Tiny White Worms

[rallycat]

Last night I was checking out my ocsars' tank and I noticed a tiny white worm (about the size of a strand of hair) swimming through the water. 8O When I cleaned out my gouramis' tank they were everywhere in the gravel and along the bottom, either swimming or resting on the gravel. I'm running undergravel systems in both tanks.
If anyone knows what these little thingies are, please help. I'm kinda worried about my fish, even though they seem to be alright. :?

 

[grimlock3000]

Sounds like Nematodes. These can be symptoms of overfeeding, and having UGF does not help the situation either. Generally these are harmless to fish, although some in some case people have reported Nematodes and had all their fish die within a couple of day. If your tanks are swarming with them, it is pretty safe to assume you have the harmless type.

I would reccomend really cutting back on the feedings for a few days, and do gravel vacs one a day until they clear up.

 

[poikilotherm]

Sounds right. They thrive in nutrient-loaded environments. I suspect that in many of the situations where fish have died, the nematodes disn't cause it, they were just symptomatic of the conditions (e.g. high ammonia) that killed the fish.

 

[rallycat]

Coolness, thank you so much!
Off to vac, woo!

 

[dhs9831]

Nematodes! Sounds like overfeeding, I concur!

 

[dhs9831]

Are Nematodes the same as planaria? They have gotten out of control in my snail tank, but nothing is dying.... they seem to be rather friendly.... Im just wondering, are they like tapeworm or something that could enter human body? Makes me kinda worry about 7' long planaria inside me....

 

[Fruitbat]

Planaria are, by and large, harmless. They are scavengers that feed on excess food that builds up in the substrate. The vast majority of nematodes found in aquaria are also free-living scavengers that are harmless. There are nematodes that are parasitic but you don't usually see the adults of those species swimming free in the aquarium (they spend their adult stages inside the fish). There are also nematodes that are human parasites but you don't generally find those in aquariums.

 

[dhs9831]

okay, great,,, thank you... so do you think I should just leave them, or should I do something (if so what) to remove them?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I would remove them if I were you. Just to help control an outbreak, and to keep the unsightliness away. Just because they are harmless...doesn't mean you want them in your tank. Just scrub the ones off your glass, and gravel vac the ones out of your gravel. Be careful not to gravel vac too much, and disturb the bioload of your tank, by taking away all the bacteria.

Also, it isn't a good sign that they are in your tank either. Excess nutrients is what they thrive on, meaning you probably need a water change anyways, or are just feeding too much.

Good luck, dhs.

Also, to someone who knows..aren't planaria the small flatworms that stick to the glass...and nematodes are the roundworm that can swim freely? Or, I suppose I could look this up again, lol. Thanks.

 

[Fruitbat]

That is correct, Devilishturtles....planaria are flatworms and generally are seen crawling on the glass. Nematodes are roundworms and are often seen swimming vigorously in the water.

 

[Guest]

the worms u found are called spaghetti worms. they most likely came when u bought plants. they are harmless to fish. U should change all ur gravel and some water, and wash off ur plants.

 

[Devilishturtles]

correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't spaghetti worms a saltwater reef pest. Spaghetti worms can get inches long, can clog sumps and filters, etc.

I'm still leaning towards nematodes for rallycat's problem.

 

[PINKYCAST]

Hi am new here so i don't know what to do i don't if i am asking at right place but i kinda have the same problem in my tank i got white thin little worms crawling on my glass inside the aquarium i also notice they tried to also leave the tank i would like to vac the gravel but when i thought of doing it i spotted a baby platy but only one i actually think got 2 question in one cause i would also like to know why there is only one i look at my tank everyday and i thought to my self if there is a baby platy here where are rest do platys only lay one baby or what happened do she still got more in here tummy. I can't take the baby out cause never had a baby in my tank 1st time i don't know what to do cause this is the reason i don't vac iam scare to hurt the baby plus he don't let me see him he hides under mountain water fall decoration i have and next to is a banana plant and the baby is under and between the plant so i don't dare to move it. Someone please tell what should i do?

 

[greenmaji]

PINKYCAST....... if you have a normal gravel vac you shouldnt have any problems.. the little guys will just end up in the bucket if you accidentaly vac them and you can just return them to the tank..

 

[Fear]

Never mind

 

[240sx]

I noticed a few of these in my tank the other day that I slammed my lid down and some fell off of the top. I think it's the frozen bloodworms coming back to life?

If any of them are ever in my tank my fish usually eat them!

 

[caudelfin]

I have found these only when I did not do the gravel vac as I should and when I overfed, which was most of the time. Now I feed only enough so that they can finish it in 15 or 20 seconds. My gravel is much cleaner and no white worms. I feed the fish twice daily. And they work on the gravel as if they were eating something. I think it is probably microscopic animals in the aquarium. They do not die, and they seem to have plenty of energy and they are growing.