Long time reader of R2R first time poster! I started a new copepod culture on Wednesday (first time) with cultures from Poseidon Reef Systems. I figured I'd see if anyone can ID these little worm-like critters that are growing like crazy in the culture before I pester them with the question. My first thought is they look kind of like rotifers, but they seem a bit big to me. I would pull out the microscope but I don't want to risk contaminating the culture dipping my hand in to get a sample, if they turn out to be fine.
I started Phyto culture and copepod culture at the same time with the same fresh saltwater from my LFS, the Phyto culture has no critters in it at all and growing great, but the copepod culture has tons of these little worms, I am visibly seeing more pods each day and the water is clearing up, but I don't know whether these guys are going to outcompete the pods or if they are just irritating to look at. Since they are not in the phyto, I'm working under the assumption that they came in with the copepod culture and should be harmless, but my anxiety's got the better of me.
I've done a lot of searching but have come up short. Pods show up a couple of times in the video, they are Tisbe pods (for scale). I estimate them (the "worms") to be about 0.5-2mm
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
I started Phyto culture and copepod culture at the same time with the same fresh saltwater from my LFS, the Phyto culture has no critters in it at all and growing great, but the copepod culture has tons of these little worms, I am visibly seeing more pods each day and the water is clearing up, but I don't know whether these guys are going to outcompete the pods or if they are just irritating to look at. Since they are not in the phyto, I'm working under the assumption that they came in with the copepod culture and should be harmless, but my anxiety's got the better of me.
I've done a lot of searching but have come up short. Pods show up a couple of times in the video, they are Tisbe pods (for scale). I estimate them (the "worms") to be about 0.5-2mm
Thanks for taking the time to read this!