Why do I have worms in my tank?

[hulkamaniac]

While changing out the substrate yesterday, I discovered some worms in my substrate. They were very much alive. They look exactly like inch worms. They're thin and about and inch or two long and were hiding in the substrate. I assume they were hiding there to avoid being eaten, but I'm wondering how they got there in the first place. I've never fed the fish in this tank any live food except maybe some BBS. Where could they possibly have come from?

 

[7Enigma]

Outside plants? Decorations/substrate/filter media from a friend?

 

[hulkamaniac]

Some of the plants were bought from the LFS, but I saw no worms on them when I got them. Also, how could they live underwater without drowning?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Do they look like earthworms, but much smaller? I got some in my 10G too, came with the Eco Complete, and apparently survived the stay in the bag from when it was bagged, then shipped. Occasionally they will surface and swim around the tank. I'll get the link to the thread where I posted pics, to see if it's similar.

Edit:
Here's the link...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewt...postorder=asc&highlight=aquatic+worms&start=0

 

[7Enigma]

Some of the plants were bought from the LFS, but I saw no worms on them when I got them. Also, how could they live underwater without drowning?

A common misconception is that earthworms and several other species of worm drown easily. The truth is they can live for quite a long time submerged (oxygen diffuses through the skin).

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Some of the plants were bought from the LFS, but I saw no worms on them when I got them. Also, how could they live underwater without drowning?

A common misconception is that earthworms and several other species of worm drown easily. The truth is they can live for quite a long time submerged (oxygen diffuses through the skin).

Would also like to add that the worms like I have in the 10G, they are an aquatic worm, so they always live underwater. And I also agree with the statement above as well, that most worms can live quite a long time under water. I had put red wigglers in a tank, thinking that my eels would eat them, but they didn't. The red wigglers are still alive, you can see them with a flashlight shining on the glass bottom, under the tank.

 

[Alshain]

Do they only appear in the substrate or do the mostly stick to the water line? Planaria tend to stay at the water line, its usually an indication of poor water quality.

 

[hulkamaniac]

Do they only appear in the substrate or do the mostly stick to the water line? Planaria tend to stay at the water line, its usually an indication of poor water quality.

They were buried in the substrate. I only found 2-3 of them in the entire 75g tank. As Lonewolf posted, they looked exactly like earthworms but were definitely much smaller.