What is this?

[EnchantedSea]

Hello everyone! I have white hard specs on the back wall of my tank. It kinda looks like margarita salt. Does anyone know what this it? What causes it? Should I be concerned? Thanks

 

[Anemone]

More than likely they are small tube worms (feather dusters), and are a sign of tank health. It could also be the beginnings of coralline algae. Look at the spots and see if they are flat (coralline) or raised (tube worms), and check them out with a magnifying glass - if they're tube worms they will probably be circular and have an opening on the outside (hrough which you may occasionally see a feathery projection).

Kevin

 

[EnchantedSea]

Thank you Anemone! I feel relieved now. They look more round and bumpy than flat...so it probably tube worms. Thanks again for your help

 

[EnchantedSea]

I know they are not copepods...I know what those look like. After examining them more closely...I beleive they are the tube worms. Thanks guys.

 

[Anonymous]

If you have snails, they could be eggs. Happens all the time. If there is no visible feather looking thing or a couple of string looking things hanging out the end they are probably eggs. HTH

 

[chad_pierce]

I was just going to ask that same question. This is how fast they appear. I came home this evening. I took a razor to the walls of the aquarium to clean the film off. All of these white things came off with the film. Five hours later, there are the salty dots again. Mine kinda look like an * with little hairs hanging all around the edge of them. Not from the middle, but from the edges.

I was baffled. Also, when seeing how fast they appeared, am I going to have a tank full of feather dusters only?????????

 

[jethro]

Copopods

 

[blue jaw]

I agree with the tube worm theory. Copepods are small, free swimming crustaceans- like tiny shrimp. They look nothing like "hard white specks" of "salt".

Tube worms are harmless filter feeders, and their reproduction, as Anemone said, are generally a sign your tank and water are doing well.

 

[papirus]

Hello everyone! I have white hard specs on the back wall of my tank. It kinda looks like margarita salt. Does anyone know what this it? What causes it? Should I be concerned? Thanks

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my tank. Those white specs might be calcium deposits or algae. Testing water hardness is a good start. Consider a gentle cleaning, and regular water changes can help. If in doubt, seek advice from experienced aquarists. Good luck! jumping shell

 

[shinylights]

Hello everyone! I have white hard specs on the back wall of my tank. It kinda looks like margarita salt. Does anyone know what this it? What causes it? Should I be concerned? Thanks

Spirobid worms they are non harmful hitchhikers that leave a spiral shell behind that’s almost the size of a grain of salt so if you look closely and see spirals it’s that