White little worms all over Cichlid tank. Help

So last night when I went to check on my Cichlids tank I notice that there were dozens of really small white worms all over the tank glass and a few floating. Are those white little worms Lemaea? If so what is the best medication to get rid of them before they start to cause any harm on the Cichlids.

also I don't see any signs of the worms being attached to the Cichlids. So far there swirming around the glass

 

Could be nematodes or planaria.
Usually caused my over feeding. I'm pretty sure they won't hurt your fish. In fact, your fish might in them.

Can you post a pic? Someone might be able to give you a positive ID

 

Sounds like nematodes to me. Nematodes are harmelss and appear due to overfeeding. How much are you feeding your fish and how often?

wow Lucy, you're fast. Yeah, could be planaria too.

 

Those are planaria They are in the tanks all the time in very small amounts and very high in protein. Usually they show up if we over feed, get a little lax in water changes or substrate vacuums. They are harmless. Most fish will eat them.
A couple of substrate vacuums and cutting down on the food will get them back to where you don't see them. they tend to multiply in proportion to the food available to them.
carol

 

Ditto to Butterfly's response!! They are harmless but a warning sign of things to come....a good cleaning will get them in check.....feed less amounts or not as often.

 

oh man that is good to hear. I was getting afraid. I didn't get a chance to take a pic last night as I was entertain monitoring the fish. Well I feed the three Cichlids about Six pallets a day and I have laxed the water change for them for the past three weeks.

Funny thing is that the previous day there were no signs of the worms, last night there were all over the glass and the fishes were picking at them for a bit. This morning I didn't see as many worms in the glass like I did last night.

So I'm happy to hear that the worms are high on protein but I will do a water change tonight. Probably the worms will all be gone as I didn't feed the fish last night due to the worms.

 

Don't forget to do a substrate vacuum also
Carol

 

oh man that is good to hear. I was getting afraid. I didn't get a chance to take a pic last night as I was entertain monitoring the fish. Well I feed the three Cichlids about Six pallets a day and I have laxed the water change for them for the past three weeks.

Funny thing is that the previous day there were no signs of the worms, last night there were all over the glass and the fishes were picking at them for a bit. This morning I didn't see as many worms in the glass like I did last night.

So I'm happy to hear that the worms are high on protein but I will do a water change tonight. Probably the worms will all be gone as I didn't feed the fish last night due to the worms.

nematodes are a pain.....if you don't see any, stir up your subtrate and youw ill see a ton.....took me 2 weeks of every other day gravel vacs to get rid of them...but I overfeed and its my own fault!

 

nematodes are a pain.....if you don't see any, stir up your subtrate and youw ill see a ton.....took me 2 weeks of every other day gravel vacs to get rid of them...but I overfeed and its my own fault!

You do like to spoil your fishies, I remember you saying it!

As far as the little creatures.. they do tend to appear almost overnight, at least they have in my experience. The ones with the cories didn't last long though...lol. They were all slurped up in 2 days. I didn't realize what they were snacking on until I looked very close and saw them eating them.

 

what I'm going to do is feed the Cichlids 6 round pallets every other day now to avoid the grouth of those little critters.

 

what I'm going to do is feed the Cichlids 6 round pallets every other day now to avoid the grouth of those little critters.

you don't have to cut back on feedings if you up your gravel vacs.....or at least that's the way I chose....I can't cut back on them it just breaks my soul seeing them beg hahaha

 

You do like to spoil your fishies, I remember you saying it!

As far as the little creatures.. they do tend to appear almost overnight, at least they have in my experience. The ones with the cories didn't last long though...lol. They were all slurped up in 2 days. I didn't realize what they were snacking on until I looked very close and saw them eating them.

oh yes lol, I do love to spoil my fishes a lot lol lol.

But its kinda funny how the worms appear soo quick. On monday I bought them a new decor for their hidding place and last night I was thinking to my self "man I must of not cleaned it good or the decor must of had something on it". So nettles to say that I got worried not wanting the fishes to get sick or harmed lol.

I do believe that the Cichlids were slurping up the worms all night long because this morning they seemed very happy swimming all over the place.

you don't have to cut back on feedings if you up your gravel vacs.....or at least that's the way I chose....I can't cut back on them it just breaks my soul seeing them beg hahaha

heheheehh lol I am the same way.

 

Most cichlids are really messy eaters so the water changes and substrate vacuums are of the utmost importance.
I think we all have such soft hearts wwe can't stand to see them beg
Carol

 

oh yes lol, I do love to spoil my fishes a lot lol lol.

But its kinda funny how the worms appear soo quick. On monday I bought them a new decor for their hidding place and last night I was thinking to my self "man I must of not cleaned it good or the decor must of had something on it". So nettles to say that I got worried not wanting the fishes to get sick or harmed lol.
y.

they probably have been there for awhile....they hide in the subtrate....unless you move around the subtrate, you wouldnt have noticed them....and by adding the new decoration, the subtrate got moved around hence how you saw them ...again if you stir up your gravel with your hand as an example, you will see a ton of these buggers swimming around the tank after

 

lol, ehhhhh don't want to see how it is in the bed of the tank lol. It gives me a bit of the chills thinking of those worms moving all over my hand lol.