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Ostracod
Ostracoda
Animalia›Arthropoda›Ostracoda
Ostracods, or “seed shrimp,” are tiny bean-shaped crustaceans — usually under 1 mm — sealed inside a hinged, clam-like shell. They're harmless microfauna that hitchhike into tanks on plants, wood, and substrate, then multiply in mature, established setups rich in biofilm and detritus. Far from a pest, a thriving ostracod population is a good sign: it means your tank is stable and full of the microscopic food they graze on. Many keepers even culture them deliberately as live food for fry and small fish. They pose no threat to fish, shrimp, or plants.
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Care Guide
Diet
Detritivores and micro-grazers — ostracods feed on biofilm, algae, bacteria, and decaying organic matter across the substrate, glass, and hardscape. In an established tank they need no special feeding; they thrive on the leftovers and microfauna already present. If cultured as live food, a pinch of powdered fish food, spirulina, or crushed flake keeps a colony booming.
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
- diet
- detritivore — biofilm, algae, decaying matter
- maxSize
- ~1 mm (0.04 in)
- minTankSize
- any (microfauna)
- temperature
- 59–82°F (15–28°C)
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–8.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <40 ppm
- hardness
- soft–hard (very adaptable)
- temperature
- 59–82°F (15–28°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.
Temperature
59–82°F
15–28°C