Copepods Infestation in tank!

[Littlebittyfish]

After making a post on the forum here and someone kindly linked me to a site to help me identify what the heck was in my tank I discovered I have copepods lots and lots of copepods. There has to be someway to get rid of them....right? Please tell me theres a way..

even my sister came over today...looked in my tank and went D: OMG what is in your tank!!?!

There is that many of them...yep...I did a little bit of a search in google, but most places I read people saying they're a good sign and it's cheap food for the fish....but...my fish wont eat them!



How can I get rid of these?Should I take my fish out of the tank? He doesn't seem to mind them being there in his tank, infact...he has made the biggest bubble nest I have ever seen.


The only things I recently changed in my tank: I switch my gravel to sand, I got a mystery snail, and I got some more anacharis.



they look just like this...but whiiite.

http://centexnaturalist.com/folderma...ds/cope01.html

[shinybetta]

He may be eating some, but a small number. Live food would definitely make him feel good and want to breed though!

[Littlebittyfish]

Originally Posted by shinybetta

He may be eating some, but a small number. Live food would definitely make him feel good and want to breed though!

Good point! I have yet to see him eat any of them though...but they are real small! unfortunately theres just sooo many of them!


Has anyone ever had a problem with these before?Has anyone ever successfully gotten rid of them?


I did a 80% water change earlier today and it didn't seem to effect the copepods, theyre still heavily populating my tank.

[BlackberryBetta]

Couldn't you just take everything out of the tank rinse and/or bleach it. Wash the tank out with salt and vinegar and put it back together? Of couse, that would depend on your tank size...

[Littlebittyfish]

Originally Posted by BlackberryBetta

Couldn't you just take everything out of the tank rinse and/or bleach it. Wash the tank out with salt and vinegar and put it back together? Of couse, that would depend on your tank size...

My tank is 5 gallons,cycled. I was thinking about doing this, I have live plants and sand though.I really don't want to have to throw it all away and have to recyle all over again.
Some of my plants were 8 dollars each.

[BlackberryBetta]

Oh ok, got'cha. I see how that would be difficult. If you took your betta out and turned off the filter for a while then stirred the sand up and try to get some of the little buggers out of there, at least you might have it a BIT more under control. Just a thought, I don't have sand so Im really not much help here. Anyways, I hope you can work it out!

[Littlebittyfish]

I am going to be switching him over into a 10 gallon sometime soon, so I may just leave that sand in the 5 gallon and get new sand maybe. I hope that will help. I guess I might just have to deal with these little copepods until then!

[BlackberryBetta]

Ya, If you are getting a new tank, I wouldnt use the same sand. You would want to stop the problem before it starts.

[shinybetta]

Buy some ghost shrimp! A hungry ghost shrimp will probably eat a copepod, problem solved! I like the look of them so I would leave. They are actually a good sign, and are probably good in your aquarium.

[Littlebittyfish]

Originally Posted by shinybetta

Buy some ghost shrimp! A hungry ghost shrimp will probably eat a copepod, problem solved! I like the look of them so I would leave. They are actually a good sign, and are probably good in your aquarium.

I may get a ghost shrimp! I am sort of scared of them though! I hear they can rip betta fish fins.
Would having a ghost shrimp, a snail and a betta in a 5 gallon be overcrowded?