Doc4PC2 Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hi, In my 3rd tank which I painstakingly tried to be as perfect of a tank as possible, after learning from everything from my first two tanks, The water quality is: Temp - 73 F PH - 6.4 - 6.6 GH - 4 to 6 KH - 0 to 1 Sponge filter Marineland Penguin BioWheel 200 HOB Layer of Fluval Shrimp Stratum on bottom and Moon sand on top Xmas moss only one piece of Malaysian Driftwood one Indian Almond Leaf few of the miniature Alder cones one air stone RO water and Bee Shrimp Gh+ minerals, and nothing else with the water - TDS - 170 Ceramics in a moving bed filter. Small UV sterilizer that I use occasionally. I turn it on for about two to three days, every other week. 10 to 15% water changes every other week Today, I found this very tiny, smaller than a nat, white flies floating on the top of the water. They have white wings, and very, very tiny. I have not idea where they came from, or how they got into the tank. My house is clean, and I don't have flies in my house. It is still cold here in Montana. I have never even heard of this before? I scooped them all out of the tank. I threw away the HOB filter, and boiled the HOB. I cleaned everything in around the tank. Every line, every chord, every plugin, all glass, the glass tops, both sides, did a magnet algae cleaner on all four sides of the tank. Put in a new filter, after cleaning and boiling the HOB, cleaned the ceramics. I added some Colony to the water that I added with the new hob filter and the RO water. All water parameters are the same, everything is okay, and the shrimp all seem fine. I have not hardly fed them at all, because they seem to have plenty of bio film to eat and don't seem interested in anything I feed them, other than some organic frozen spinach that I will put a small piece in, every two to three days. That is about it, so they are not getting overfed at all. So far, since doing all of that, I have not seen another one of those flies floating on top of the water and it's been about five hours. But has anyone heard or seen these tiny white flies before floating on the top of the water in an aquarium before? If so, what are they, where do they come from, how to I make sure I never get them again, will they harm the shrimp, is there a best way to get rid of them? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Hopefully, I will not get them back. They were quite a few of them, probably about 30 of them all total, all alive, and all floating on top of the water. They are all gone, and I have not seen one since about 5 hours now, and since I cleaned everything and did everything. But I sure have never heard or seen these before in any tank, fish, or shrimp. Thanks for any help, Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted April 13, 2014 Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Every once in a while I'll get springtails on top of the water. Usually from plants. Harmless to shrimp, and jump like fleas on the top of the water. I just looked up pics though and they don't have wings- so not sure what you had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc4PC2 Posted April 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Since I did a major clean up, boiled everything, cleaned everything all around the tanks, etc. I have not seen a single one return. I have no idea where they come from. I have been meticulous with the third tanks, so that was a major surprise. Plus I am one of those weird clean and organized type of person in my home. The only thing I put in the third tank was xmas moss, but that was in the tank for about 5 days before this happened. I can't imagine they being on the xmas moss. They would have had to hatch under water after 5 days, so I doubt that would be even possible. Plus the person that I buy the xmas moss from is just an incredible person, who is highly detailed and does excellent work. They were white flies, tiny, tiny, tiny, white flies. I hope I never see them again. But, so far, everything looks great, and every inch around the tank, you could eat off, wall, tables, knick knacks, carpet, shelves. You name it, I sterilized it. So, I don't think they will be back whatever they heck they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Springtails can be anywhere but completely harmless and on the surface of a fish tank, they die off . They are found in humid soil, plant areas but short lived without land as they starve and drown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc4PC2 Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 These were not Springtails. There were actually white flies, very tiny, tiny, white flys, but when I look at the photos, they were the white flies, like you would get in a garden, but not the Springtails. I hope I don't get any of those Springtails. I don't like them at all either. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I have had little white things that hop around on the top of the tank. They seem to only appear when I have lots of plants at the top of the tank (floating plants or plants that have grown to the top and start growing across the top. Once I remove the plants at the top of the tank they disappear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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