WTF?

[pcfriedrich]

I went out of town for the weekend, had my roommate feed the fish. Just got back, did a 25% water change, and inspected the fish. Fish look fine, but I noticed something kinda strange. There are a bunch of little, white, worm-like things drifting/swimming in my aquarium. maybe 3-5 mm in length, and too small to get a pic with my crappy camera.

The only thing I can think of is that it could be mystery snail larvae, there is a mucus-looking smudge near the top of my aquarium on one end (too translucent to get a pic), but it is a few inches below the water level.

anybody have any better ideas, or know, what these tiny, worm-like things might be?

 

[BushFishRox]

I believe they are Planeria (sp?) caused by high nitrates and over feeding...

 

[Omerov]

could be detritus worms or anything

 

[pcfriedrich]

Definately detritus worms. Thanks. I found confirmation:

Annelids “Segmented Worms” - Including:
DETRITUS WORMS

The annelids are the phylum of segmented worms which includes earthworms. Most annelids are NOT purely aquatic in fresh water; the annelids found in freshwater are all oligochaetes (which means "few-bristled") and are not very important in the freshwater ecology as are their marine cousins, the polychaetes (which means "multi-bristled"), are in marine environments.
All the oligochaete worms are hermaphrodites (an organism that posses both male and female genitalia). Many are nearly microscopic too

Detritus Worms (from the group of worms called Oligochaetes, sub group naidid worms) are often misidentified in the aquarium hobby as Planaria without close inspection by many internet articles such as about.com.
Many of these worms are accidentally introduced by live plants, gravel (especially in the case of common Detritus Worms) live fish foods, and even brought in with fish transfers.
(Click picture to enlarge)
Many not familiar with Detritus worms will label these as everything form midge larvae, Planaria to baby earthworms, of which none is true. They are very common and most often seen during vacuuming and other cleaning procedures.
These worms generally are not a problem, however high numbers of particular species can indicate low oxygen levels and low filter productivity, which very often suggests some degree of pollution caused by poor cleaning procedures, over crowding, over feeding and poor filtration
Please reference these sources for even more identification (and further information so as to dispel the internet aquarium myth that these are Planaria):
Planaria
Aquatic Life: Worms ,
Oligochaeta Worms
Aquatic Worms
Source
http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/2007/03/trematodes-and-nematodes-in-fish.html

 

[pcfriedrich]

Sure they came in on feeders, and were stirred up by the buckets of water during the water change. now, to get rid of them. luckily, my infestation isn't anywhere near as bad as the pic. I just see maybe 30 wriggling around my aquarium. probably a lot more in my gravel, though. I just vacuumed last week, too now I gotta do it again. damn I hate being lazy.

 

[bluestarjazz]

I think I have them too are they little white worms that look kinda like a sperm with a long tail?
My knife, gouramis and live bearers think they are treats and pick them off the glass .
They seem to be nocturnal and live in the gravel. I usually only see them on the sides of the tank right after the light is turned on or if I over feed the tank. If feeding is the cause I vacuum the gravel and do a 10% wc this seem to decrease the population enough I don't see them.
However my nitrates are always good and they don't seem to hurt any thing and all my fish are well colored and growing well.

 

[Omerov]

good luck my freind!

 

[Opiate]

yeah ive had them b4 in my 4 footer!! even with water changas and gravel vacs took weeks to get rid of them all..

 

[pcfriedrich]

I think I have them too are they little white worms that look kinda like a sperm with a long tail?
My knife, gouramis and live bearers think they are treats and pick them off the glass .
They seem to be nocturnal and live in the gravel. I usually only see them on the sides of the tank right after the light is turned on or if I over feed the tank. If feeding is the cause I vacuum the gravel and do a 10% wc this seem to decrease the population enough I don't see them.
However my nitrates are always good and they don't seem to hurt any thing and all my fish are well colored and growing well.

yeah, that info I found (above) says they are harmless. just kind of an eyesore. they look kinda like sperm, without the head, just wiggling aimlessly.

 

[kgby13]

I have those in my molly tank. The mollies love em but what they dont eat I try to take out for my con babies. They love em even more.

I just lowered the feeding on my O tank and increased wc. Seems to get rid of em.