help i think i have worms in my tank

[NEVERLAND]

I left the filter off for the night on accident and this morning when i turned it back on i saw little hairlike white worms in the tank. What are these what do i do?

 

[ktomminello]

Sounds like normal planaria worms- water changes and rinse your filter media clean and just make sure to check your water parameters, should be fine in no time

 

[Smcoyle87]

Your fish might even eat them too.

 

[NEVERLAND]

What oh so normal. Huh. I was worried. I'll feed them less

 

[butterfly_koi]

Sounds like normal planaria worms

Planaria are flat worms with a triangular head, the little white worms are more than likely Detritus Worms. Detritus Worms are completely harmless where as Planaria could be considered carnivorous due to the fact that they will eat fish eggs.

water changes and rinse your filter media clean and just make sure to check your water parameters, should be fine in no time

I agree, this is an affective way to rid the tank of Detritus Worms. Often times fish will consume the worms which in turn provides another food source in the tank.

 

[ktomminello]

Planaria are flat worms with a triangular head, the little white worms are more than likely Detritus Worms. Detritus Worms are completely harmless where as Planaria could be considered carnivorous due to the fact that they will eat fish eggs.

I agree, this is an affective way to rid the tank of Detritus Worms. Often times fish will consume the worms which in turn provides another food source in the tank.

Thanks for the update on worm studies- was not aware there was a difference between detritus/ harmless and carnivorous planaria- I always thought the flat heads were larval gill flukes.

 

[butterfly_koi]

" When animals such as fish are kept in an aquarium, substances such as excreta, mucus and dead skin cast off during moulting are produced by the animals and, naturally, generate detritus, and are continually broken down by micro-organisms."

Detritus Worms are just micro-organisms that break down the decomposing matter in the tank. Completely harmless, just unsightly.
Feeding less and water changes will easily remove them from the setting or you could leave them in and let the fish snack on them.

 

[ktomminello]

The only fish I have experienced actually eat them rather than just play with them (leaving them to decay causing more) are wild caught gourami, danio and tetra, all types of betta and cichlids. My tank bred fish won't eat them and my algae eaters and inverts ignore them and my loaches are annoyed by them. Have not experienced them in my livebearer tanks the only plant I have in there that is real is a very large patch of java moss, though, and I add a teaspoon of marine salt per monthly maintenance routine, so I don't think it's possible for them to live in those elevated levels anyway.
Long winded as I am I'm only giving you my experiences in my personal tanks entirely so you can use it as a comparison model info if you want or whatever. Just trying to help.