Help! What is this stuff?

[jchrstn]

I just noticed today that there are a bunch of small white strings hanging off of the walls of my tank, decorations, and plants. As far as I can tell it isn't on the fish, so I don't think it is a parasite. But I am worried. Is it just a type of algae? Can I just clean it off? They aren't big, probably about 1-2 cm in length.

Thanks!

 

[Sum22]

A picture would be helpful if you can get one.

 

[jchrstn]

I'll try but I don't think my camera will like it. You can only see them if you are looking at the tank really closely - and my camera isn't the greatest....

 

[logansmomma1228]

I know I just discovered some white worm looking things in my snail tank as well... They are really rally tiny and have black tips on them . Planaria was suggested to me, so that might be what you have

 

[logansmomma1228]

Well I just figured out what is in my snail tank, could be this for you too: Freshwater Aquarium: Tiny white things in my freshwater snail tank, frequent water changes, apple snails

 

[krap101]

They're probably planaria or possibly hydra, if you've added some stuff from outside. Hydra kind of look like a tiny coral, and planaria look more like worms.

It's also possible that it is algae/buildup... (can't remember which, or if it's a combination), but if you cleaned the tank recently, and alot of stuff got stirred up, some might end up building up on the glass on a gelly substance, and it might look stringy.. Sorry, I've been out of the game for awhile ><

 

[jchrstn]

I did just vaccum my tank, do a water change, and mess an airstone that was being difficult. So I could have easily stirred up stuff.

I did notice that they are white and at the ends some of them split. They really kinda look like small white underwater split ends!

Thank you all for you help!

 

[Crepe]

My thread algae looks like think greenish-white strings if I don't clean the class for a long time.