Sump outbreak of worms and snails

[Jez1992]

I have a 7.5x3 tank with a 7x3 sump. I keep rays and have a heavy drip on it and feed heavily.

As above very large sump, with 150L of k1 and tons of ceramic media.

But over last week I noticed LOADSSS of tiny detritus worms and tiny tiny snails. I have searched on here and says they are harmless but sign of bad water quality.

Question is, is this correct as I feel i really look after my tank, and what can I do to get rid of them? Are they harmful to rays? Why sudden outbreak lol?

I am already doing extra daily big water changes and siphoning out as many as possible but there are a lot?!!

Thanks in advance, am getting stressed out by them!

 

[TwoHedWlf]

Not exactly a sign of bad water quality. More of large amounts of excess food and waste which usually leads to bad water quality.

 

[djbvaranus]

I’ve got loads of worms in my 90g as well, can’t seem to get rid of them. I haven’t noticed them harm anything yet and I have some catfish that just lay on the bottom and have no issues so I doubt they will harm the rays

 

[elting44]

What are your Nitrates at currently?

Have you introduced any new elements to the tank? (decorations, plants, different food)

What food are you feeding?

 

[Jez1992]

That's why I am confused, as the Rays demolish any food I out it, never any scraps left of any fish, prawn or mussels.

I'm convinced must be the big pellets as the smaller Rays chew them up and spit tiny bits out which must be what they feed off.

I have done massive water change today and siphoned out as many as I can and then going to stop feeding pellets from now on. Hopefully it solves it.

I have also added a big air stone to the compartment they were in as before it was pretty stagnant in there.

 

[JK47]

That's why I am confused, as the Rays demolish any food I out it, never any scraps left of any fish, prawn or mussels.

I'm convinced must be the big pellets as the smaller Rays chew them up and spit tiny bits out which must be what they feed off.

I have done massive water change today and siphoned out as many as I can and then going to stop feeding pellets from now on. Hopefully it solves it.

I have also added a big air stone to the compartment they were in as before it was pretty stagnant in there.

It's 90% the pellets if your water perimeters are good. I was having a hell of a time fighting the snails (no worms) myself but switched from cichlid gold to NLS for the pups and it is helping x10.... you might try a smaller, harder pellet.

The more dense the pellet, the less they create the mechanical "saw dust" of pellet left overs. There is a balance though since some of the more dense pellets are harder for small rays to eat. 2-6 MM NLS seems to be the sweet spot of me. You can always add a canister to the sump if worse comes to worse.

 

[JK47]

This is another thing that helped a lot. I grow out large schools of geos to grow out with pups. They eat the left overs and keep the sand turned. The rays pick off a couple of the weaker ones but the remaining are smart and the strongest of the group (AKA can go in with adults if large enough and will avoid getting picked off). Just a thought in the interim while you sort it out.

I keep a breeding group of tapajos with sub adults and altifrons and abalios with youngins'

 

[Gourami Swami]

Not sure what your sump setup is like, but if you have enough space to put a couple small fish to live down there, they will eat the worms and keep the population in check. There is nothing down there to compete with them or eat them so the population is booming.

 

[Jez1992]

Thanks,

This is my sump, it's 7x3 and the section I had the problem in was the holding tank part which is 4x3. I have taken sand out now.

It's empty now and was no air stones so bet that and the pellet mush was giving them perfect place to live.

Is loads of space to add a few small fish. I'll keep an eye put for some. Wanted some geos anyways

Thanks

 

[jaws7777]

Ive had them in the past. Only thing that worked was reducing feedings....like allot. Maybe once or twice a week for a few weeks. Not sure you can do that with rays thought. Like jk47 said its the pellets.

When some of my polys were smaller they would chew up the pellets and make a huge mess. The worms were present until i reduced feedings.