View Full Version : White worms in tank
BryanN
02-25-2003, 01:03 AM
During a water change i noticed that there were white worms less than a millimeter in length crawling on the sides of my fish tank. I had seen these worms in the tank before, while i was breeding bettas, and i had emptied the tank of its water and scrubbed the sides with salt. Now that these worms are back can anyone tell me if they are harmful to discus, since i am now keeping discus in the tank, and how i can get rid of the worms. Any information regarding this mater will be greatly appreciated.
Bryan Nguyen
Carol_Roberts
02-25-2003, 01:13 AM
Hi Brian,
The worms on the inside glass are planaria. They like smooth surfaces, so you will find them in your filter too. They are a sign of over feeding.
Cut back on food, do extra water changes, wiping down the inside glass of the tank everyday. Rinse out the filter media(don't use chlorine water) and wipe out the filter box too.
You'll find less and less everyday. In a couple of weeks you won't see any at all.
Bryan,
use formalin-two treatments and they will be gone once and for all. then always maintain your system cleaner, better water changes and you will be sitting pretty. Carol is right but that wont take care of the problem competely it will however reduce the number of worms but their still there. with the formalin they are all dead and you dont have to worry about them any longer. This will not, i repeat not hurt your fish.
Oscar
BryanN
02-26-2003, 02:54 AM
It is a relief hearing that the worms cant hurt my fish. Thanks for the prompt replies.
NickK
02-26-2003, 01:53 PM
Oscar,
Can you please detail the treatment. And you are positive that this stuff does not affect discus? I also have these worms. I even had them before I ever owned a fish! So I'm not sure how they are a result of overfeeding...... Also, the worms in my tank ARE NOT on the glass. They are swimming with the discus, and squiggle their way around. Are these Planaria?
Thanks,
Nick,
I do not think yours are Planaria. Someone posted on this board many months ago regarding these worms, and Al/brewmaster said they were threadworms (nematodes). I have also read about them on the internet as stylaria although stylaria (bristleworms) seem to be a saltwater occurance.
How did you cycle the aquarium? Did you get sponges from someone? What did you use to cycle it with? There are many ways these kinds of worms can be brought into your tank. They will then flourish if the conditions are right.
Ryan
Nick,
This is the way i have used formalin(37% formaldehyde).
2ml per 25 gal. use it one day next day do water change to remove crap plus dead worms and then treat again to kill those still hidding in there. My worms were on the floor of the tank and on the glass and they can float around the tank, wether it be planaria,nematodes or any other flat worm this will kill them dead. Think about it, what do some people use for baby fish when they suspect gill worms? Some use formalin some acriflavin and others other meds do the baby fish die noooooooooooo. Trust me my friend your fish will not be hurt by this. I know what you mean with the overfeeding thing also i think these guys are in the fishs guts and they introduce them after they poooop. This will wrk.
Oscar
That was then this is now.
giroux68
02-26-2003, 08:29 PM
But if the worms don't hurt the fish, why go thru the hassle to kill them? My tank has them and my rummy nose tetras eat them.
NickK
02-26-2003, 09:51 PM
Will these threadworms/nematodes hurt anything? I know you said Planaria is harmless, but what about these?
Nick
PS - I just noticed a discus was trying to eat one of these worms.
Nickk,
Do you want them as pets or dead? Get rid of them man, if they are gone you wont have to worry about them being harmful or not. If you ever get eggs they will harm the eggs, most of the small flat or white worms will harm the eggs so its up to you.
Ihave been battling planaria for awhile now I get them to almost disappear with more cleanings and water changes. But they seem to keep coming back stronger. I have gravel and plants in my tank. So my question is can formalin be used in planted tank???
DebO
Debo,
I dont want to say yes, cause im not really sure but i will find out for you.
OG
Ps
gravel no problem plants may be a problem
NickK
02-27-2003, 11:16 PM
Oscar,
I don't have formalin, but will Coppersafe work? The application instructions says it will take care of all parasites and anchor worms.
#1 - Will copper kill the worms?
#2 - Does coppersafe have any adverse effects?
Nick
Carol_Roberts
02-27-2003, 11:37 PM
I don't use meds on planaria . . . . Once they're gone all you have to do is keep your filters clean, don't over feed and do your water changes. I haven't had planaria in ages. They're easy to get rid of.
Nickk,
I wouldnt use copper, it may or may not work and that is one med that can irritate the heck out of your discus. I used copper a while back as a they live or die kinda treatment and it can be harsh, formalin is easy to get some local fish stores cary them or you can buy them on line. if you want i can send you some in the mail or fed ex it to you. ill be happy to help if you cant find it i have it and ill give some to you.
Carol,
i tried the keep your tank clean and feed less thing it worked for a bit but they always came back, Now i make sure they are gone, no ifs about it. Im sure its worked for you but not all of us have your skills ;D
Carol_Roberts
02-28-2003, 01:21 AM
LOL. . . . maybe it's not just my obsessive tank cleaning. I've been thinking . . . . I don't feed beefheart or frozen foods anymore, maybe that's helped keep my planaria population in check. . . .
Carol,
So what do you feed now, i only feed black worms and some tetra bits and i feel guilty about not giving them more of a variety, when i used beef hear and frozen blood worms it was a mess.
oscar
NickK
02-28-2003, 01:35 AM
I use frozen beefheart and frozen mysis. Not the cleanest foods.....
Carol_Roberts
02-28-2003, 01:59 AM
I feed CBW, ONF1 flakes and Tetra bits . . . . pretty much the same as you Oscar, so much for that theory, lol
Surfghost63
02-28-2003, 08:45 PM
Hi guys, interesting thread.
I've noticed both kind of worms and they are very different.
Planaria is almost flat and sticks on the glass, and as Carol says, they dissappear with ease, white worms are longer, almost 1/10th in size of a bloodworm and swim all over the tank :P, my guess is that my 8 corys eat them ??? anyway I will increase the volume of w/c's. I feed beefheart mix (lots of stuff in there, bh, spinach, brocoli (sp), raw shrimp, white fish, carrot, apple, banana, garlic, wheat germ) frozen bloodworms, tetra color bits and Sera Premium granules, I stopped feeding live brine shrimp a while back, too messy. Using a Vortex diatom filter can help to get rid of both creatures, LOL.
I don't feed blackworms because I don't trust very much in the only store who sells them, I don't know where they come from, but I'm sure they are not from California :-\ so I "cooked" the BH recipe to give them variety.
Ok, that's all, sorry for the long post :whip:
Regards,
Bill :guitarist:
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