CBW is multiplying in planted tank

[ocdiscus]

Hi everyone! I don't know if anyone of you experience this problem. I feed my discus only CBW. I noticed that a lot of skinny worms are multiplying under the gravel. How long can they live like that? I stop feeding the fish for 3 days now. I hope the loaches will eat all the worms in the gravel.

[hexed]

I was told that CBWs breed by breaking apart and each segment starts a new worm. Also that they do not die off unless they run out of oxygen. I would NOT stop feeding the discus with the hopes that they "might" find the worms in the gravel. If you do not want them in the tank simply and carefully vacuum them out being sure to get to the bottom of the tank, they will vacuum out very easily. Your discus will be right at the end of the vacuum ready to eat whatever they can get.
Again do not stop feeding your discus with the hopes of them "digging" the worms out, what's going to happen if they don't dig them out? When I had gravel I had the same problem but my discus cost me too much money to let starve.

[Terrybo]

I don't see CBW in the gravel as a problem - I just see them as a potential late night snack for my scavengers. :) (And as has been mentioned, they are very easy to vacuum out of the gravel if you don't like them in your tank).

Terry

[ocdiscus]

What type of scavenger that do not hurt discus and cardinals?

[Terrybo]

I like corys to clean the bottom of my planted tanks. They are like fat little vacuum cleaners. My favorites are the pandas, but these albinos do a pretty good job too!

Terry

[ocdiscus]

They look like loaches...I have 2 clown loaches. They're look like they cleaning all the time. But, how come they don't dig up the worms? :) the mouth of these cory look just like loaches.

[nacra99]

Hmmm i've never considered too many worms to be too much of a problem. They make a nice occasional snack for any fish that happen to find them. (like french fries for fish:)). The CBW are pretty hardy, so they'll live and thrive in a nice place like gravel where there is a nice supply of food (i.e poop and uneaten food.

If your gravel is not too deep or large, corys might able to take care of the worms. They spend most of the day digging into the gravel to pick up any worms they might find. I've personally never seen a clown loach really dig and sift the gravel before... so i'm not sure if they really work for that purpose. But they're awesome at getting rid of those darn snails tho.

If you really want to get those worms out, then as mentioned by the guys above, regular vaccuming will do the trick.

But otherwise, IMHO, i don't think the CBW in the sand is too much of a problem.

CHeers
Marc