[AlexS89]

i just set up a 10 gal at my house and I went to the fishstore to buy a peppermint shrimp and a crab and some snails, and last night in the lunar light i saw all of these transparent creatures floating around. They look kind of like a shrimp but are very small and transparent. I just set up my tank so they couldnt have been here long, and I bought some live rock. What are these things? could they be dangerous to my tank?

[BLKBRDTA]

Amphipod's.. Quite alien looking actually.. And yes! They are in there!
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..And no they are not dangerous to your tank lol. They are actually beneficial, and a good sign of your system maturing along nicely. They are mainly nocturnal, which is why you saw them at nighttime floating around. Some will take free during the daytime, but if your lucky enough, you will see a fish snatch them up real fast. Small fish like Wrasses, Dragonets, Blennys, Basslets. even Clowns feed on small creatures such as Amphipods, Copepods (which are much smaller, 237 microns small) bristle worms and many other microscopic creatures living in your LR and substrate.
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They are pretty amazing creatures, and can also be supplemented if they are absent in a system. Here is a link for a good reference and background on all pods.. Pretty interesting. (UM)

Hope it helped!