what is this...THING?

[JohnPaul]

Was changing the water in my little tupperware full of live bloodworms and saw something moving in there that wasn't a bloodworm. I eventually was able to separate it out from all of them and get a few good shots of it.

What is this thing?

The main pic is what seems to be its main shape, but it moves by curling up into a ball, and then extending itself really long & thin, and then repeating...this is indicated by the inset pictures on the lower right.

The bloodworms should give a good idea of size, but my estimates would be in ball form it is about the size of a bb, and at full extension it is maybe 1" or just a tad short of that.

Anyone know what it is?

 

[physicsdude]

Not sure- probably some sort of organism like an intestinal worm that is feding on the shrimp or maybe a planarian. Those are shots in the dark thou...

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Leech.

 

[afishyonados]

That sucks!

 

[fish_4_all]

Fluke, possibly parasitic, I wouldn't mess with it. I would complain to the company I got the blood worms from and make sure they know what is getting into the blood worms.

 

[toddnbecka]

If it has a sucker on the tail, it's a leech. The "ball" shape when contracted is also another indication. Leeches move by stretching out, grabbing on with their mouth, then pulling the tail forward. The tail sucker holds that end in place while they stretch.

 

[DepotFish]

It certainly looks like every leech I've seen.

 

[Veneer]

Such contaminants are common amongst aquacultured blackworms. On another note, many leeches are detrivores or micro-predators (as of worms and small snails) - and do not consume blood.

 

[hc8719]

looks like a leech i got on me when i was 5, man was i scarred.

leeches can usually live out of water for some time, so be careful

 

[WaterPond]

i remeber we used to find leeches all over my schoolyard after a good rain. They would crawl up from the sewers. Definately a leech, i have found a few like that in my pond.

 

[JohnPaul]

thanks all! sounds like a leech.