help i have been infested with worms!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

CichlaRyan

Piranha
MFK Member
Jun 24, 2008
2,747
82
81
Land of sun
hey i have recently looked at my tank water i have found some shocking stuff there are these very very tiny swimming worms and these forms that are even smaller on the glass of my tank.

This is what i think happened i have been feeding smelt to my fish and well they spit it out the left overs and i cant always pick it up and it gets stuck under my driftwood and plants and i cant pick it up now these worms have appeared some time this week maybe even sooner and i am not sure what they have done to my fish or if they are friendly. i need your help so i know what they are and what threat they posses and how i can get rid of them asap.

these worms look like one a small half a centimeter to centimeter worm that whips its whole body to move and is VERY thin they swim erratically around the tank.

the other worm is a very very very tiny worm like thing the moves like the game snake across my tank glass. i hope i have descriped this well i have S.A cichlids in the tank so if there are any meds i need i hope they work with the fish.

let me know any help is appreciated. thanks!
 
plenaria feeds off the left over food or wast that is in your tank or in your filter it happend to me so do the water change and clean your filter pads .
 
well it does seem like planaria for one of them (one on glass) but the one that is free floating and moves in a whip motion i dont know and i just noticed another type of worm that is on the gravel or is that the same as planaria? coppersafe? well i have cichla in the tank so i am not sure if that will work or will it i honestly dont have too much experience in medications.
 
bump i have tried higher temps added some copper, w/c and some salt. any more help would be great thanks for the help so far btw.
 
No coppersafe!
Both worms are most likely planeria.
You say that the food gets under the driftwood so you can't get it.
Move the wood with every gravel vac AND WC like any good fishkeeper would.
They will die off if there is no food for them to eat and they are harmless to the fish.
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com