On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 23:44:47 -0400, "asta"
wrote:

Hello RAFP,

Could anyone please advise on these "bugs" that have
shown up in my tanks? They are about the size of a poppy
seed, shaped like a football, and they cruise about in an
upright position. They seem to be eating the leaves of
plants, leaves that are alive in the case of H. polysperma,
mostly dying leaves otherwise. There is a population
explosion...
How about getting rid of them. I tried CuSO4...
bad move...

SL


Definitely not snails... they swim around through the water
quite fast and have a bilaterally symmetrical body.
Can anyone put a name to these? I always thought that
they were "copepods", but when I search on this
term, I see only salties referred, also mine have a compact
form, no appendages in sight. They are white in colour.



Gammarus, I bet.How to get rid of them without breaking down the whole
tank? I don't know. some fish are supposed to eat them.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others