Little white worms!!

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TygGer

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
Messages
478
Location
Northern Va
There are little white worms floating around in my tank! They are about the diameter of hair and range from 2mm to about 4mm long. At first, I thought they were just particles floating around, but when looking very closely, I can see them squiggle around.

Getting a pic will be impossible. Does anyone have any clue as to what these things are and if they are harmful to my fish?

Thanks :(
 
nematodes. Not harmful. Usually due to excess nutrients in the water. Reduce your feedings and up your water changes. That should get rid of them in short order.
 
As Meredith said, reduce your feedings. You may see planaria on the glass as well. I had both of these after adding excess nutrients (food) to encourage cycling in a new tank. They will disappear. Some fish will eat them. My glow light tetras love the nematodes. Poor nematodes, none left now.

Ben
 
Actually, I just saw them after finishing a fishless cycle for my goldie tank. I used the raw shrimp method, which I guess created too much nutrients. The goldies actually eat them. I'm glad to hear that they're not harmful. Where do they come from?

Thanks
 
Where do they come from?

Oh good lord, I just learned this in bio class. lol *searches through memory banks*

Most of your general flatworms and roundworms are at first a small cell. They come in through the fish you introduce or the plants you introduce. When they get in their new environment, they will either thrive (have enough nutritents) or die. Yours are thriving very much, and thus becoming to where they are visible with the naked eye.

True, they aren't harmful. Just unsightly. HTH.
 
i have them, i was told they're glass worms

Probably not true unless you fed glass worms. If you have them (either free swimming, or attached to your glass) they are most definitley nematodes or free swimming planaria. Again, harmless, just unsightly. 8)
 
its it bad to have planaria?

cause my fish eat them i have only spotted 2 and that was after my PWC
 
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