maggie

I have had my tank for about a year now, no big problems and no fish loss disasters yet. The thing I do have is what I was once told were planaria. They look like small white hairs and are sometimes seen floating around my tank. My fish seem to enjoy munching on them. Anyway I was told these were harmless and probably caused by overfeeding. So I cut back on the food ever since. However I still have these guys in my tank, even after my first thorough yearly cleaning.

So I went to my LFS one day to get some supplies and decided to ask about these little wormies. The guy freaked out on me and told me I had some sort of parasite that could crawl into my skin! He said I should salt my tank immediately...


Now I have been sticking my arm into my tank with these wormies in it for months, I do not have any sort of flesh eating worms in my skin (at least not that I know of). So whats the deal with this? Was they guy just nuts? or was he trying to scare me? I added a bit of salt just in case but I don't see any change in the number of evil worms of death.


Also, once in a while I also notice some tiny white dots in the gravel, they look like tiny little white bugs. I've never seen them on my fish though. Just the gravel, and sometimes they will crawl on the glass. Its pretty rare though.

So yea what shall I do? Should I go see a doctor? or should I just do more gravel vacuuming?

Shawnie

Sorry I dont know what it is but could you get a pic and maybe someone will deffinately know? and as far as your LFS freaking out, I bet you can imagine how helpful they will be in the future huh? ...

ps..im just curiuos as to what they look like also

sirdarksol

Planeria are pretty tame little buggers. We used them for experiments in 7th grade. I can't imagine they're that dangerous.
Besides, several folks around here have had them in large quantities... of course, I guess I haven't seem him... or her... or him around here recently, but I'm sure they're okay. Seriously though, there have been many people with them who have not developed any problems.

I wouldn't salt the tank. I would do a very thorough vacuuming in the tank. They feed on excess food/waste. Take the excess away, they'll go away.

angelfish220

I can see the next big horror film now... You cant run, You cant hide from

THE MAN EATING WORMS!!! *Girl screaming in background*

maggie

Yea see I thought I was pretty thorough when I cleaned it last week. I took out 95% of the water and really stirred up the gravel before I siphoned the water out. Oh well. I only put a small amount of salt in the tank when he made his suggestion. I think its supposed to be one teaspoon per 5 gal. I only put in about half a teaspoon for my 10 gal.

seedy

Hi maggie
A couple of big water changes over a week and a good clean out of the gravel should get rid of the planaria. Small fish will eat them with no harm done. Just be careful , as they can infest your fishes gills if they really get out of control.
Hope this helps

Butterfly

These things thrive on any food, poop, dying vegetation etc. So consistantly watching how much you feed and doing weekly tank maintenance (25% water change and gravel vacuums) should see them in control.
Sounds like a great idea.
Not necessary sounds like your fish guy needs another job
now go get those planaria !
carol

ikme17

Planaria belong to the phylum Platyhelminthes which are flatworms. Some flatworms are parasitic (like liver flukes). However, true "planaria" belong to a class of flatworms that are free-living. If you have free-living planaria (which it sounds like you do), they won't "become" parasitic. Parasitic flatworms, like other parasites, are very host specific and can't live outside their host.

What it sounds like you have is effectively a tank with self-regenerating fish food. Most planaria can reproduce asexually by splitting (dropping their tail off which grows into a new worm). Even one in your tank could reproduce a whole new colony.

Salt might get rid of them as they can be sensitive to water quality. I certainly wouldn't worry about them "attacking" you.

David C

Stupid Question: How does planaria get introduced in the first place?

Thanks for not laughing... too long

Little Cherry Barb

Oh, I love planaria! Won me many science fairs, those cute little guys. I used to keep them in small tanks as pets. The ones I had never ate my skin. They also regenerated themselves when I cut them.

Sorry. That wasn't helpful.

Devon

I don't think it's stupid... I was just reading and wondering the same thing...

Butterfly

There are no stupid questions remember that! (remember to say yes maam )
Planaria and other micro organisms are always in your tank sometimes they just over multiply. Over multiply because of overfeeding, dieing vegetation, infrequent water changes(or not big enough) and few gravel vacuums.
Remember a fishes stomach is the size of one eye. Thats not much food, i think (myself included) most of us overfeed our fish. Even if they eat all you put in the tank it comes out as waste. If you feed a lot a lot of waste will result. The person who originally started this thread was doing yearly cleanings. Can you imagine the build -up.
I didn't laugh not even once. Good question!
Carol

David C

Give me awhile and you'll realize there are stupid questions, but asking them doesn't make you stupid. Stupid people are those who never ask questions because they dont want to look stupid. At least thats my

Butterfly

Yep you hit it on the head. you are exactly correct!
(Glad we got that straightened out)
Carol

David C

I think what I said is a bit ambiguous, but oh well. I think you got my point

Butterfly

Just having a good tease at you David
Carol

David C

I know, I'm a good sport and enjoy laughing at my own ignorance

But the only way I'll ever learn is by asking stupid questions, and many times I'm not the only one who doesn't know but I'm still the one who asks. I suffer from an insatiable curiosity.

Butterfly

Me too! I love know why things are as they are and how to do things.
Carol