Concerned

[Kharrnn]

I found a worm in my substrate and was not able to get it out before it disappeared. I did manage to get a picture of it though. Does anyone know what it might be?

It's not the best quality photo, but it was all I could do with the time I had.

[jlk]

Difficult to tell from the pic but did it appear to have numerous small segments to its body (it appears this way in the pic)? If so, google 'fish tapeworm' and see if this is what you are dealing with. If it is, you will most likely have more than one and your tank & fish will need immediate treatment.

[Kharrnn]

Thanks for the response. It doesn't really look like any of the pictures or descriptions I was able to find. It kinda looks like an earthworm, albeit a small one. It was/is about an inch long or so.

I asked my lfs what they thought and showed them the picture and was told it might be planaria, but it doesn't look like those either. I'm still confused and concerned about it. I will definitely be pulling it out next time I see it though.

If anyone else has any thoughts about it please don't hesitate.

[jlk]

I just finished dealing with a leech infestation that HOPEFULLY has been eradictated. I know leeches come in colors other than brown. This def is not a planaria. Does your tank have plants or decorations? Get a flashlight & start randomly pulling stuff out & inspect the bottoms for worms. Also, pull your filters & closely inspect them for egg casings or worms. I would do some more looking online for pics of parasitic worms that affect fish & see if you find anything that matches. If we can ID it, we can figure out the best way to treat them.

[Kharrnn]

I have a piece of driftwood and a bunch of live plants. I'm thinking of upgrading to a 20 or 30 gallon very soon. Is it possible to clean the substrate, plats and driftwood when I switch and call it good?

Obviously the fish and inverts will be held separately as I clean everything.

[jlk]

This is the best advice i can offer- you HAVE to catch one of these worms and id it! If its some harmless worm that feeds on decaying matter, its a nuisance & not a big deal. If its in fact some type of parasitic worm, it needs to be dealt with quickly. If it has a sucker-type of mouth, its a leech and you will have an epic battle on your hands. You can do a quick search on here for my leech thread if your interested in what happened- type in 'What is this???' by jlk & the thread should pop up. Leech eggs, as I have since learned, can not be destroyed by chemicals, heat, cold, drying, or anything else maybe except for burning. Good luck & I truly hope this is not something serious!!!!

[Kharrnn]

Sounds good. I'll catch one as soon as possible and see about posting a really good pic here. Thanks for the input.