Help ID bugs

[Pogodrew]

Hello all. I recently discovered little bugs on my Amazon frogbit. I was hoping for help identifying them and anyways of remedying the problem. Info on the tank. It's kept cool, 71 degrees in my basement. There is no lid on it, but it's in an old TV.

[tonyjuliano]

Those are collumbola (springtails).

They are harmless. They eat small things like microscopic algae and fungi.

Edited June 16, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Daniel]

On 6/15/2021 at 8:11 PM, Pogodrew said:

Hello all. I recently discovered little bugs on my Amazon frogbit. I was hoping for help identifying them and anyways of remedying the problem. Info on the tank. It's kept cool, 71 degrees in my basement. There is no lid on it, but it's in an old TV.

Those are aphids which are not uncommon on floating plants like frogbit. They are harmless. It pretty cool that your aquarium is in an old TV. 🙂

[H.K.Luterman]

I want to see a pic of your tank! That sounds fun, having it in a TV.

[tonyjuliano]

On 6/16/2021 at 7:20 AM, Daniel said:

Those are aphids

No, I don’t think they are aphids.  Aphids are "pear shaped", with no easily discernible body segments.

And if they are aphids, they are certainly not harmless.

Very destructive to plant matter, being "sap-sucking" creatures that feed on the plant themselves.

Edited June 16, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Biotope Biologist]

On 6/16/2021 at 4:20 AM, Daniel said:

Those are aphids which are not uncommon on floating plants like frogbit. They are harmless. It pretty cool that your aquarium is in an old TV. 🙂

I concur those are aphids very common on frogbit and lily pads. Make great fish food when they accidentally fall in. I doubt you will be able to see but aphids have a proboscis that they use to pierce leaves. They keep these tucked under the body unless feeding. Another way to tell the difference tap one's butt. If it jumps away it's a spring tail. If it turns around and says "hey man why?" it's an aphid.

 

Since aphids and springtails have wildly varying body shapes and segmentation patterns it's hard to ID based on them without a dichotomous key. Especially since the furcula of a spring tail and cornicles of an aphid can be confused with the naked eye.

 

Here is a picture I stole from some old guy on the planted tank forum of his frogbit:

Edited June 16, 2021 by Biotope Biologist

[CosmicAshhole]

On 6/16/2021 at 7:28 AM, H.K.Luterman said:

I want to see a pic of your tank! That sounds fun, having it in a TV.

I second this! 

[Pogodrew]

Here's some pics of the tank. But correct me if I'm wrong, but there looks like two different bugs. There's rounder brown ones and white ones.

[Biotope Biologist]

The white things look like molt castings to me. 

And that is an AWESOME tank wow. Once the plants fill in it will be *chef's kiss*

[tonyjuliano]

Applause for the unique build!