HELP! what is this in my tank??

Question

i have a 24gallon tank. i have 1 ballon mollie, 1 male betta, 1 dwarf gourami, 2 blue platys, 1 red platy, 3 neons, 2 kuhli loaches and a leopard plec. i also have 7 platy fry that are 3days old in a hatcher in my tank. most of my fish (apart from the fry) have had ick/ich! but i have that under control now (FINALLY)!!! anyway i've now come across a new problem! this morning when i was doing my daily check on them
i found one tiny little white wormey thing wriggling on the glass in with my fry!!! what is it? why is it in my tank?? and how did it get there?? will they harm my fish/fry?? it seems like since setting my tank up 5weeks ago i've had nothing but problems! first my fish got ick/ich. then several died, then i discovered snails, now i have this problem. i feel ive done everything that i was meant to do. i allowed the tank to cycle before putting fish in. i do water changes when im meant to. i dont believe my tank it over crowed. is this all part of fish keeping? or am i doing

something wrong?? i really dont want anymore fish dying!!! so please help.
thanks in advance :o)

Answer 1

It's not you - but dealing with these things are a part of fishkeeping. White wormy things are usually the larvae of a terrestrial fly - a type of midge. They swim in something of a thrashing "S" shape, usually stay near the bottom of the tank? If you look at them under a microscope, you'll usually make out a hard, sclerotized "head" - material something like your fingernails are made of, but clear, tan, or brown.

The adult flies lay their eggs on the water's surface (or on your filter media) and the young hatch out into the water where they live until they metamorphose into adults. You may have even noticed small (< 1/4 inch) flies like mosquitos drowned in your tank. They don't really harm your fish, but they sometimes attach and maybe annoy your fish.

Because they stay so low in the water and can "swim" they aren't likely to be removed by your filter. If you want them out, you almost have to use a fine-mesh net and remove them by hand. These won't come up to breathe like mosquito larve - these are true aquatics. Since your fish are fry, I'd try to get them out with a thin siphon - maybe some airline tubing so you have more control over what's caught in the siphon.

Planaria could be a possibility, but I doubt these are what you have - they "glide" across a surface, much like a snail. They also have a "head", but of the same material as the body and usually noticeable eye-spots.

Photos of some aquatic fly larvae (remember, these are 1/4-1/2 inch or less!):
http://www.zi.biologie.uni-muenchen.de/institute/zi/abtlgn/feinstruktur/images/favorite_animals/chaobo.jpg
http://www.waterbugkey.vcsu.edu/image_uploads/chironomidae-body_order_7.jpg
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/imagsmall/midgepolar.jpg

planaria photo - note head shape in last photo: http://www.caudata.org/cc/images/articles/critters/planaria1JOHNSON.jpg
http://www.bergen.cc.nj.us/Faculty/rdill/Environmental_Bio/Lab_Images/planaria.jpg

Answer 2

White wormy things are not ich. These could be flat worms or another parasite.

This sounds like a case of Planaria. Planaria are flatworms, related to flukes and tapeworms. They are quite small, and 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.

Planaria are an indicator that the aquarium has a problem. They require a food source, which means there must be excess food wastes in the tank to support them.

If you have Planaria it's time to give your aquarium a thorough cleaning. Pay particular attention to the substrate, as that's usually where they find their food. Make sure there are no dead plants, or other wastes in the tank. Use your gravel siphone to clean the gravel well.

You should also take a hard look at how much you are feeding your fish. Usually the excess waste the Planaria are living on is the result of overfeeding your fish. Reduce the amount you feed your fish, as well as the frequency of feedings.

Finally, once you've cleaned things up, be sure to continue with regular maintenance and water changes. A clean tank is the best defense against becoming overrun with Planaria.

Answer 3

Hi,
When I read your question, I remembered when I had small fry in my tank and how I somehow got a Hydra infestation. These little nasties will eat small fry. They look like a worm but have tentacles at one end.

Prevention: If you catch your own live food, you should always place it in a bucket for 15 minutes. The present Hydra will attach themselves to the side and the bottom of the bucket.

Treatments:

1) Raising the temperature to 45 degrees((110F). Prior to this remove the fish and the snails from the tank. The plants can be left in the tank since they can stand this temperature. The temperature only needs to be kept this high for a short period, 5 minutes will suffice.


I hope this helps you. :)

Answer 4

an stunning plant tank is a lot harder to maintain. I continuously wanted one. Cichlid tanks are no longer the main stepped forward degree of freshwater aquariums. Cichlids are for beginners. you will possibly might desire to be especially dumb to kill one off. All you will possibly desire to do is feed them and shop the water sparkling. There are lots harder fish to maintain alive, freshwater puffers, discus, black ghosts and elephant noses, the record is going on and on. attempt retaining an African Tigerfish it is as dumb as a bag of hammers and runs into the tank at finished velocity while scared. He additionally liked to bounce so extreme out of the tank, he very almost hit the ceiling. Thank Jesus for carpet, chum. He fee $a hundred and sixty and died in 2 months, anyhow. it is o.ok., i might have finally had to get a swimming pool for that damned subject.

Answer 5

Most likely mosquito larvae. They aren't really a problem for your fish and would most likely end up being eaten.

Having them in your tank usually means that your filter is to small and is not moving enough water as mosquito's will only lay there eggs in stagnet water.

Do a water change, and clean the gravel really well. Also if possible turn your filter up a bit, or add an air stone to the tank to keep the surface of the water moving and you won't have this problem again.

Good Luck.
E.

Answer 6

I have noticed little white worms in the gravel if there is an over-abundance of waste, it sounds like you need to gravel vacuum your tank and change some water.

Answer 7

tapeworm- treat with a medication containing dewormer