Substrate worms (yuk!)

[Theulli]

Hi everyone,

So a couple of days ago I noticed a worm in my substrate, which I immediately vacuumed out of the tank. Come back today and I've spotted a few more, and I am trying to decide a course of action. Root cause is that I overestimated how much food my shrimp colony would need, which I am addressing by dialing that back and trying to get the substrate cleaned with vacuuming and Pristine, so I think I am good on what I'm doing to encourage pests in the tank. What I want to know is if anyone has thoughts on what the dang things are, because that'll determine how aggressive I am about getting rid of them.

They are brown and thin (not tubey like a regular worm), but also not hair thin like the detritus worm pictures I see. They move super fast when I try to vacuum them up. I have yet to see a single one anywhere outside the substrate. I don't see the telltale head on them that I see in planaria pictures. All of the fish are doing fine. They don't inch, they kind of slide along, and they're quite good at sticking to surfaces (I had a **** of a time getting it out of my bucket after I vacuumed it). They might be 1/2 an inch long stretched out, not much longer. They do not identify themselves upon verbal questioning

My camera hasn't been able to produce a picture that would be helpful in any way. Does anyone have any ideas on this? I am sorely tempted to dose my tank with NoPlanaria, but what I don't want to do is take that step then find out it's something else that the treatment won't kill.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Chewbacca773]

A picture would really help but richiep might be able to help

 

[richiep]

As you say Chewbacca773 without a picture there's no chance of identification, and if op is correct and they are not planaria then there's very little to worry about, the chances are you are disturbing them with the vacuum

 

[John58ford]

There are a few different common species of detritus worms.

Maybe you have a type of tube worm like Naididae. They aren't as long as hair like as tubifex or some others that are commonly pictured as detritus worms.

 

[Theulli]

Thanks all, I will see if I can get a picture. Is there a downside to (proper) dosing with No Planaria? It sounds like it kills off many types of worms, and I hate seeing these things wriggling around in there, heaven forbid they start multiplying.

 

[richiep]

No planaria dosnt kill all types of worm and in a way thats good because these worm eat the mess in the substrait, even if you started a new tank you will have a residential colony of worms you can't get away from it no matter what you try, this is the great thing with shrimp tanks we see bugs/worms you don't normally see in a fish tank,
If you go easy on the vacume and maybe a little less food they will disappear into the substrate