# Worms in my "work" tank



## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

Hi all
Input needed. 
My work (vet clinic) has a ~6g fluval "chi" tank (aka: the suicide hotel) and I've been noticing these little white worms. It started a while ago, I'd see one or two, no big deal but now the population has EXPLODED. They are EVERYWHERE, all over the glass, swimming, living their little worm lives to the fullest... The current tank resident is ONE single zebra danio who seems unaffected by them? There used to be more fish in the tank (danio friends and a betta) but they have all jumped (stupid open tank design, water level has to be so high for the filter to work... Don't get me started on the terrible filter...) 
The tank gets too much light (it's near a window)
The tank gets too much food (most of the people here are not "fish" people, they like to feed  ) 
There are live plants present but a lot of algae as well (for the above reasons) 
Worms are white, approximately 1/2 cm long, very mobile. Not present on the fish but are freeswimming and moving about the glass, plants and substrate. 
Has anyone seen these before? Sorry for the blurry pictures, I don't have a decent camera with me here, but I did pop one of the creepies under the microscope for a few pics. 
I suspect I just need to deal with the excess nutrients in the tank and I'm not ready to resort to chemical warfare (copper?) just yet as I'm thinking of revamping this tank into a shrimp tank maybe... Your advice will be appreciated though!



close up (I'm about to deal with the algae, sorry! I've been off for 4 days, this tank is embarrassing!!)


close up worm "head"? (this was the end it would lead with when moving) 


Worm "body" and "tail?" - The weird scrunching present might be from trauma, it's hard to tell, I tried to put a coverslip on the first worm and ended up obliterating it...


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## nigerian prince (Mar 8, 2013)

amazing photos, no clue what they are but with these photos im sure your problem will be easily identifiable


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

These are harmless. Add more fish, or maybe feed the danio less, so he gets hungry enough to eat the worms.
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/freshwater-chat-9/can-anyone-identify-these-worms-32752/


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

Thank you, I just did a big clean on the tank (more than just my usual water changes, I rinsed everything but the filter, once I had stirred up the gravel the worms came out _en masse_...) and I'm going to try to limit the food going in, maybe rig something up to block some of the sunlight?


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## CeeZer (Jan 24, 2014)

Looks like Nematodes, you may be over-feeding fish as the worms eat decaying fish food (or organic matter).
Don't let uneaten food reach bottom of tank. Hide fish food and have a designated 'feeder'.


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## Adam (Dec 17, 2012)

Harmless planaria worms, + on cutting back on feeding and adding more fish. fish will eat them.


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