How did this worm get into my quarantine tank and how do I kill them?

[Vladka]

So I have a 10 gallon quarantine/med tank and it’s been empty for about 1-2 months now. I will put a piece of fish food in there every week or two to keep it cycled, otherwise there’s a handful of rams horn snails chilling in there.

I was looking in it and saw a worm! How did this get in there?! It’s been empty for a while. I’ve seen this type of worm in my 90 gallon before as well..

Can anyone identify it? How can I kill them? I can do any sort of treatment to the 10 since it’s empty, am considering treating my 90 and 29 as precautions as well.

 

[rlederer]

Looks like a plain old earthworm to me. Nothing you need to do.

 

[Vladka]

I thought earthworms can’t survive under water? Are they bad for aquariums? They seem much thinner than a typical earthworm.

 

[rlederer]

Earthworms survive pretty well when wet, even submerged. Not forever but for a long time.They come in all sizes. I don't know how this one got in your tank but they are harmless. I occasionally feed earthworms to my bigger fish. They love them.