Ahh!!! Strange "larvae" like things in my tank!

[Isabella17]

My "getting back into fish" saga continues. Now that we have lost most of our fish to "Petsmartitis" which happily gave us Ick, we have our tank temp up to 87 degrees. I went to do a water change and found what I can only describe as some type of "larvae" in our tank (hanging around in the gravel). While I am somewhat sure it isn't mosquito larvae (it is the size of mosquito larvae but it doesn't have the characteristic movement of mosquito larvae nor the "curly" nature of mosquito larvae) I can only best describe it as that size. It is small and black and almost "fish-like" in nature. I wish I could post a photo but I seriously doubt I could get a close enough picture of it.

Can anyone possibly shed some light on this "thing from the center of the earth" to me? Could it possibly harm my fish or just end up being "fish food"?

Right now I have that old commercial in my head "Calgon take me away!"

 

[Devilishturtles]

Did you by any chance buy any live plants from petsmart as well? If so, there are a number of organisms that could come in the tank. More than likely they are nothing to worry about.

Just to clarify, it looks like black worms or similar?

 

[Isabella17]

Yes, I did buy a few plants (and next time will look up info about "sterilizing" plants before I place them in my tank...uggghhh...snails! evil things).

I wouldn't say worm like but more really small fish-like. They appeared to swim (they were "swimming" against the current of the gravel cleaner thing - brain fart and can't remember the name!) and they are "quick" at it.

Thanks for the mention of the plants! Didn't think of that one

 

[Alaris]

Sounds like fry.

 

[Isabella17]

Sounds like fry.

Oh my gosh! I am going to fry - no pun intended - in fishie H-E-double hockey sticks! They are zebra danio fry! I sucked a few of them up and put them down the drain with the water change water. I just now looked up the pictures (didn't think they could possibly be fry!). They are soooooo much smaller than the platy and guppy fry!

Ok. First I kill most of our fish, not on purpose. Now I purposely kill baby zebra fry!

I am going to eat some ice cream or something. Thank you Devilishturtles.

I guess before I eat that ice cream, what is the best way to handle them? They are obviously hiding in the gravel and appear to be doing fine on their own. However, we have an in-the-tank filter and I would really hate for them to get sucked up. I could try to find some and transfer them to the baby tank but not sure they wouldn't go right through the net (beyond the fact we have Ick in that tank and don't want to transfer that with the baby fry). Oh boy!

 

[Devilishturtles]

You can buy sponges to put over your filter intake that should greatly reduce the chances of the little dudes getting sucked up. Otherwise provide a nice, thick, planted area for them to take cover in and they should be fine. If you have moss or some thick plant get a clump of it and put near where the fry are.

Congrats on the lil ones too.

 

[Isabella17]

You can buy sponges to put over your filter intake that should greatly reduce the chances of the little dudes getting sucked up. Otherwise provide a nice, thick, planted area for them to take cover in and they should be fine. If you have moss or some thick plant get a clump of it and put near where the fry are.

Congrats on the lil ones too.

Thanks. Can you get these sponges at Petsmart? I have a couple of nice, live cover plants. However, my ghost shrimp have all but taken those over. I do believe from what I read that ghost shrimp are more than happy to have a little "extra" meal of fry. Naughty guys.

Right now for our little fry 3 gallon tank we have pantyhose over the filter intake. After losing a few fry and jiggling it around, we have it set so they can't sneak in. Not the best of solutions, but it is working now.