Found worms in my sump tank

[Graphic]

Hey guys/gals,

I found worms in my tank and need to know what I should do? I read they could be a few types of worms that are normal and okay. I read it could be Detritus, Planaria, or nematodes. I honestly have no freaking idea and just guessing.

This part of my sump tank (where the worms pictured are) has kinda gotten dirty from shrimp pellets as I had to move my redtail in the sump area just before the one that is pictured. He's going to a new home soon, so maybe this is from food sitting?

Thanks again guys! Also a couple pics of my tank, it's not close to finished yet. I'll post up some cool pics once it's done. That's if these pesky worms don't kill my fish

 

[predatorkeeper87]

planaria. and it most certainly is from the pellets being uneaten. More stringent cleaning regiment and they will disappear on their own. They don't cause any issues as is.

 

[Coryloach]

It is difficult to see what type of worms they are. I wouldn't jump on the planaria being the case. Planaria is a pest and needs to be introduced into a tank in order for one to have it...It is carnivorous and food or no food, once introduced, it will be in the tank unless killed off by chemicals. Detritus worms of different types multiply when uneaten food is abundant. One needs to cut down on food and up the cleaning regime but they are harmless and a healthy food source for fish.

 

[markstrimaran]

Nice deco, I am thinking African cichlid of two colors, and watch the battle saga.

Their definitely planaria type, not the free swimmers.

Free fry food. They will do more good than harm.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

It is difficult to see what type of worms they are. I wouldn't jump on the planaria being the case. Planaria is a pest and needs to be introduced into a tank in order for one to have it...It is carnivorous and food or no food, once introduced, it will be in the tank unless killed off by chemicals. Detritus worms of different types multiply when uneaten food is abundant. One needs to cut down on food and up the cleaning regime but they are harmless and a healthy food source for fish.

....were did you ever hear ANY of that? as I understand planaria feed on dead tissue and uneaten food in a system...therefore take away their food source and they die off. Chemicals are completely unnecessary for this...detritus worms are in the same boat. I've had multiple cases of these worms when I started in the hobby...just cut my feedings back and they were gone within a few weeks.

 

[Coryloach]

.were did you ever hear ANY of that?

Do a proper research and not word of mouth on fish forums. Planaria is not an ordinary pest worm that magically appears in your tank....How are you going to take their food source away? They eat what fish eat. Large planaria can attack small fry and even adult cherry shrimp are not safe with them...The only way to kill planaria is the same way to kill snails..

've had multiple cases of these worms when I started in the hobby...just cut my feedings back and they were gone within a few weeks.

You more than likely didn't have planaria but detritus worms.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Do a proper research and not word of mouth on fish forums. Planaria is not an ordinary pest worm that magically appears in your tank....How are you going to take their food source away? They eat what fish eat. Large planaria can attack small fry and even adult cherry shrimp are not safe with them...The only way to kill planaria is the same way to kill snails..



You more than likely didn't have planaria but detritus worms.

I have done the research. just like hydra they are only harmful to fry or possibly small inverts, and if you take away their food sources I.E. don't feed as heavily they naturally are going to die off. If I only feed enough that the fish eat the majority and I keep up on maintenance and vaccing the tank what are they going to eat? Same with snails too.... That's just silly to say you have to chembomb a tank for that. I've had some detritus worms as well, but I've also had much larger worms which judging from my research and the biologists who give pretty solid advice on this fish forum were planaria. You've always got a rebuttal to everyone on this forum I've noticed lol.

If I'm wrong about OP's particular pest worm ok, but I understand the difference between the worms in question, and those ones happen to look bigger than a detritus worm.

 

[Coryloach]

Read on Turbellaria, Tricladida, Platyhelminths, or Dugesia. Some of the planarian worms can reproduce by dividing themselves...They are all carnivorous, some not as harmful as others and limited to eating fish eggs the most but some are not wanted in fish tanks, depends what one has. You introduce them via plants, similar to snails.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Read on Turbellaria, Tricladida, Platyhelminths, or Dugesia. Some of the planarian worms can reproduce by dividing themselves...They are all carnivorous, some not as harmful as others and limited to eating fish eggs the most but some are not wanted in fish tanks, depends what one has. You introduce them via plants, similar to snails.

yes, I agree? I never disagreed with introduction into a system, most if not all unwanted pests in a system need to be introduced in one form or another, they don't just spawn out of thin air. I've read on a majority of those lol you assume because I disagree with you I haven't done my due diligence on the topic.

 

[Coryloach]

That's just silly to say you have to chembomb a tank for that.

Your fish, your tank, your choice. I would because I keep shrimp and certain types of planaria do attack shrimp. If you are breeding fish, you also don't want them in there. In a monsterfish tank I would not bother. Not many fish would eat planaria, if any. They tend to spit them out but detritus worms on another hand are readily accepted..