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Little bugs in my filter sock


40GallonReef

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So every time I change out my filter sock there are like 25 - 50 of these little bugs on it. They kind of look like little tiny shrimp. I am wondering if these are Copepods, or if they are something bad.

If they are good, what will eat them? I know people say a refugium is a good place to grow pods, but what do I want them for?

Sorry for the noob question, I appreciate the help.(scratch)

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They are a combination of microfauna including copepods, amphipods, tiny shrimp, small mollusks, etc. Great critters for your tank as they consume small bits of waste and break it down to and even smaller size that can be removed through mechanical and other biological filtration. They are also an important food source for many beautiful reef fishes including the mandarin goby, many pipefish and seahorse varieties, picky anthias or fairy/flasher wrasses, harlequin filefish, etc. The fact that you have them flourishing in your filter sock means that you have not only a grear food source but probably a pretty healthy tank.

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Definitely a good sign, when I change out filter socks I set a 1g bucket next to the sump to put the dirty one in, then take it outside the tank room and bounce the sock upside down several times into the bucket then look to see how many critters I have and pour them back into the sump

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