Quote:
Originally Posted by Melanie  1. The sea lice were identified by LFS when I took one in a ziplock with water. They probably came from the live sand I collected. The LFS said that they would be fish food later but I have to be careful they don't attach to any fish. |
This is a VERY unusual thing to show up in your aquarium unless they come in on the fish themselves, which would be very obvious when you got the fish. Most species of sea lice are cold water and are found on salmonoids.
The only common sea lice species is relatively large and male/female is actually distinguishable by the naked eye. ~.5 cm in size
Even larval life forms are general found on the fish themselves, not in the water column in order to stay near the host (usually on the scales, just not actually attached to the flesh).
This is what the commonly found sea lice looks like:
http://www.uwphoto.no/500/esv127cd014.jpg
The type that affects humans is actually a juvenile thimble jelly (the problem with common names), and is unlikely to be something you would find in your warm water aquarium.
While I hate to give you conflicting info I highly doubt any free living "copepod" found in your tank is a sea lice, anything sizeable enough for you to see would be attached to the fish.
If it makes you feel any better about 4-6 weeks without and fish would prevent these parasites from surviving.