eek! what's in my tank?

[geekrockgirl85]

today i noticed in our 55g that there are tiny creatures on the sides of the glass, close to the surface of the water, scampering about.

they are much too small to catch a picture or video... basically they look like teeny-tiny yellow grains of rice... and they're moving around like bacteria under a microscope, but can definitely be seen with the naked eye.

today was the first thorough vacuuming we've done in that tank in a while, so i'm sure our lackadaisical maintenance has something to do with it, but i would like to figure out what it is and how to get rid of it, because at this point i am afraid to even touch the tank.

it's definitely not nematodes. they are not free-floating from what we can see, and aren't wormy in the least. their movement looks more like a legged creature.

[Cathy G]

I don't know what those things are, but I do know that I have a fever. And the prescription is more cow bells.
Cathy

[hermitcrabcrap]

planaria?

[Hurley]

Planaria are more worm like.

Do you feed you fish any live food? Sometimes when I feed my fish blackworms there are little white leeches that look like grains of rice mixed in with them. If you do feed live food this may be one that escaped the feeding frenzy!

[geekrockgirl85]

no live foods... we did feed them some frozen bloodworms earlier this week... but we put those in every tank, and only the 55 is infested.

(and when i say infestation, boy do i mean it. the whole perimeter of the tank. ick.)

the highest concentration of them is right below the water line.

anyone else :help: ?

[Dangerdoll]

definitely planaria. Cut back on your feeding and they will go away. The vacuuming and lack of maintenance may have stirred them up.

[geekrockgirl85]

i don't think they're planaria... they are too short-bodied and don't appear wormy. Plus they weren't stirred up it seems...as they are on the sides of the tank; not free-swimming.

[Hurley]

Have you added any new fish or plants recently? Maybe it hitch hiked in?

[geekrockgirl85]

Nothing new for a few months.

[Lorazoo]

Whatever it is, just keep cleaning the tank and doing water changes and cut down on feeding. The excess food is allowing them to thrive. Hopefully it is nothing that will hurt the fish. Most of these external parasites don't.

[Dangerdoll]

planaria can stretch and retract.... from te size of a grain of rice to a long skinny stretched out thng. I wouldn't ciunt them out. I agree with Lorazoo, whatever it is, water changes, water maintenance and cutting back on the feeding can only help.