Aquarium Parasites?

Question
Hi.  I have a 10-gallon freshwater tank with 2 Gouramis and 2 Corys.  I have noticed some small critters (looks like small greyish lice swimming freely in the tank about a size of a ballpoint period) been trying to figure out what kind of parasite this is.  It has been in the tank for a while and doesn't seem to bother the fishes.  I suspected that they are copepods, but I could be wrong.

Can you tell what they are and how to get rid of them.  Thanks.

Answer
Dear Peter,
Thanks for sharing your story. Having snails or other critters just show that your water is friendly to living things. They may get into the tank when you bring home a new plant or fish, or sometimes they just blow into the tank. We don't always know where they come from, but the trick is to keep their numbers down so they don't take over.
I suggest that you try to clean them out with your siphon or siphon vacuum cleaner. Only remove 20-30 percent of the water on any given day.
I do not recommend using fish store chemicals to remove parasites or cure diseases. The only good chemicals available at the fish store are "Cycle" (biology) and "Stress Coat" (aloe vera), which is great for treating fish illness.
One good way to clear out unwelcome visitors is to stop feeding them. Reduce the amount of food you put in the tank so that only the official inhabitants get food. Do not put enough food in that any of it hits the bottom.
At my site I have posted a page for aquarium care that might give you some insights.
http://steamboats.com/aquarium.html
I hope this helps. If you have any further problems with them, please write back.
Sincerely,
Nori