Some worm like thing in my tank. Please help

[kashif314]

I woke up. Turned on lights and saw some small white worm like thing on glass. Can you please tell me what is it and if its harmful to my Shrimps and snails and how to get rid of em?

https://youtu.be/O71vCDGcxhs

 

[coralbandit]

Looks like planaria to me...
They are no good in shrimp tanks.
They have either been imported in plants you purchased or 'just grown' in your tank.
Often their presence is a good indicator of overfeeding...
You can make traps very easy for them or use fenbendazole I believe..
I wiped out mine by starving them and letting the fish have at them [they were in a juvi grow out tank for me].

 

[kashif314]

Looks like planaria to me...
They are no good in shrimp tanks.
They have either been imported in plants you purchased or 'just grown' in your tank.
Often their presence is a good indicator of overfeeding...
You can make traps very easy for them or use fenbendazole I believe..
I wiped out mine by starving them and letting the fish have at them [they were in a juvi grow out tank for me].

Thanks a lot for the reply. Yesterday I bought few more shrimps and I suspect they came last night. I have shrimps and snails. How to kill these worms? So far I only see one big and I see some very very small two worms on glass. Very small. Smaller than a small ant. So small that I can't say if they are womrms or maybe snail babies or something.

I don't overfeed shrimps. Infact feed shrimps after four five days.

 

[TMaier]

You probably got a plant or something from a tank that had them. Or they were on the shrimp or snails (eek). The problem with the fenbendozole treatment is it will kill your snails.

Remove the planaria you see and try some traps. Maybe you were lucky and only a few hitchhikers are in there.

 

[Fresh2o]

Inspect the shape of the head to see if it triangular. Even more so, the presence of eye spots. If so, then most likely planaria. Otherwise, some species of flat worm (would not worry about those).
If there are a few I like to spot treat them with Excel or other similar product. Upon contact they shrivel up and die immediately. For several planaria, a planaria trap can be used (purchased or DIY). For infestations, fenbendazole (canine dewormer) is highly effective. Wipes out hydra as well. I used it to treat a shrimp tank that had snails as well. Planaria gone, snails and shrimp are fine. There are also planaria specific remedies out there. This one is herbal:
http://greenleafaquariums.com/products/no-planaria-worm-disinfectant.html

 

[TMaier]

I tried leaving a few snails in and they totally headed to the top of the water wanting OUT. One ramshorn was left behind and he was expired the next day. I wonder if I OD’d? My gram scale for measuring the powder kinda sucks....

 

[kashif314]

You probably got a plant or something from a tank that had them. Or they were on the shrimp or snails (eek). The problem with the fenbendozole treatment is it will kill your snails.

Remove the planaria you see and try some traps. Maybe you were lucky and only a few hitchhikers are in there.

Inspect the shape of the head to see if it triangular. Even more so, the presence of eye spots. If so, then most likely planaria. Otherwise, some species of flat worm (would not worry about those).
If there are a few I like to spot treat them with Excel or other similar product. Upon contact they shrivel up and die immediately. For several planaria, a planaria trap can be used (purchased or DIY). For infestations, fenbendazole (canine dewormer) is highly effective. Wipes out hydra as well. I used it to treat a shrimp tank that had snails as well. Planaria gone, snails and shrimp are fine. There are also planaria specific remedies out there. This one is herbal:
http://greenleafaquariums.com/products/no-planaria-worm-disinfectant.html

I tried leaving a few snails in and they totally headed to the top of the water wanting OUT. One ramshorn was left behind and he was expired the next day. I wonder if I OD’d? My gram scale for measuring the powder kinda sucks....

Thanks a lot for reply. The one I saw was very small and impossible to see triangler head or anything and I am skeptical if its planaria or detritus worm as the one I saw was lean and so far planaria I see in YouTube videos are a little fat that detritus. Still unsure. I have excel and will try to spot treat first. I don't see any other worm now. Saw a very very tiny like a pencil dot on screen and it was shape of like a worm so not snail or anything. The one. Showed in picture was the only large of that size I saw.

 

[TMaier]

My husband has a microscope. We we able to geek out and see it’s eyeballs staring out of its triangle head. Creepy

 

[kashif314]

My husband has a microscope. We we able to geek out and see it’s eyeballs staring out of its triangle head. Creepy

That's nice. But yes creepy and eek.

 

[kashif314]

So today I saw one worm on glass. It was about the same size which I showed in video. I inspected very very closely and I couldn't see any triangular head shape or popped eyes. It was thin and moving on glass like snail moves. I mean constantly touching glass. Is it detritus or planaria? I am unsure still.

 

[Fresh2o]

If you did not see a triangular head then it’s probably not a planaria.

 

[kashif314]

If you did not see a triangular head then it’s probably not a planaria.

So usually is it easy to spot? I looked at the worm very very closely and all I could see is a straight thin worm. No triangular head.

 

[TMaier]

The planaria are really distinctive.

 

[kashif314]

The planaria are really distinctive. View attachment 304804

Thanks. Yes but if the triangular shape of head is visible to naked eye upon close inspection?

 

[TMaier]

I could see it. I found this pic with a juvenile shrimp for scale.

 

[kashif314]

I could see it. I found this pic with a juvenile shrimp for scale. View attachment 304816

Can't thank you enough. Big big big thanks. Specially with the scale. The big worm I saw was certainly not like this. It was thin and flat from tale to head. This head shape is very clear to see. So I think I may have some other worm probably detritus and they showed up mainly when I switch on lights and they are very few.