pods???

[IAreef]

My tank is nearing/at the end of the initial cycle. Upon examining the progress of various growth on my live rock I noticed several white "dots" floating around on the glass, after a further inspection, theres got to be hundreds covering the glass and LR in the tank. I'm hoping these are some type of pod that I hear everyone talking about. They are about the size of a period, oval shaped with a small pointy tail on one end. I tried to get pics but they show up as white dots, if at all with my point and shoot. I'm also wandering if they are a beneficial creature like I suspect, do I need to do anything to keep them thriving until I put my first creatures in the tank. (probably about 2 weeks away) Thanks in advance.

[Braves11]

These probably are the pods. You really don't have to do anything to keep them up. They thrive under a little bit of nutrients and shelter. Usually in and round piles of shells and rocks. They are beneficial, forming part of your clean-up crew and as a snack for many fish. Mandarin Dragonets feed exclusively on these critters. Many reefers who have mandarins have a refugium connected to their system so they have a constant supply. Will your first creatures be snails, crabs, etc? They probably won't do much to the pod population but feed mostly on algae.

[CarmieJo]

I agree they are probably pods! They feed at the bottom of the food chain on phytoplankton. You feed DT's Phytoplankton or a similar product although I don't think it is strictly necessary.

[THEJRC]

heh been so busy I almost missed this one, take a close look and the answer is right in front of you! If they seem to move around in random directions, can flit off fairly quickly when startled., are fairly straight in shape and are less than a millimeter long you've got copepods, some of the tigriopus species will get up to 2000 micron (2 millimeter) but most stay around 700-1200 micron as adults. Very beneficial very easy to keep.

If they're shaped like comma's and look somewhat shrimplike with praying mantis arms their amphipods, these guys get fairly large (I've personally seen up to 4 millimeter) and are also very beneficial!

If they stay on the glass and dont seem to posess much swimming ability, are flat and white and move like worms their acoel flatworms, not as huge of a pest as many make them out to be but not so desireable either. They show up sometimes while cycling tanks and will wane as nutrients balance out. You can siphon them out to help control population as well.

As far as how to keep the critters in good order it's not terribly difficult so long as you have a refugium and a good rock amount in the display, they'll naturally hide out and breed. Wrasses, many Goby's, pipefish, hermits, etc. will feed on them en masse while most other fish will only occasionally snack on them here and there.