Detritus worms and fishless cycle

[WetPetMum]

Hi everyone

I’m so sad I spent about £80 on restarting a tank. Got gravel plants new filter sponges and media and have had it running for almost two weeks..
Did a test on the water today and from memory I’m now at 7.2ph 0.25 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite and between 40 and 80ppm nitrate.. (tap water usually around 20ppm) all going well with the cycle so far.
(Feed one tetra weekend stick so far)

however. This morning I’ve spotted a few detritus worms in the water, probably from the gravel I purchased from the pet store.. branded Betta. Do I just throw everything away and start again?? I don’t particularly want these worms even though they’re apparently good for the tank? And I also now have around 100 tiny bladder snails to.. Can I save myself some cash and tackle this whilst it’s cycling or is it just easier to start over?

 

[Cadillac15]

Detritus worms are harmless and usually come from feeding a tank too much food (or in this case, from not having fish to eat the food) which is fine. Once your cycle is done and you put fish in, don't feed them for a couple days and they will eat the worms. I would not scrap anything because of it.

 

[MacZ]

The worms come with plants, they don't just appear out of nowhere and they also don't come with sand from a gravel pit. And they are part of a healthy ecosystem. When you see them that means they have a surplus of food and nutrients and have a short population explosion. They will retreat back to the mulm and detritus after a while.
Same goes for the snails.

A spotlessly clean tank without any microfauna is dead. You don't want that.
So free yourself of the idea this is bad.

Only thing I have to admit: Bladder snails will be having a blast once you get fish and start feeding them. If you want to make sure you don't have too many, start collecting them by hand.

That is all you have to do.

 

[SparkyJones]

A spotlessly clean tank without any microfauna is dead. You don't want that.
So free yourself of the idea this is bad.

Hmm. My tanks aren't dead. I have live fish and robust bacteria colonies, what I don't have are snails, worms, scuds, nematodes, mosquito larvae, amoeba, or any of those microfaunas hahahaha no plants of any kind.

I don't have any little critters wandering about bigger than bacteria besides my fish and the tanks are healthy and far from dead.

 

[MacZ]

Hmm. My tanks aren't dead. I have live fish and robust bacteria colonies, what I don't have are snails, worms, scuds, nematodes, mosquito larvae, amoeba, or any of those microfaunas hahahaha no plants of any kind.

I don't have any little critters wandering about bigger than bacteria besides my fish and the tanks are healthy and far from dead.

Sparky, you might not have any bigger things, but on the microscopic level you also have things living in your tanks. You just don't see them with the naked eye. And the tanks are healthy because these unseen critters do what they are supposed to do. Don't fool yourself.

My point is: People should not panic because of some small worms or snails that are more beneficial than anything else.

 

[StarGirl]

Hmm. My tanks aren't dead. I have live fish and robust bacteria colonies, what I don't have are snails, worms, scuds, nematodes, mosquito larvae, amoeba, or any of those microfaunas hahahaha no plants of any kind.

Yeah you dont have plants you wont get a lot of things. Most times just like diatoms, detritus worms and copepods pop up for a bit at a certain time in the tank then they go away just like the diatoms. I have had them in all my tanks and now I dont. When you purchase new plants is when you get other things. Pilfer plants from tank to tank and you wont get any of that stuff.

I have learned snails are inevitable unless you want a stringent soak down and QT of every plant you purchase. Ehhh the snails clean stuff pretty good and they are kinda cute. I have 3 different kinds. No Bladders though.

 

[WetPetMum]

The worms come with plants, they don't just appear out of nowhere and they also don't come with sand from a gravel pit. And they are part of a healthy ecosystem. When you see them that means they have a surplus of food and nutrients and have a short population explosion. They will retreat back to the mulm and detritus after a while.
Same goes for the snails.

A spotlessly clean tank without any microfauna is dead. You don't want that.
So free yourself of the idea this is bad.

Only thing I have to admit: Bladder snails will be having a blast once you get fish and start feeding them. If you want to make sure you don't have too many, start collecting them by hand.

That is all you have to do.

Thank you for your helpful advice so glad I don’t have to start over.

Detritus worms are harmless and usually come from feeding a tank too much food (or in this case, from not having fish to eat the food) which is fine. Once your cycle is done and you put fish in, don't feed them for a couple days and they will eat the worms. I would not scrap anything because of it.

Thank you

 

[WetPetMum]

Update on my tank worms and snails still in the tank which has now been running for 5 weeks and is fully cycled.
Home to 4 Amano currently and awaiting some Celestial Pearl Danios who will enjoy the small snails and worms

 

[StarGirl]

Update on my tank worms and snails still in the tank which has now been running for 5 weeks and is fully cycled.
Home to 4 Amano currently and awaiting some Celestial Pearl Danios who will enjoy the small snails and worms

Your tank is looking really good!

 

[WetPetMum]

Your tank is looking really good!

Thank you, I purchased a few more plants but the originals are growing well now which is great.