identifying small white creatures in my aquarium

[rhythms]

I was just feeding my fish about an hour ago, and I turned on the aquarium light since it was a bit dark outside. I saw these tiny white specks, and at first, I thought they'd been there for a while, but when I looked closer, I realized they were on the aquarium glass and moving around. That's when I knew I had to figure out what they were. I've been searching online, but there are so many different answers that I'm getting confused. My tank is pretty new - I got it about two months ago - so I'm not even sure how long these things have been there, and I feel kinda silly for just noticing them now. They're not just on the glass, they're all over the water too, but I'm not sure if the filter is just stirring them up. They're really small, and there are tons of them. Can someone please help me identify what they are and if I should be worried?

[farmhand]

I'm going to take a guess that those tiny white specks might be daphnia or ostracods, though I'm not entirely sure without a clearer picture. Either way, you don't need to worry - they're actually beneficial for your aquarium. I'm curious, did you recently add any plants to your tank? Sometimes these tiny critters can hitch a ride in on the plants. What kind of fish do you have, by the way? Some fish just love munching on them, and they're super nutritious, plus they can help keep your tank clean.

[kilobyte]

Looks like a nutritious bonus for your aquatic friends.

[rhythms]

I'm going to take a guess that those tiny white specks might be daphnia or ostracods, though I'm not entirely sure without a clearer picture. Either way, you don't need to worry - they're actually beneficial for your aquarium. I'm curious, did you recently add any plants to your tank? Sometimes these tiny critters can hitch a ride in on the plants. What kind of fish do you have, by the way? Some fish just love munching on them, and they're super nutritious, plus they can help keep your tank clean.

I've got two plants, one's an Anubias, and the other I'm blanking on - they've been with me longer than this tank. I've had a fin tank for over a year now, and this betta's been my longest-lived so far. I'm still pretty new to all this, learning as I go. He's had some health issues, but he's a fighter. I'm just being super cautious about everything at this point.

[farmhand]

I've found some images of daphnia and ostracods - take a look and see if they match what you're seeing in your tank. If they do, then you're in the clear. These little critters can be a good indicator of your tank's health, though - if their numbers start to get out of control, it might be a sign that you're overfeeding or the tank needs a good cleaning.

[farmhand]

I don't think it's planaria, based on your photos.

[rhythms]

I'm going to take a guess that those tiny white specks might be daphnia or ostracods, though I'm not entirely sure without a clearer picture. Either way, you don't need to worry - they're actually beneficial for your aquarium. I'm curious, did you recently add any plants to your tank? Sometimes these tiny critters can hitch a ride in on the plants. What kind of fish do you have, by the way? Some fish just love munching on them, and they're super nutritious, plus they can help keep your tank clean.

I'll try to keep an eye on it and not freak out unless things change. I'm doing a water change this week anyway, so I'll see how it goes then. Thanks for the help, it's good to know they're probably harmless.

[rhythms]

Update: Just fed him today and he's swimming really weird, like he's scared or something. Checked the water and nitrates are through the roof. How do nitrates get so high, anyway? Do you guys think it's connected to those tiny bugs I've been seeing?

[farmhand]

When was the last water change and substrate vacuum for your tank? High nitrates usually come from overfeeding and fish waste. The little critters you have, like ostracods, they're a sign there's a lot of food in the tank for them to munch on.

[rhythms]

I'm going to take a guess that those tiny white specks might be daphnia or ostracods, though I'm not entirely sure without a clearer picture. Either way, you don't need to worry - they're actually beneficial for your aquarium. I'm curious, did you recently add any plants to your tank? Sometimes these tiny critters can hitch a ride in on the plants. What kind of fish do you have, by the way? Some fish just love munching on them, and they're super nutritious, plus they can help keep your tank clean.

I've been doing a weekly water change since I got the tank, but I thought I could skip a week since it's bigger. I was wrong, I guess. Last time I changed the water was two weeks ago. I added some stuff to help with the nitrates and after that, he started swimming around normally again. I still need to do a water change soon.