Weird white worms

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

FishOwner

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Messages
103
Location
Southern Colorado
I have a 20-gallon tank that's been running amazingly for the past half-year. Recently, I have been spotting these white worms on my glass and on the moss and decor. I only spot them on the glass at night or when the fish tank lights are off. They look like flatworms, but I can't tell if they are Rhabdocoela or planaria. They don't get that big, but I wouldn't want to risk my shrimplets, which are in a different container that also has the worms. Please tell me if I need to provide pictures. As far as I can see, they don't have the spade-shaped head and I can't spot any eyes on them.

If I need the worm treatment, is it detrimental to nerite snail and/or shrimplet health? If the worms are an issue I need to get rid of them right away.

Thanks for taking the time to help me!
 
Getting a pic would probably be hard, maybe do your best?

Fenbendozole is a good treatment and has worked for me with Planaria and a few Hydra I have had in my tanks. Atm I can not remember if there were any Nerites in my treated tanks.

Here is some bits of information on flatworm control.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-planaria-and-hydra-elimination/

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f129/planaria-and-hydra-liquid-treatment-243568.html

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f129/snails-and-no-planaria-370172.html
 
Sadly, I couldn't get a picture. I found some worms yesterday, but they were much smaller than usual (probably an effect of feeding cutdown), so the phone couldn't focus on the tiny little white thing and focused on the aquarium instead.

I still don't know whether to go for the dewormer because cutting down on feeding seems to be effective and I haven't figured out what to do with my snails. Their eggs are starting to get extremely annoying. I'm so happy I went for a light-colored substrate because otherwise, the tank would be overrun. Plus, the shrimp do a better job of picking through crevices.
 
Try increasing vacuuming the substrate. Reducing the feedings as well. Maybe in cutting the food in half will help and also consider dividing the smaller amount of food into morning and evening feedings. This helps the fish want to eat and clean up the excess food since they are hungry.
 
Back
Top Bottom