Need ID of these worms/parasites
I have a 55 gal with a Blackbelt, a Jack Dempsey, an Electric Blue Crawfish, and a Sailfin Pleco. All are in the 4 to 5 inch range. I use a Top Fin 300 gph HOB filter and a Magnum HOT canister. I use only the two striplights which came with the hood and tank. I do weekly 50% water changes. I feed twice daily mixed diet, and only what they eat in about 2 to 3 mins at a time.
Problem:
I have continuously had infestations of two or three different kinds of worm-like creatures in my tank (and any tank my fish have grown up in). One of the species appears like tiny 1 to 2 mm white threadlike worms which cling to the glass. They move about fairly quickly when the want to. I have read similar posts and assume these are harmless "planarians". I've cut back my feedings and the worms still remain, but they are not overrunning my tank.
The other worms appear in the water column itself, not ever on the glass. They do a very distictive spiral dance as the move about the tank with the water current. They are silvery (reflect light) and almost do like a small tornado would do as it spins. They are usually about 5mm long and maybe 1mm thick with little ribbs all along the body (like a snakes belly looks). Large ones can get to MAYBE 7 1/2mm, but that's pushing it! My Blackbelt seems to eat them when he notices them. These have also found their way into my cycling ten gallon tank with all new equipment. The only used thing was the gravel, which has been bagged in a ziplock for many months. The gravel was dried, then sealed air-tight!
The third type is about 7mm to 1cm long and appear brown/earth colored and threadlike. They float through the water column also and do a dance which looks like a very quick figure 8 or something! They only do this "figure eight twitch" some of the time, otherwise floating generally motionless. My Blackbelt also takes nipps at these.
All these worms are starting to flourish again and take over my tank. The only ones who seem to be staying the same are the "planarians". But they could increase in numbers quickly.
I have treated my tanks with Coppersafe numerous times in the past 9 months since I've had the fish. They dissappear for a while, then come right back. WHY??? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks
I have a 55 gal with a Blackbelt, a Jack Dempsey, an Electric Blue Crawfish, and a Sailfin Pleco. All are in the 4 to 5 inch range. I use a Top Fin 300 gph HOB filter and a Magnum HOT canister. I use only the two striplights which came with the hood and tank. I do weekly 50% water changes. I feed twice daily mixed diet, and only what they eat in about 2 to 3 mins at a time.
Problem:
I have continuously had infestations of two or three different kinds of worm-like creatures in my tank (and any tank my fish have grown up in). One of the species appears like tiny 1 to 2 mm white threadlike worms which cling to the glass. They move about fairly quickly when the want to. I have read similar posts and assume these are harmless "planarians". I've cut back my feedings and the worms still remain, but they are not overrunning my tank.
The other worms appear in the water column itself, not ever on the glass. They do a very distictive spiral dance as the move about the tank with the water current. They are silvery (reflect light) and almost do like a small tornado would do as it spins. They are usually about 5mm long and maybe 1mm thick with little ribbs all along the body (like a snakes belly looks). Large ones can get to MAYBE 7 1/2mm, but that's pushing it! My Blackbelt seems to eat them when he notices them. These have also found their way into my cycling ten gallon tank with all new equipment. The only used thing was the gravel, which has been bagged in a ziplock for many months. The gravel was dried, then sealed air-tight!
The third type is about 7mm to 1cm long and appear brown/earth colored and threadlike. They float through the water column also and do a dance which looks like a very quick figure 8 or something! They only do this "figure eight twitch" some of the time, otherwise floating generally motionless. My Blackbelt also takes nipps at these.
All these worms are starting to flourish again and take over my tank. The only ones who seem to be staying the same are the "planarians". But they could increase in numbers quickly.
I have treated my tanks with Coppersafe numerous times in the past 9 months since I've had the fish. They dissappear for a while, then come right back. WHY??? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks
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