FishProfiles.com Message Forums

In my 29 gallon tank there is these tiny little worms! It's so gross! I'm trying not to panic! You can hardly see them, and I would have to call them white or colorless. It's really hard to say. They are on the botton of the glass and on the dark blue marbles in the tank. And then! There is these little tiny bugs flicking around the top of the water! I have live year old plants in this tank and an Otto, 2 Apple snails, Clown Angel and have on the 14th of this month added a pair of Blue Rams. I have just two days ago started adding Cichlid Mini Granules. So the only new things are the Rams and the food. I can't really say if the Rams are eating these granules. All the fish eat the flake food I add. I do 20% water changes once a week. The temp is right at 80F. The fish seem OK. I just got done reading about things called copepods, zooplankton, nematodes, and planarian flatworms and that theye are harmless but I'm still in a panic about this.

Last edited by blondie at 28-Oct-2004 18:20

Sounds like planaria to me. Cute little guys and harmless, but often a sign of degrading water quality - I'd do a few water changes to keep their numbers down, after that the fish are likely to eat them. Fascinating guys, though, I did a science fair project on them once (testing how well they survived in different pollutants - and let me tell you, we never used Tide again after that experiment! Instant death all around, even in tiny doses). If you cut the heads in half lengthwise they'll grow back such that the creature becomes two-headed!

The bugs, I get too - never bothered to find out what they are, just assumed they were something from the outside that enjoyed jumping about on tank surfaces.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

Degrading water quality!!!!! Runs to test water!

Tests are done, I used the Tetratest Laborett kit.
ph=7.0
nitrite=0.3
ammonia=0
general hardness=8
I am not due for a water change untill tomorrow.
I thought my readings would be higher so near a water change. I guess it's not caused by "degrading water quality". But it's caused by something? Thanks Little Mousling, I thought we were on to something. This is so creepy. I'm going to wait, as hard as that is, untill tomorrow to do the water change. I don't want to mess up my anaerobic bacteria. I think I may take more water out this time, I've never taken more then 20% before. Just creepy...


Last edited by blondie at 28-Oct-2004 17:00

I've been looking some more at the worms and they are just a little bigger on top. Mousling does that sound like the planaria? Is that the same as the planarian flatworms? The rams are eating them! Gross!

Now my Rams have spawned! This is just nuts!

Don't worry about your fish eating them. Whatever they are, you want to get rid of them, right?
If these worms really are planaria, they should look a little like this:

Also, they aren't harmful to your tank. I wouldnt' be too concerned. Just think of them as fast food for your fish![/font]

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Oh my goodness! Thats something only it's mother could love! I think the worms are what caused my Blue Rams to spawn so I guess they can stay and if the eggs hatch they might eat the bug thingd. Honey please don't show me the bugs! I wont be able to sleep!

A picture of the Blue Rams eggs on the castle.

blondie attached this image: