Has anyone ever gotten Aquatic Worms in their tank ?

[BSW]

I went to put a new impeller in my Fluval last night and when I did, there were worms in the filter !!!!! About FREAKED ME OUT ! I have never had this happen before. There was not a ton of them but several. Jumped on the internet to see what they were. Best I could tell they call them Aquatic Worms. They are about 3/4 of an inch long, reddish in color, and seem to have suction at both ends as they use that to propell themselves along like an inch worm does. When they are free swimming they swim in a snake fashion. They are very thin.
At any rate, the Discus got dosed with Prazi, they probably needed that anyway, and to see if Prazi would kill these worms I put a few of them in a cup of water, dropped in a little Prazi, and it seemed to be killing them.
Now my question is - Where in the heck did these things come from ?? I do have a planted tank, do they come as hitch hikers too ?
I also have a gravel/Eco substrate, and an UGF. Gosh I wish I hadn't put that thing in there. Does this mean the tank is nasty under there ? I do use a Python once a week. Haven't added anything new to the tank. And I don't see these worms in the tank, just saw them in the filter, but they gotta be in there.
Should I just put the Discus in a heated tub, break this tank down and scrub it out ?? And start over ? Tanks about 1 year old.
B

[brewmaster15]

Morning B,
First off don't panic... Theres millions of types of worms in the world..and most are not parasitic....if anything they are "food":) If your tank looks good, the fish look good...I would not rush to change anything..
The UGF may be not be the best thing in the world to have in a discus tank... but its not necessarily related to the worms, IMO.
Prazi is okay but a specific dewormer for tapeworms, flukes and possibly some round worms..... if you are really concerned about worms...I'd suggest you dose with a broad spectrum dewormer like levamisole HCL.

hth,
al

[BSW]

Thanks Al -
I really don't know if I should be worried or not !
Everyday I stare and stare at the fish, and they are fine ! I guess I keep expecting something to happen, but they are big now, colorful, sassy but not mean, and eat about as much food as I do !
Just have never seen worms of any kind in any tank I've ever had.
It's gone so well, that I guess I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop !
There are two large Clown Loaches in the tank, maybe they are eating the worms in there ?
I will get some levamisole HCL. And keep it on hand, Prazi is what I had here. And maybe it will stave off any worms, if any had started.
But I don't think the fish are wormy.
Just don't want them to get that way either.
But worms are just about UGLY no matter how ya look at it.
Sure don't want them on my fish ! Maybe I'm feeding to much in a graveled tank.
B

[Don Trinko]

Have you ever fed CBW live? I think they will live in an aquarium if the fish don't eat them all. Don T.

[Kindredspirit]

I agree! Nothing would freak me out more than finding worms in my tank or filter......

And I did not put them there! Hell No!

[BSW]

Hi Don -
No I've never fed worms of any kind. I feed frozen Brine Shrimp, steamed table shrimp & steamed scallops, chopped and mixed with vitamins, Ocean Nutrition veggie flakes, Cichlid chips, Tetra Color Bits, and Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Flakes Plus.
I fed frozen blood worms to my Angelfish once a long time ago, and one of them got parasites, I've never fed worms since.

I don't know where in the heck they came from !
I'm with you Kindredspirit, I'm flat grossed out !
Here's some pics, I thought the Prazi had killed them BUT NO !!!
I don't know for sure what they are OR how I'm going to get rid of them, besides bust down my whole tank. I am getting some levamisole, if I have to use it to get rid of them I will, I sure don't want an explosion of these things.
B

[Ed Hengel]

They look a lot like tiny ribbon leeches.

[BSW]

OMG !
Will they get on my fish ????
All I can find on Ribbon Leeches is how to use them for bait !
How can I get rid of them ?
Prazi isn't touching em'
Thanks -
B

[fishmama]

Since you have a planted tank, my bet is they came in on some plants. If you had walleye in there they would eat them! ;-)

[Apistomaster]

Leeches also come in with California Black worms. They feed on the worms and not your Discus so I wouldn't be too concerned.

[BSW]

Thanks you all -
I'm starting to relax a little. I still don't see them in the tank but, could easily be in the gravel. And I've never seen them on my fish. But I can't stand the thought of opening up that filter again ! And I know I will have to.
I'd still like to find something to kill them before they get out of hand, or multiply.
B

[tonymaccs]

Hi B,
If the thought of what you CAN see is grossing you out, then my advice is don't buy a microscope and start looking closer at whats in your filter and tank.
As Al said, there are many types of water based worms and most are harmless.
Tony

[BSW]

Tony -
That's probably REAL good advice for a person like me !!! I believe I'll follow that FOR SURE !
As long as they aren't going to hurt my fish, I suppose I can manage, but I MUCH rather they were gone. And I can't find any info on killing them that won't kill my fish, and everything else in the tank too !
Looks like a complete tank break down might be comming my way after the Holidays are over. (a 60 gal. fully graveled & planted headache)
Wouldn't be so bad I guess, it would give me the opportunity to change several things with that tank that I'm unhappy with. And go BB/Planted. Better for the fish, and not so many places for these types of critters to live !
B

[Kindredspirit]

I'm with you Kindredspirit, I'm flat grossed out !
Here's some pics, .
B

Are they still only in your filter? I am so right up there with you, woman! Get rid of them suckers! lol!


Leeches also come in with California Black worms.

But they don't look like the leeches ( I hate that word!) that come in with cbw, though ~ they are white and flatish, IME ~ gross as hell!!





But I can't stand the thought of opening up that filter again !
B

I hear you!! ugh! Good luck though! If ya wanna talk find me;)

[BSW]

Marie ? Right ?
I'm new here, so hope I'm not calling you by the wrong name !
I did open the filter, and there were only a few (YEAH, like snails, huh ? Only a few !!!) I had to change the micro floss, and I was pleasantly surprised to only see maybe 6. But eggs, or what ever they do ? Was my main concern. And I have no confirmation there. In two weeks they could be ALL over the place !
I do know Prazi doesn't even touch em'. But the Discus have been lightly wormed, so that wasn't all bad.
Nothing on the fish, so that is good. They are all doing well.
And I still have never seen them in the tank. But two large Clown Loaches live in there, and they maybe helping me out !
However have made no drastic changes yet. Such as breaking down the tank and re-setting up.
Thanks for asking -
Brenda

[Kindredspirit]

Brenda!! Yes, I am Marie;) Have you ever stirred your gravel? Maybe you shouldn't! lol!

I hope they get better before they get worse ~ I hate worms, man...ugh! And if they are/were white, that would be all the worse for me:(

Merry Christmas, Brenda!

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_6.gif

[BSW]

Well, Merry Christmas to you too !
Here's som pic's of where I live if youwant to see them ! Just click on the photo.
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s12/rlwbsw/th_109.jpg (http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s12/rlwbsw/?action=view&current=8332dadd.pbw)
YEP !!!! I sure did stirr my gravel ! I added Eco, over about a two week period. I wondered about that too. I just gotta get rid of my UGF, and what a headache that will be !!!
Happy New Year Marie !
B

[Kindredspirit]

Beautiful! Absolutely Priceless, Brenda! Nothing takes my breath away quite like a snow-filled world:)

Thank you for sharing that ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_2_104.gif

[BSW]

Thanks !
Glad you liked them.
My Hubby and I are HUGH San Francisco (the town) fans. We're there every chance we get. Maybe about four times a year. Wish I could live in Sacramento, wouldn't be so far of a drive. I could eat Crab every year for Christmas and never miss a turkey ! Nappa and Sonoma, right up the road, and I'd be all fixed up !
Lucky you :antlers:
P.S. Some really nice fish in your area too ! DALY CITY !!! I'd be broke !
B

[Kindredspirit]

Is it not funny how we always think the grass is greener some place else......

[BSW]

This may sound insane !
But I think I found my source.
Got a new supply of Ocean Nutrition in yesterday, and in cleaning out the food cabinet to make room. I noticed a can of freeze dried blood worms was gone. I was going to throw it out, ask hubby where it went, he said there wasn't much left in the can, so he gave the rest to the Discus, and tossed it in the trash. :shocked2:
Can the cysts, larva, eggs, or what ever, survive the freeze dry process ?? And come alive in the tank ??? Does that sound nuts ? I'm really thinking these were blood worms ! In looking more and more on the Internet I'm finding pics that look just like mine.
If so, I'm not to worried, the clown loaches and corrys will make short work out of that.
So Don may of been right - "Did I feed any worms ?"
Me ? No ! The Hubby ? Yes !!!!
B