# such thing as water fleas?



## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

feeders are crap!!!!! i threw in some feeders cuple days ago to see my fish kill and such. the next day i see some tiny little things jumping around on the back wall my fish tank. yes they are jumping. sorry no pic. how can i get rid of it? what is it? they look like a small white spot jumping around. im never going to buy feeders from crap stores again.

on a good note: my Ps are doing real fine.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

I don't know what they are - but I think this is your lesson as to why we all reccomend quarentining any fish you plan to add to your fish tank.

ESPECIALLY FEEDERS!!!!!!


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Dang, fleas?!?!? Never heard of such.. pls post the LFS that you got it from so that others can avoid places like that. But im still thinking.. "fleas"?? The only way I can think of to get rid of fleas is getting a frog, iguana, or strip of glued tape behinde your tank..


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

water change and clean glass were there at....


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Also, check to see whats keeping them around that side of the tank. Might be left over food or something decaying around that spot.


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Innes said:


> I don't know what they are - but I think this is your lesson as to why we all reccomend quarentining any fish you plan to add to your fish tank.
> 
> ESPECIALLY FEEDERS!!!!!!


 Ohh so very true with it comes to feeding feeder. Quarentining is something that should be the norm, not the exception. There is just too much risk involved with just "dumping" goldies into a prized P tank. Think like water fleas develop. Sorry man, I dont know what to tell you. I have never heard of such things before.

~Dj


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

fucken taravel fish store! dont go there. i went there because i never went in there before and i wanted to get some feeders. i usually goto nippon or judah for feeders. anyhow, i will throw in some salt 2m and see how it goes. they literally seem to jump around. weird.


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

You from SF eric? Nippon is a nice shop. Too expensive for me though. I prefer 6th ave aquarium on clement. Cheap as hell. Not for feeders though. Thats usually were I try to buy my fish products/supplies.

~Dj


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Actually my faverite place to get feeders when before I came down to LA for school was a shop in DALY CITY. At that ranch 99 there is a shop that specializes in Discus. They have good feeders there too. Thats when I used to live off of Gellert in DC.

~Dj


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

nippon is a cool store. 6th and celment's sucks ass! their equipment is good i must say. i have to try that discus place. i pass by it everyday coming back home from school. on vacation come back to sf and we can hang out with fellow sf fish hobbyist


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Where do you go to school? Skyline?

Yeah that place im talking about near ranch 99 is actually inside the little shopping center. Its not one of those shops that you can enter from the parking lot. I think that they used to get new feeders on friday. As far as food for fish (blood worms, brine shrimp, hikari) that place was the best in the city i thought. They are expensive for other things though like equipment and fish.

~Dj


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

The suggestion they are jumping around makes me think _springtails_. Harmless but annoying.

Found this:

SPRINGTAILS
by Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist
University of Kentucky Department of Entomology

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Springtails are tiny wingless insects with distinctive heads and a hump-backed appearance. Their name comes from a forked structure attached to the underside of the abdomen which acts a spring to flip them into the air. This behavior gives them the appearance of tiny fleas. Other than being a nuisance, these unique little creatures pose no threat.

Most springtails live in rich soil or leaf litter, under bark or decaying wood, or associated with fungi. Many are scavengers, feeding on decaying plants, fungi, molds, or algae. Springtails become abundant among wet leaves, soil, and plant material along a house foundations or sidewalks where they can be a temporary annoyance. One white species lives on the surface of ponds and streams can be found in drinking water from cisterns or wells. They also can occur around floor drains, in damp basements, and crawl spaces. Masses of these insects can be swept up and discarded.

Plants grown in homes and greenhouses sometimes become infested as a result of heavy breeding in the moist soil. Allowing the soil to dry out will usually eliminate them. Some species, such as the garden springtail can be found on field crops and vegetables, but they rarely cause enough damage to warrant control measures.

Most common springtails do not survive in dry conditions. Any steps to improve ventilation and promote drying are the best long term solutions. Removal of accumulations of wet leaves or other organic matter will eliminate breeding sites. Aerosol household insecticides can be used to treat infestations but will provide only temporary relief if the favorable conditions are not corrected.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

frank, they are really small specks of white. somewhat like ick. they are also like a chip of a peice of small paint jumping around. do water lice jump. i mean these guys can jump pretty far from what i have seen. in 2-4 jump they can go almost go half way across my tank. any way to get rid of these springtails?

DJ, yups skyline is my college. planning to transfer to ucla or irvine asap.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

InSinUAsian said:


> Where do you go to school? Skyline?
> 
> Yeah that place im talking about near ranch 99 is actually inside the little shopping center. Its not one of those shops that you can enter from the parking lot. I think that they used to get new feeders on friday. As far as food for fish (blood worms, brine shrimp, hikari) that place was the best in the city i thought. They are expensive for other things though like equipment and fish.
> 
> ~Dj


 sorry dj..that placed closed down







....and nippon is expensive but the quaility in there of there fish has gone down the drain..they use to have it really nice ..now its a mad house ...and sixth and clement is cool but they have the worst condition i have ever seened for a fish store.. ..but you can't beat there prices....hey any of you ever gone to 99 and pets in south city???


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> o snap its eric Posted on May 15 2003, 03:52 AM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> frank, they are really small specks of white. somewhat like ick. they are also like a chip of a peice of small paint jumping around. do water lice jump. i mean these guys can jump pretty far from what i have seen. in 2-4 jump they can go almost go half way across my tank. any way to get rid of these springtails?
> 
> DJ, yups skyline is my college. planning to transfer to ucla or irvine asap.


Note these two remarks: 1. _Their name comes from a forked structure attached to the underside of the abdomen *which acts a spring to flip them into the air. This behavior gives them the appearance of tiny fleas.*_

2. _One white species lives on the surface of ponds and streams can be found in drinking water from cisterns or wells. _.

I had to go back and look at some old aquario books of mine (1960's) to locate the treatment. In that old book springtails were removed by running a piece of paper over the top and inside of the glass to remove them. Evidently this action makes them stick to the paper.

If I should find anything on the internet as far as other treatment I'll let you know. But it appears this may be the safest.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Interesting. Appears to be no cure for it in the aquario. So suggest you use the method described by me from the old book.

Here is a photo of the critter and the link where found.

Springtail


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

thePACK said:


> but you can't beat there prices....hey any of you ever gone to 99 and pets in south city???


Sure cant. Thier conditions suck like ass, but they have HELLA FISH. Plus its the only self serve fish shop. You get everything your self. KInda cool. If I ever look for something I go there first. Many times they are cheaper the pet solutions or big als.

99 and pets in south city? Hmm, you mean ranch 99? The asian market? If so that is the one I was refering eric to. The only other pet store I have ever been too i kinda near tan foran. More toward ultra sounds ( i dontknow if you know that place). I think its on elcamino, I THINK, maybe just off it, but definately near it.

~Dj


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## SnowCichlid (Jan 10, 2003)

damn that little bugger looks kinda evil


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

but these guys dont live on the surface. well i dont see any on the surface. they are on the bottom and mid part of the aquario.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> o snap its eric Posted on May 15 2003, 02:16 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> but these guys dont live on the surface. well i dont see any on the surface. they are on the bottom and mid part of the aquario.


 Anyway possible to catch one and photograph it? That would be the best possible way to ID what it is you are looking at. I provided a link to what I thought you were describing in hopes you would read it and see if it fit all parts of the description including habitat. If it is some other type of bug, need to at least get a better description if you are unable to photograph it.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

InSinUAsian said:


> thePACK said:
> 
> 
> > but you can't beat there prices....hey any of you ever gone to 99 and pets in south city???
> ...


 You guys are all right about the LFS. Nippon has great quality in fish, but prices are high. 6th ave have dirty fish, but equipmet prices are good. The fish place you guys are talking about in DC @ St. Francis Square, near Ranch 99 is closed down. They had bad fish there too. The 99 cent Fish Store in San Bruno, near El Camino, is ok too. Best place to get feeders are at Pets Club in Westborbough Square, in DC. Ive seen them quarentine their feeders on the spot.

Good luck with your flea prob, Eric. Let us know what the outcome is for future referrences.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

lol, flea problem! see how these "fleas" like it when salt comes into play. gosh i hate feeders! pet club/nippon/judah pet store is where im going for feeders from now on.

frank, thanks, i have read it and it sort of fits the description but not quite. the problem is that i have a black back on my tank and very dim lights. so basically its freakin impossible to see it upclose. catching these guys are very hard. i tried one time and they seems to bounce around like a mad man. do you have anymore links to water fleas and springtails. i tried doing a search and i cant find crap


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Use its scientific name (from that link I gave you) add; controlling pest in freshwater aquariums or something similar and do a google search. See what you come up with.

Let us know.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Eric, try to hang or tape scotch tape, with the sticky part facing outside, close to the flea activity in your tank. This would surely help nabb some of those buggers so that you can take pix and post.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

they dont play around the surface. they hang around the lower parts of my tank.

frank, can these guys be daphina?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Daphnia is much more flea like in appearance, but do not hop around. As I said can you be a bit more descriptive in what these look like?

There are many types of organism that hop around and still be harmless, gammarus (shrimp-like) is another one. Usually found with elodea (Anacharis) plants.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

ok they dont crawl like worms, but they dont jump like bunnies. you get what im trying to say? they zip around though. argh! let me try to catch them on video and hopefully you guys can identify.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> o snap its eric Posted on May 15 2003, 08:11 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ok they dont crawl like worms, but they dont jump like bunnies. you get what im trying to say? they zip around though. argh! let me try to catch them on video and hopefully you guys can identify.


 I believe you are misunderstanding my question and talking about movement instead.

For example in describing springtails;

Head is small, body is built like a termite with a long tail at the bottom. Has 6 legs, antennae, small about 1/6 inch long. Color is hyaline dark thin stripes on the back half of its butt.

Now compare that description to the photo of this pest.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

thank you frank! i have spent about half an hour observing these buggers and i have found out that i do have some floating on the top the tank surface. sometimes they drive back into the water though. is that springtail characteristics? the link you gave me and the information i searched never said anything about springtails living in water.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> o snap its eric Posted on May 16 2003, 03:00 AM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> thank you frank! i have spent about half an hour observing these buggers and i have found out that i do have some floating on the top the tank surface. sometimes they drive back into the water though. is that springtail characteristics? the link you gave me and the information i searched never said anything about springtails living in water.


I need the species description to narrow down the search. Your describing movement, not its physical appearance or at least a photograph of the critter.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

i will PM you a picture soon! thanks for all the help frank.


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