Re: shrimplike critters

Hi gang; I have a good idea what the shrimplike critters are. Amphipods. Yep, also (mistakenly) called fresh water shrimp. They are tiny, but can get to about 1/4 inch or so, and are super fast. They are also called Scud. I think they got a missile named after them. They mostly stay on the bottom, and zip around in the water column. They eat detritus (partially broken down plant and animal matter) so are valuable in keeping a pond clean, *and* are a good indicator of water quality (as are Daphnia, but they don’t get much bigger than a pin head, abt. 1/16 in.). Alternatively, if you live in an area where there are a lot of temporary pools, you might have Fairy Shrimp, but they aren’t so fast, and look like Brine Shrimp. My vote is for Scud, and don’t get rid of them! Alex Netherton The Appalachian Naturalist Asheville, NC http://www.appalachian-naturalist.com alex@…