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RE: Jumpy bugs



> Lately, I noticed some small brown bugs on the surface of the 
> isolation tank.
> They are small, about 1mm in size, and they jump around, alot 
> like baby
> grasshoppers when you walk through long grass.  Does anyone know what
> they are?

These insects are called springtails, or Collembola.  These are among
the most numerous arthropods on Earth, with over four thousand species
recognized, but relatively little is known about them.  They can be
found in almost every habitat, including caves, Antarctica, and in deep
soil, except they do not occur in the open ocean or under water.

They feed on surface mulm and decaying plant matter.  They do no harm,
and can be an important food item for some fish.

Regards,

Mark