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After having no end of problems with my tank since about week 1 it doesnt surprise me that ive spotted something else now.


Tonight i have seen a white insect/creature about 1 maybe 2mm big in the tank. it swim with like a flicking type motion in the water.

I have seen two tonight. 1 on the driftwood and the other on the glass.


HAs anybody have a clue what they are and if they are more bad news for me??]:|

Sounds like Planaria.
Try http://www.aquariumfish.net/information/having_trouble_p2.htm

Probably planaria. Most tanks have them, but when there is not an abundance of food for them to eat (algae, mulm and fish food), they are only seen by night, if even then. Usually, they are inconspicous.

These are harmless little guys and when you see one squirming through the water, then he probably got disturbed while on a plant or something else. In fact, many tanks get them through live plants.

They are controlled by controlling their foodsources. Keeping gravel thickness to a minimum when there are no plants (like 1 inch or less) is good. Keeping it gravel vac'd plays a role, as well.

However, I have kept a bare tank with only a fake plant in it and managed to have planaria. This is because I put a piece of hornwort from another tank in there and found they love being on the plants. When I allowed some soft algae to coat the walls, they were crawling within that. No gravel, barely any food loose in the tank, yet they thrived. Once again, they are harmless.

Diane

Cheers for the replys. I can sleep easier tonight now.

I should clarify that they are harmless to adult fish. Planaria are capable of killing very tiny fry, like those of egglayers.

Oh good I`ve seen one of those in my tank only 1 and I freaked out thinking I was going to have to treat my tank with some exspensive junk that doesnt even work

I pour my replacement water all over my plants and jar the little buggers loose. My white clouds and harlequins love to snack on them when they wiggle in mid-water