antennaes, maybe?


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## rubbie5837 (Dec 22, 2014)

Is it a possibility that they are tiny baby pond snails? I know they first look like little tiny worm bug like creatures.


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## jarabas (Mar 23, 2015)

They're likely freshwater copepods. 
They are harmless to fish--they eat microscopic infusoria.
I like them and believe that they are a sign of a healthy tank.

Do they look like this?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yep copepods and detritus worms are most often seen. Generally due to a large amount of nutrients in the water from overfeeding or just excess nutrients in the water. You can do a water change to help get rid of them but honestly; they're free live food for your fish! woohoo! lol


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## tuxthebetta (Apr 14, 2015)

They may be nematodes!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Most Nematodes get rather large and are parasitic as far as I know. They generally aren't tiny like the Detritus worms are, which are Annelid, different from Nematodes and Planaria ;-)


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## LaRougeRaven (Jan 24, 2015)

If they are anything like what I had. about week after placing a Moss ball into my tank, there were tiny white line specks all over the glass. I never was able to find what they were, but after being told it should be safe. And after my normal water changes in about 2 weeks (2 water changes) they were gone.

Also do they look like this? (ignore that water spots)


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## pftrex (Feb 27, 2015)

Thanks, everyone. I think they were harmless copepods. They were quickly snacked on by my betta and ghost shrimp.


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