I just pulled my fluval 403 apart (it's only been set up for 6 weeks) for cleaning and found hundreds of miniscule critters living on the plastic surface - they sort of hover across the area. I've currently got the whole thing soaking in prazi - but am going to bleach everything.... There's a UV steralizer attached to this filter so don't think they'd survive the trip to the tank but I'm at a loss as to what they can be.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

Ive heard about it but not had it on my filters. They are harmless copepods and show your system is doing well. Shame you want to kill them though but a lot of people do.

Seriously? Well, if they're good for the system, then I won't strip down my last canister So they're not released into the tank? I found them in all 3 canisters and did a good rinse out of 2 (didn't use bleach though - ran out of steam) so they're probably still floating around in there.

Thanks Sands

You will see them in the tank eventually but ive found them fascinating to watch when they have been in my tank on the bogwood. As long as they dont get too many then i dont see the problem and the small fish will eat them. Dont know if the goldies will eat them though.
Its entirely up to you Jen if you dont want them.

I'm not a big fan of things crawling around in the filters - but as long as they don't create a large infestation, I can live with them. I suppose being a copepod, they're destroyed with meds that kill fish lice and anchorworm? <just in case>

Im sure if you treated the tank for something they would die.

I wonder how long it takes for them to die? They're everywhere - I held the log up to the light and there were millions I tested a tub with Para-ex (kills copepods) and they're still swarming all over it but they do perish in boiling water (go figure) so that may be my out....

Good thing or not,I think that "Too much of a good thing is disgusting."I think I could live with a few,but millions????I think I'd be rinsing the filters out too. I know there's all sorts of life in our tanks that we don't even realize or notice,but I personally prefer it that way.
la la la la la la,Jen's got cooties!!!

LMAO - I feel like i've got cooties. After sticking my arm in the water with these things I started scratching and i wasn't even itchy

I've done some research and it seems they're a good food source for fish but I don't know how full they'll get on these little things. No, it's time for them to go

lol at cooties.

It sounds like youre a teeny bit over run with them Maybe boiling what you can is a good idea.

Ooh yeah. My fish are currently swimming in a bare tank - while everything sits in hot water, that's how much I wanted to bring the numbers down

i hope you are successful at ridding your tank of as many creepy crawlies as possible. i think i'd get paranoid if i had to stick my arm in a tank full of lil copepod buggerz. eek!

haha sorry had to play with the smilies...
(this would be the koko members laughing at jen's cooties and this would be jen)

Jens got Coooties 3

Stoooop! Leave my cooties alone Silly copepods....

*quiver* I hope I don't get any of those in my tank.

I don't have cooties...

... I have worms!

Bloodworms grow in my filter. I always grab a few and put them in the pond so the fish can eat some live (not frozen) critters.

My half barrel pond is outside, so it gets funky critters. One time a little frog. One time an alien looking mayfly larvae.

All I see now is the bloodworms in the filter. I think I should transfer some of the goo and bloodworms to the plant soil - it would probably be beneficial.

Right now I have a nitrate issue too - I think I'll get a couple anarachis bundles.

I'll swap you Daniel, ALL of my cooties for some of your worms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copepod

Some information there about Copepods