# White specks moving around on tank walls



## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Hi ^.^ Kinda new here... I mostly go to bettafish.com for questions, but as of late, no one's been able to answer certain questions and I've been told by a friend on there that there's a possibility someone on here could answer. This is what I posted from my other thread I made a few days ago:

"So I'm about halfway in cycling my 5g tank. I was watching my snail rove around the tank, and then noticed that what I thought were tiny bubbles flowing around the tank from my filter were actually very, VERY small tiny white dots moving about on the walls >.>;;; I've no idea what they are, so... has anyone on here had experience with this and what they are? I'm assuming they're not going to hurt my snail or my tank... but I'm curious about the tiny organisms because I haven't seen them up until now... and if they are gonna hurt my cycling process/snail, then it'd be great to know as well ^.^ Thanks"

I've had others bring up the possibility of baby snails and planaria, but I'd like to say that I don't think either of those possibilities are true. My snail is an apple snail, and I've been keeping an eye out for possible egg laying- which hasn't happened yet. And as for the planaria, I read they were more 'hair-like' and these things are, like I said, tiny specks and they move pretty quickly about for their size... I've also read the possibility of them being part of a 'newly established tank' but it's not fully cycled just yet, so I'm not sure exactly how likely the possibility is, ya know?
Thanks for any answers or possible brain-storming ideas on the situation ^.^ It will be very well appreciated!


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

*Also!*

from what I can tell by their movements, they seem to have legs. I know it's not much, but I hope that helps a bit


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## gmate (Sep 19, 2011)

Draug Isilme said:


> from what I can tell by their movements, they seem to have legs. I know it's not much, but I hope that helps a bit


Possibly water lice, also known as Daphnia. 

Daphnia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm going to say that's a possibility. Do you know if there's a chance tey'll harm my tank's cycle and/or snail and fish? I'm hoping not... but I'll do what I can if they harm my tank buddies ;__;


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## bigfish93 (Jul 7, 2009)

If it is not water lice then it could be snails. I had little white spots moving around on my tank glass and they turned into snails so that is always a possibility.


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## gmate (Sep 19, 2011)

Daphnia may be unsightly, but they're harmless. Also serve as a food source for small fish and inverts.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

How tiny were they? I'm just mainly ruling out the possibility because their movements don't seem very snail-like and they seem to crawl around with jittery movements more than glide like snails. Would other different kinds of snails hitchhike on an apple snail? It would be the only possibility I see coming about. The only other thing that's been in the tank is my marimo ball, which I quarantined and it was in my other 1.5g with my betta (which hasn't been having the same problem) for a couple of weeks before I got this 5g. And even then, it sat in there for weeks before I got my snail- which is where I believe the things came from.... So far, to me, what fits the bill are daphnia (hopefully they're daphnia and not the spiny kind since they seem like they can be harmful, but I haven't delved into enough research to really say).


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

gmate said:


> Daphnia may be unsightly, but they're harmless. Also serve as a food source for small fish and inverts.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Well that's good to hear and a slight relief ^.^ Only slightly because I'm not absolutely 100% sure it's this... >.>;;... but here's to hoping!


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