worms in fish tank gravel! please help! :(

[BeTtalover283]

Hello there I am new! Iv got a problem with some kinda brown and white worms in my fish tank. They live in a cocoon on the glass and every once in awhile comes out and eats the algea that grows on the glass around it. we have treated our tanks, even took it entirely apart and cleaned it.

 

[Anemone afterlife]

Can I see a pic

 

[BeTtalover283]

It won't upload on the post maybe if u go onto my page and go to albums

 

[BeTtalover283]

This is the worm in its cocoon

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[Anemone afterlife]

Those are parasites. Has anything died in your tank recently that you didnt clean up? yeah I heard that you have to treat them with some type of chemical or something.You should watch them and if they begin connecting onto your fish then you gotta do something about it. just go to like petco or something and buy some worm killer stuff

 

[jlk]

This is the worm in its cocoon

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Did it build a cocoon out tiny pebbles/debris in your tank?

 

[tnfinfan]

Before you dump any poisons in the tank, read this:

Aquarium Planaria; Wiggly Detritus Worms, in Tank Water, on Glass

It's impossible for me to ID a worm I can't see but make sure you take a good look at info on detritus worms before you treat.

 

[Khuligirl93]

It looks just like a midge (bloodworm) to me. They sometimes pull detritus up around themselves. If that's what it is they are not harmful at all and will make a nice snack for your fish!

 

[BeTtalover283]

It made it outta fish debris!, they do not attach to the fish, nothing has died and at the bottom of the turquoise rock its on its reaching up a little they are very small

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[BeTtalover283]

My peacock cichlid has been eating them wen they are on the ornaments

 

[BeTtalover283]

The little worm moving to another spot!

 

[TLfreshhhhwater]

That is a planaria worm which are not harmful to fish. The conditions they are living under can be, I would take out all the gravel, replace with new and do a 50% water change and you should be good ?

 

[gilpi]

I would also think it could become a nice snack for your fish. But maybe you can siphon them out of the gravel.

 

[Khuligirl93]

That is a planaria worm which are not harmful to fish. The conditions they are living under can be, I would take out all the gravel, replace with new and do a 50% water change and you should be good ?

Did you read the link posted by tnfinfan? A lot of people mistake detritus worms for planaria. Planaria are actually worms with a very flat, wide body, and a head shaped like an arrow. They are so small they're hard to see without a dissecting microscope. The worm in the OPs photo looks like it has a cylindrical shape, not flat.

 

[BeTtalover283]

Yes I did read it! Yes these worms are round, we have boiled my rocks and everything and put them back in but they came back! I really don't know we have treated with Nox-ich but that did not work!

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[Khuligirl93]

As long as your filter is sufficient, you don't over feed, and you do regular gravel vacuuming with your water changes I wouldn't worry about it. Did you read the part in the article that said they are not harmful to fish and are actually a healthy food source for them? I don't think you need to worry in a healthy ecosystem there are organisms of all shapes and sizes that each fulfill different niches to help it to function normally. Of course a tank is a closed system which is why water changes are required, but you get my point. I see ostracods in my planted tank sometimes and I'm glad to have them!

 

[BeTtalover283]

Ok thanx for ur help!

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