Help! White worms!

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M

mcmemily

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 6, 2005
162
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Oregon USA
:help2: Not sure if this is the right forum but....
My tank has little white worm looking things!

I have been cycling my tank for about a month and this weekend I put in two plants (so I have some snails now too of course) and two shrimp. Now I have these little white worms! I've seen these before in the same tank-but this tank was broken down for over two years! Last time I saw them they increased in # very quickly. They didn't seem to be on the fish for all I could tell....but I DO NOT want to put fish in my tank until I know what these are!

This tank will be a Tang cichlid tank eventually! I'm getting some Altoprolugus Compressiceps and maybe some Calvus.

Can anybody help me?!!! I don't know what to do!!!!
 
They are Planaria.

They are harmless to your fish, but they are a good indication that your water quality is not very good.
They are usually the result of overfeeding.

You can add the fish, but first you'll want to do some water changes and make sure not to feed too much until they are completely gone.
After that you can keep them gone by regular water changes and not overfeeding.
 
But my water quality is good. I've been testing it everyday! Virtually no nitrates at all. Plus I haven't even put food of any sort in that tank yet. It has all new rock and brand new substrate. I'm confused.
 
Then for you, it could have been from the plants you added.

Dont worry.

Here's what you can do.

Get a meaty food substance. (beefheart etc)
Place it in a small mesh bag or fish net.
Hang it over the side of the tank with a string.
In a few hours ( may take longer ) the planaria should be attacking that meat with full force and they should be easy to just pull out while they are attached to the bag.

Then just do some water changes, trying to suck up as many as possible over the next week.
They shouldnt come back. Unless you add something else to the tank that they're living on.

:thumbsup:
 
THANKS! I was totally freaked out. Those things give me the creeps! :yuck:
 
My house is infested with a 6 ft white wurm. LOL
 
I agree that they probably can in on the plants, they are very common, baiting like fledermaus suggested will catch many, keeping up good tank hygeine will also drop the numbers. Most planted tanks contain a small population of them that never even gets noticed. They actually help keep up your water quality a tiny bit by breaking down waste for your bacteria.
 
If they are planaria don't worry about them unless they get out of hand. Some planaria are actually a sign of a healthy operating eco system. Planaria do not harm fish and could be a source of food for your fish. Let the tank run its course and keep up on regular maintenance. If the worms are only on the glass and in gravel they are planaria. If they are free swimming and look kinda like thin spaghetti U have something else.
 
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