Planaria worms! How do you get rid of them?
- Thread starter tooth517
- Start date
They're most likely not planaria worms. Odds are better that they're "detritus worms" or any species of Oligochaetes worms. These usually crop up as indicators of a system that has a large bio-load and/or low oxygen content.
Trapping these harmless worms will prove futile in eradicating them. All you need is to miss one worm and these hermaphroditic worms will quickly repopulate.
The only "cure" is proper maintenance, adjusted feeding, and adequate filtration. If possible, adding species that consume these polychaete worms will keep the population in check. Loaches relish these worms as do cory cats and other small burrowing feeders.
BTW, there are many articles on the net that have labeled these worms as planaria. These IDs are incorrect.
Trapping these harmless worms will prove futile in eradicating them. All you need is to miss one worm and these hermaphroditic worms will quickly repopulate.
The only "cure" is proper maintenance, adjusted feeding, and adequate filtration. If possible, adding species that consume these polychaete worms will keep the population in check. Loaches relish these worms as do cory cats and other small burrowing feeders.
BTW, there are many articles on the net that have labeled these worms as planaria. These IDs are incorrect.
Here is a couple pics of them. These ones appear to be dead as they don't move but I can see the live ones wriggling around on the glass and in the water.
They could be a type of nematode. I have them in both of my nano tanks. My Dario dario relish them to no end!
Their eggs are usually used in dried foods. They tend to hatch when the food isn't eaten.
Their eggs are usually used in dried foods. They tend to hatch when the food isn't eaten.
