Tiger Oscar Red Threads?

[RobertsKitty]

I have my juvenile Tiger Oscar in a 55 gallon tank (he will get his own 75 when he gets bigger, and mommy gets paid). He is ABOUT 5-6 inches at the moment. His tank was originally gaveled and had a few fake plants in it. While back I got sick of my gravel vac not doing a good job of sucking up gravel so I cleared all the gravel out of all my fish tanks. After doing so I've begun to notice what looks like tiny red strings in my Oscar tank. I don't THINK its poo, his poo is thicker. I read about Oscar tanks having worms on occasion but these little threads do not move. They are solid in color and appear to be the same color (roughly) as his pellets. It takes a very firm scrub brush to get them to 'unstick' from the glass bottom. They do not appear on the top or sides of the tank nor on the deco, JUST on the bottom.

Does anyone know what this could be?

 

[excuzzzeme]

Any chance it was in there from the beginning and you never noticed? Was the tank set up new or used? If used, what was it used for?

 

[RobertsKitty]

There is a chance it was there previously but each week I vaccum up alot of it and it seems to keep coming back. The tank was used and it was previously used as an aquarium for tropical fish. It's hard to say if it was their originally because it was gavel filled when I received it. The person used pea gravel bought from Lowes and poured in without washing so it had alot of particles in it which is partly why I removed the gravel.

 

[excuzzzeme]

No point of trying to wash it now. But if you suspect it to be the culprit, remove all of it. Did I misread and you already have?

I suspect it to be nematodes. I would remove the Oscar, disinfect the tank with bleach. After a thorough rinsing refill and add Prime for safety to remove any lingering bleach. You may need to treat the Oscar for parasites. (Fenbendazole)

 

[RobertsKitty]

I have looked it up and I REALLY don't think its nematodes. For one these are RED not white. Secondly, they have been in the tank for months. They do not move, they do not swim, they do not attack or even stick to the fish. These things are not living. I will get pictures tonight but I can almost guarantee they are not alive. I have sat at watched the tank for innumerable hours. These things do not move.