Please idenifty this worm

Non puffer freshwater discussion. Don't tell your puffers, they'll be jealous!
Locked
Alduin
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:13 pm
Location (country): USA

Please idenifty this worm

Post by Alduin »

Any ideas? It's a freshwater snail tank with no fish. These worms a very, very small (difficult to see with the naked eye). Here's a microscope view of one. They look like roundworms, but what type? Internal parasite, or just something normal in the tank?
Worm.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
purplecandle
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 2019
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:18 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Currently
2 Adult Green Spotted Puffers
1 Fangs Puffer
1 Baby Green Spotted Puffer
Location (country): USA (NC)

Re: Please idenifty this worm

Post by purplecandle »

The head gives it away, it's planaria. Completely harmless to snails and fish. It just means there are too many nitrates (wastes, food) in the tank.

Planaria is a constant battle for a lot of snail keepers, has happened to me many times. Snails produce so much waste that it's hard to keep up with them.

Don't use chemicals, just reduce feeding, remove uneaten food, vacuum often (daily).
Image
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Please idenifty this worm

Post by Pufferpunk »

Please don't double post. It's get confusing when different people answer in both threads.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Locked