Scuds, also known as amphipods, are small shrimp like crustations that have made their way into practically every aquatic environment there is. From the ocean to freshwater ponds, lakes, streams, caves, you name it! These little detritivores play a major role in the breakdown of dead organic material, especially plant detritus and leaf litter. By consuming this material, the scud frees up the locked away nutrients in the decaying plant which then become more accessible to other organisms in the food web.
 
Not only do scuds do a great job at eating leftover fish food and hair algae, but like many small aquatic invertebrates they are a highly nutritious live food! Scuds reproduce quickly and can easily be cultured in a variety of separate containers to provide an endless live food source for many small to medium sized fish.
 
Scuds typically live in the substrate of your aquarium but can regularly be seen swimming about and hanging out on the roots of floating plants, if there is cover or no fish in the system. They will establish a growing population in most fish tanks so long as they have the habitat to do so. An area of coarse gravel, seashells, live plants, leaf litter or other natural cover will make it easier for the scuds to find a safe home among hungry fish. Introducing them to the tank at night will also help them get to safety before they are gobbled up. You can easily make a separate scud tank to grow out the population, so you have a steady supply of live food for your fish. This can be done in a spare tank, bucket, storage tote or plastic trash can.
 
As mentioned before scuds are detritivores and they’re not too picky on the food they eat. They love decaying plant material, many types of algae, leaf litter, over ripe fruits/veggies, fish food and much more. They typically don’t bother your aquarium plants but if their population grows too large and they run out of food they may start nibbling on tender plants and mosses. This is typically only a problem in tanks without fish. If there are fish in the system, it is extremely unlikely for the scud population to get out of control and become a problem. On the contrary, the scud population will help feed the fish population as the find a balance with each other.