# I have white worms in my tank!!???



## zombiefish610

So I've been trying to get a 10 gallon tank cycled. I just put in some decor and of course that stirred up some debris. When I got finished To much shock I noticed that swimming around and crawling on the glass were lots of tiny white worms about 1 cm long. Is this normal? I read a article and I think it's planaria. Will this hurt the cycle? Should I clean the tank? I really have no clue what to do. There are no fish in it but I would like to put some in soon. If anyone can help me with this, please do! Thanks.


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## JokerBoyX

*Planaria* are non-parasitic flatworms
However there are some parasitic worms out there.


Is this what you see? This is planaria


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## lovemygoldy

I've heard of some white worms in aquariums that are actually very beneficial. They eat the fish waste so it may be a good thing


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## zombiefish610

JokerBoyX said:


> *Planaria* are non-parasitic flatworms
> However there are some parasitic worms out there.
> 
> 
> Is this what you see? This is planaria


No this is not what I see...unless that picture is blown up. Like I said they are 1 cm big so I can't make them out too well.


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## zombiefish610

Please someone help!!!


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## Tundra9

Planaria are flatworms and members of the Platyhelminthes phylum. 

Planaria are often found in aquariums with uneaten food. The planaria won't hurt the fish, but they are a symptom of too much gravel containing too much uneaten food, and that is not good for fish. They require a food source, which means there must be excess food wastes in the tank to support them. 

If examined closely have eyespots as well as protrusions from the sides of their heads. Although they do not harm fish, they love to feast on eggs, and therefore are dangerous if breeding egglaying fish. 

A clean tank is the best defense against becoming overrun with Planaria. 

Free-living, non parasitic flatworms are common in lakes, streams, ponds, and other freshwater habitats. Planaria, usually dark brown, greenish, or tan, are found in shallow water underneath submerged rocks or vegetation. They can glide over the surface of objects and are sometimes upside-down on the underside of water surface film. The body of Planaria is non-segmented and bilaterally symmetrical. The head is triangular shaped and contains two eyespots that detect light. Worms can shorten and change shape using muscle cells whose contractions are controlled by a primitive nervous system. Asexual reproduction allows a new head and tail ends to form by a process of tissue regeneration. Sexual reproduction is also possible after worms exchange sperm; worms are hermaphroditic. After internal fertilization, numerous zygotes are deposited into a small, dark capsule, called a cocoon, which is about 1 mm in diameter. The cocoon is attached to submerged rocks or plants and, after further development, small worms emerge from an opening in the cocoon. There is no larval form.

Here are my recommendations of getting rid of them

1. Clean Your Aquarium. In particular you should clean your gravel with a Gravel Washer. 

2. Add Aquarium Salt to your aquarium up to a maximum of 1 Tablespoon for each 5 gallons of water. 

3. Don't Over React. Clean your gravel every day with the Gravel Washer. When you've removed 20% of the water, stop and top your aquarium back up with tap water. Repeat this procedure every day. 

4. It may take several days of gravel washing to get your gravel really clean. When it is finally really clean, begin removing gravel, until it is at most 1/4" deep. If you have an under gravel filter you'll need some more advice. 

5. Add Quick Cure. Each day after you clean your aquarium and wash the gravel, treat with quickcure. 

Repeat steps 1 to 5 listed above, until you don't see the worms any more. This procedure will take several days and require quite a bit of your elbow-grease, but it's the safest method for the rest of the fish in your aquarium. 

Reduce the amount you feed your fish, as well as the frequency of feedings.


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## zombiefish610

Okay so now I'm starting to think it's not planaria. What you guys are describing is not what I see. What else could it be? I'm getting worried because I've now noticed it in my 55 gallon. I've only seen a few. As for the 10 gallon it's infested! What is a gravel washer? To be clear the worms are white in color, they are 5mm in length and less than 1mm wide. They squiggle around the tank and sometimes attach to the walls. The majority seem to dwell in the subtrate. I'm freaking out, I don't know what to do. Please help!


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## zombiefish610

I took a look at one of these things under a microscope. This is what it looks like.


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## Tundra9

take a picture of them so we can know exactly look like


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## Tundra9

Worms of Concern
Anchor Worm
Young anchor worms are free swimming crustaceans that bury themselves into the fish’s skin. It takes several months before the worm becomes visible in form of holes or ulcers on the fish's body. After laying eggs, the worm dies off.
Since the worm can not be removed by hand, a potassium permanganate bath for about 20 minutes should cure it (dosage 10ml/l).
Thorny Headed Worm
Visible symptoms are white or green threads on the gills. The fish often scratches on objects in the aquarium.
The thorny headed worm is similar to the anchor worm, only smaller in size. It attaches itself to the gills. The cure is also a potassium permanganate bath for 20 minutes (dosage 10ml/l).
Flukes
The symptoms are mucus covered gills and/or body, red spots on the skin, fins appear eaten away, as well as rapid breathing.
Flukes are flatworms and are similar in appearance as Ick and can be better viewed with detail through a *







*magnifying glass. Flukes will destroy the gills and kill the fish if left untreated.
The best cure is a potassium permanganate bath for 20 minutes (dosage 10ml/l).
Threadworms
Threadworms are internal fish that sometimes emerge from the fish's anus. This parasitic infestation can be fatal if not treated in time. Preferred treatment is parachlorometaxylenol soaked fish food and a bath in the same for several days (dosage 10ml/ liter).
Leeches
These external parasites are visible on the skin, gills and fins of the fish and are similar in appearance to Ick.
Since they attach themselves to the fish, the best method of removal is a bath in a salt solution for 20 minutes (dosage 2.5 % salt to water). During the bath, most of the leeches will simply fall off; the ones remaining can be removed with a pair of tweezers.
Copper sulfate has been used to successfully remove and control less harmful worms. Over time, copper has been found to do more damage than good concerning the overall balance of the aquarium. The side effects of copper are rarely in relation with the possible benefits.
I have heard that you can build a trap for them...i dont know if it will work or not but anything is worth a try at this point

How to build a worm trap
Next to commercially available worm traps, it is fairly easy to make one at home. All that is needed is a plastic container or jar with a lid.
Using a razor blade or sharp knife, the lid is cut in X shape. The corners are then pushed slightly inward to form an opening in the lid. The size of the opening varies, depending on the size of the creatures to be trapped. 
For the trap to work properly it is important that the worms do not see the "bait" but rather smell it. The container should therefore not be transparent.
For bait, clam and shrimp meat can be used as well as any fish meat available. The bait should be prepared in a way that is small enough for the worms but just short of being mashed up totally.
The container is then placed in the area where the worms are suspected and kept there over night. Adjustments to the size of the lid opening and the bait source can be made for optimum results.


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## Tundra9

Here is a website of different worms that could be in your aquarium 
Aquarium (and Pond) Answers: Trematodes and Nematodes in Fish

another one
The Worms!

hope this helps


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## zombiefish610

Tundra9 said:


> take a picture of them so we can know exactly look like


I can't take a picture of them. They are too small.


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## Tundra9

the only thing that i can think of is that they might be mosquito larva.


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## Westie7

> If examined closely have eyespots as well as protrusions from the sides of their heads. Although they do not harm fish, they love to feast on eggs, and therefore are dangerous if breeding egglaying fish.


I had like four in my zebra fry tank...apparently they're not harmful to fry?


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## zombiefish610

Tundra9 said:


> the only thing that i can think of is that they might be mosquito larva.


 
Its definitly not mosquito larvae. This is what mosquito larvae looks like...


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## Jai ullu

I know alot about planaria and jsut got a degree in college. It would be beneficial if you find a local breeder because ive heard of many worms looking like planaria but are more harmful. BTW planaria is not white!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its dark brown with spots. The white may be some sort of insect or even, a fry! But you never know. Like I said, find a local breeder. They know many things that occur in tanks. For now, leave it in the tank and if the fish behave differently or seem sick, get the fish into another container with clean water and empty the infested tank. Dont forget to give your fish medicine and clean all decor and substate with soap and water.


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## Fishin Pole

Do NOT clean anything your gonna use in your fish tank with any kind of soap....EVER!.........Use old tank water from a water change and a "Aquarium only" brush to clean and tank decor.........Its NOT a good idea to ever change all your water.........A maximum of a 50% water change and thats if you have fry in the tank.........A 30% water change every day for 3 days is better than a 100% water change all at once


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## Mikaila31

Fishin Pole said:


> Do NOT clean anything your gonna use in your fish tank with any kind of soap....EVER!.........Use old tank water from a water change and a "Aquarium only" brush to clean and tank decor.........Its NOT a good idea to ever change all your water.........A maximum of a 50% water change and thats if you have fry in the tank.........A 30% water change every day for 3 days is better than a 100% water change all at once


I disagree. Soap and bleach are just fine to use for cleaning fish things. The important thing is that you rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse some more. Cleaning a empty tank and decor in this manner is fine. Substrate however I always suggest using the oven on broil to sanitize it. Driftwood should be sanitized by boiling. Also changing all water is fine, though normally unnecessary. I would only worry if you have sensitive fry in the tank. I've done 95+% water changes w/ endler fry and they have always been fine. If its an emergency I will drain the tank and leave only enough water for the fish to swim(1-3"), I may fill it back up and drain it again if it is necessary. I've done this on tanks with young german blue rams and they have always been just fine. 


As far as the worms go. I think I know what you are taking about. They are thin tiny white worms. Most stick to the glass and substrate, however some do seem to swim. Does that sound like them? Do they look kinda like mirco worms(the live food)?


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## zombiefish610

Mikaila31 said:


> As far as the worms go. I think I know what you are taking about. They are thin tiny white worms. Most stick to the glass and substrate, however some do seem to swim. Does that sound like them? Do they look kinda like mirco worms(the live food)?


Yes. Exactly. What are they?


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## Mikaila31

zombiefish610 said:


> Yes. Exactly. What are they?


Species wise IDK, they are harmless though. They won't harm the fish or anything else. Your 10gal. Does it have fish in it our not? I've found that you can get lots of them in empty or lightly stocked tanks verse fully stocked tanks. Some fish like cories seem to eat them, I've always seen a reduction in there numbers after adding fish in general. They also seem to like newer tanks, often as a tank ages you see a steady dwindling of them. Gravel vac can deduce the numbers, but usually won't get rid of them completely. 

Empty tanks that are left running, say to cycle, often become homes to weird tiny things. I left a barebottom tank run empty for over a month and at the end it had a large colony of seed shrimp in it. Visually they looked like really young daphina. But they swam really drunken like. Often going in circles in the same spot for a extended period of time. Under the microscope they looked like miniature clams. When I did add fish to that tank, all the seed shrimp where wipped out in about a day.


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## zombiefish610

ok great. no it does not have fish. thanks.


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## UADOLL

I think I had what you had. I don't know what they are called, but are they white and kinda jerk in the water? If so, they come about when there is alot of food waste in your tank. I had to cut back on how much I was feeding my fish. Also, vacuum the gravel very good.


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## dfbiggs

zombiefish610 said:


> So I've been trying to get a 10 gallon tank cycled. I just put in some decor and of course that stirred up some debris. When I got finished To much shock I noticed that swimming around and crawling on the glass were lots of tiny white worms about 1 cm long. Is this normal? I read a article and I think it's planaria. Will this hurt the cycle? Should I clean the tank? I really have no clue what to do. There are no fish in it but I would like to put some in soon. If anyone can help me with this, please do! Thanks.


 
I know this is an old post but did you ever find out what worms you have. I believe I have the same thing.


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## kitten_penang

i say if they are infesting the tank kill them.. kill them all 0.0 but that's just me


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## unprejudice

I'm having the same problem in my tank. It doesnt much look like the Planaria it seems to look like sperm if you looked at it under a scope. The head is larger and the tail wiggles like a snake and they swim around the tank. Im forum searching trying to find answers to what I have. Help me too?


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## zombiefish610

No need to worry. Apparently it's a common thing. It is a result of overfeeding. Ive seen many of my fish scarf these things down. Cutback on the amount of food given and vacuum the gravel. As for me, I still get them from time to time. Just not nearly as bad. If the fish don't mind, I don't mind.


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## dfbiggs

zombiefish610 said:


> No need to worry. Apparently it's a common thing. It is a result of overfeeding. Ive seen many of my fish scarf these things down. Cutback on the amount of food given and vacuum the gravel. As for me, I still get them from time to time. Just not nearly as bad. If the fish don't mind, I don't mind.


What do you do if you dont have fish? My snails or shrimp wont eat them. Guess I just need to do more WC and vacuum well. (2 downsides of having an invert tank..worms won't be eaten..and pond snails won't stay under control.)


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