Need HELP with aquarium worm things

[xkornstarx2]

Hello, lately I've been working on cleaning my parents 55g tank which had fallen into somewhat disarray since I moved out a few years ago. There are over-feeding problems and the tank is not cleaned near enough.

Anyways when I was doing a water change the other day and trying to clean things up I noticed some very small thread like worms in the water. They were probably only 4-5mm long and kind of moved in a very fast "S" pattern, for lack of a better word.

I'm assuming that whatever these worms are, are a direct result of excess waste in the tank...is this correct? Is there anyway to get rid of these worms or will they eventually go away through regular maintenance? I was disgusted afterwards to learn that they may have gotten on my arm when it was in the tank *shudders*

I hope this is descriptive enough, I cant take a picture because they're difficult enough to see with the naked eye, theres no way I could take a picture of one.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mfdrookie516]

it sounds like planaria. google that and see if thats what they look like. if so, just lots of gravel vacing, water changes, and guidance on proper feeding routines should do the trick

 

[HN1]

What MFD said.

 

[BigJim]

Sounds like nematodes to me. Clean the tank up and the fish will take care of the nematodes. Planaria are bigger and usually cruising the glass.

 

[nevermore52]

Yea, after seeing some pictures of planaria I don't think that's what they are. The nemotode pictures I've seen look similar to what is in the tank.

I just went over to their house and siphoned 1 1/2 buckets of dirty water out of the tank and you could literally see THOUSANDS of these things at the top of the dirty water bucket squirming around. So gross, I hope regular maintenance takes care of these guys...I can't imagine how many more are in the gravel!

 

[mfdrookie516]

Well, im pretty sure that what I posted will take care of nematodes too... I'd say the combination of them over feeding and the bad maintenance routines are the cause. Sounds like you're on the right track to turning it around though.

 

[BigJim]

I had tons of nematodes in my tank when I was fishless cycling it. I rarely see them now that the tank has fish in it. They're not really bad themselves, but they're a sign of a dirty tank.

 

[ChileRelleno]

Agree

More than likely planaria or nematodes.

These links may be of help,
http://www.aquariumfish.net/information ... ble_p2.htm
http://www.petfish.net/articles/Aquariu ... g-worm.php

More than like they are Planaria or Nematodes that are caused by excessive nutrients/lack of maintenance, aka a dirty tank.

The best course of action is to;

1) Very thoroughly and deeply vacuum your substrate, do this daily for about a week.

2) Rinse your filter media and media chamber in a bucket of tankwater.

3) Raise your temp (slowly) to 86'-88''f.

4) Don't feed for aprox five days (will not hurt your fish) and then cut back on regular feedings (smaller portions and less frequency).

5) Add a dose of salt to the water, standard aquarium dosage (1tblspn per 5gal) is fine but you may dose higher (up to 1.001 SG(specific gravity).




HTH

 

[handb94]

Nematodes – From SpongePedia, the biggest SpongeBob-wiki in the world!

Do they look like these?

 

[Crepe]

I want nematodes... ahaha. I think I'm one of the people out there that would be very happy to have little worms stirring my sand up for me.

 

[ChileRelleno]

Nematodes – From SpongePedia, the biggest SpongeBob-wiki in the world!

Do they look like these?

 

[ChileRelleno]

I want nematodes... ahaha. I think I'm one of the people out there that would be very happy to have little worms stirring my sand up for me.

My 55gal has a few hundred MTS doing that job for me

 

[xkornstarx2]

I want nematodes... ahaha. I think I'm one of the people out there that would be very happy to have little worms stirring my sand up for me.

Ugghh, I think you would change your mind after seeing 100's of the disgusting things swimming in your tank

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to keep doing daily water changes (or almost daily, depending on when I get over there to do it), add some aquarium salt, and slowly raise the temp. Hopefully this combined with a reduction in feedings will take care of these little suckers!