invasion of tiny white worms

[pglenn]

I have a 3g eclipse setup for a couple weeks now, with 70+ red ramshorn snails, 3 java ferns, and an unidentified plant/weed that the snails were shipped with.

RIght now the sides and possibly everything in the tank is covered with these tiny, upwards of 1/8" long and maybe 1mm thick white worms. I dont remember seeing them a couple days ago at all. It may be coincidence but up until 2days ago the snails mainly kept to the bottom of the tank and now they too are all over the sides and especially at the top of the waterline.

Patrick

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

they're planarian worms- very easy to get! They're usually caused by excess detrius- they can be rid of by feeding your fish less often.

 

[Phlegethon]

I have a whiskey barrel pond that went through a similar phase - little white worm things with a white-ish film on the water, and the snails would tend to congregate near the waterline. I read somewhere that it is a paramecium infestation. As the pond matured it went away.

Keep in mind I'm basically just taking a stab in the dark here

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

I believe when my tank got the worms the fast cure was to add a little aquarium salt. But I also forgot to tell you the worms are not harmful... they were everywhere in my tank and I suspected even in my fish's gills when they breathed but they went away with less feeding (and I THINK I did the salt treatment. It was like 1 teaspoon per 10 gal, I think... anyone else heard of that?)

 

[pglenn]

I do have marine salt mix but I am not sure about salt treatment as that may be harmful to the snails? I dont have anything in the tanks other than the snails, I have been dropping in a couple algae wafers everyday. perhaps they came in with the weeds/plants along with the snails? or perhaps the combination of the algae wafers, a sprinkling of flake food evry 3 or 4 days, and the original dead snails that came with the live ones attracted them?

So I shouldnt worry about them as they arent harmful then? just watch the feeding?

Patrick

 

[TankGirl]

Cut back on feeding, pay special attention to vac'ing the gravel, and they will starve out. They can also be dealt with using raised temps - not sure how the snails would tolerate that but it did not bother snails I had in my Qtank when treating ich with high temps (86F).

There are fish that adore these wormies! See if you can rent a small loach, LOL...