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I bought some Java moss a couple of weeks ago from my LFS. She took it out of a newt tank. I put some in my tanks and letf the rest in a glass fish bowl w water. I noticed last night that it hap what appeared to be about 4 tiny snails in it right on top of the water. Upon further inspection I nsaw these things which I thought were strings of moss until they started moving. The y looked exactly like a string and were moving! They were about an inch and a hlf long and look what I can best describe as looking to be made of mucous. Like if you stuck your finger in and caught them,they would cling to your finger like a string of Java moss. I poured all the water out and rinsed the moss a few times until I didnt see anything else like it. I have a huge ANY kind of worm phobia not to mention a snail phobia as well. I have some of this same batch of moss in two tanks. OH MY!!!!!! Is there something I can put in the water with the moss that will kill these things? Or should I just flush all the rest of the moss? What if I see these things in my tank?

Anything going from a reptile tank into a fishtank should be 'sterilyzed' first.

Could be a parasitic worm at the worst, not sure.

No need to 'toss the moss'

Get a teaspoon of alum (this may be in your kitchen) if not commonly avail where you food shop, look in spices section) into a large margarine container or similar size, dissolve it in warm water then top it up, put your moss in there for 2 days.. When 2 days are up, rinse it well and toss it back in the tank..

But there's another issue, what else is in the worm infested tank at the moment ? That should be addressed.

The Amazon Nut...

"But there's another issue, what else is in the worm infested tank at the moment ? That should be addressed"

Theres no worm infested tank. The moss was just in a glass fish bowl, alone, to keep it alive in case I wanted to use it in the future.

Appreciate my LFS telling me to sterilize it. Yep! Youre right. The newts feces would have bacteria in it that wouldnt be so sterile. The moss was growing upm the filter canister and on a rock right where the water comes out of the canister. They should have told me also that it had snails in it. If that was what I saw. She knew I was putting it in my tank. I know my livebeares would eat anything coming off the moss but not my cherry barbs and my cory cat. Dont have any alum.

If I get worms or anything LIVING in my tank...dont owrry, youll know. ERveryone on FP will know.]:|]:|]:|

The moss was just in a glass fish bowl, alone, to keep it alive in case I wanted to use it in the future.

You contradict yourself there.

I put some in my tanks and letf the rest in a glass fish bowl w water.

I have some of this same batch of moss in two tanks.

If it's in some of the moss you might as well assume it's in all of the moss. That's why it's good to know what's in the tanks so we can have an idea how to treat those fish if it turns out to be harmful or what might be used safely to kill the pests without killing the tank inhabitants.

Oh ok. It was said as 'worm infested tank" like I had said they were in my fish tanks.

In one tank is a pleco, platties and guppies. The other is just cherry barbs and a albino cory. But I havent saw any of these things in my tanks.

If you want to sterilyze the moss, you have 3 options.

1. Alum - commonly avail where you go food shopping. 2 day soak.

2. Bleach - although many recommend this, I'd say it's a last resort, as it's the most potentially harmful. treatment, and could easily kill a plant.

3. Potassium Permanganate - if you have some or can find it at the drugstore, we can get into 'how to' in more detail. Where I am, can't get it at the drugstore or pharmacy, have to go to lab or chemical supplier. 20 min soak. Required precautions in handling, can't 'get any on ya'.

The Amazon Nut...