What are these worms on the bottom of tank?

[A Man]

Tank: cycled 10g, sand bottom, temp 78F-80, HOB filter, no air stone, no
heater.

I may have posted at Petfish earlier this year (or not) but in this pond
where I got my tadpoles (about May 1) were hundreds of these threadlike
worms. One end is anchored to the bottom and the other is flailing in the
water in an S shape. They constantly moved back and forth, like they are
filter feeders.

I know what nematodes are, they wriggle and float around freely. These aren't
nematodes. They aren't planaria either. And no they're not string algae, nor
are they insect larva (midges, mosquito, or other). They move by themselves,
even where there is no current. Several of them are sheltered by a rock
between them and the filter output and they still move.

They are about 1/8" long to 1/4" long, a reddish or orange color. Now I have
them in my tank. Are they harmful? I have 2 minnows in my tank, 2 crayfish,
and 2 ghost shrimp.

How about, is there another website about ponds where I can ask this? This
seems to be a fairly technical question.
--
Sig: Say no to fixed width HTML tables. They look terrible in most browsers.

[Charles]

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 13:39:12 -0400, A Man > wrote:

> Tank: cycled 10g, sand bottom, temp 78F-80, HOB filter, no air stone, no
>heater.
>
>I may have posted at Petfish earlier this year (or not) but in this pond
>where I got my tadpoles (about May 1) were hundreds of these threadlike
>worms. One end is anchored to the bottom and the other is flailing in the
>water in an S shape. They constantly moved back and forth, like they are
>filter feeders.
>
>I know what nematodes are, they wriggle and float around freely. These aren't
>nematodes. They aren't planaria either. And no they're not string algae, nor
>are they insect larva (midges, mosquito, or other). They move by themselves,
>even where there is no current. Several of them are sheltered by a rock
>between them and the filter output and they still move.
>
>They are about 1/8" long to 1/4" long, a reddish or orange color. Now I have
>them in my tank. Are they harmful? I have 2 minnows in my tank, 2 crayfish,
>and 2 ghost shrimp.
>
>How about, is there another website about ponds where I can ask this? This
>seems to be a fairly technical question.


check out the description of tubifex worms. Good fishfood.

[Elaine T]

Charles wrote:
> On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 13:39:12 -0400, A Man > wrote:
>
>
>>Tank: cycled 10g, sand bottom, temp 78F-80, HOB filter, no air stone, no
>>heater.
>>
>>I may have posted at Petfish earlier this year (or not) but in this pond
>>where I got my tadpoles (about May 1) were hundreds of these threadlike
>>worms. One end is anchored to the bottom and the other is flailing in the
>>water in an S shape. They constantly moved back and forth, like they are
>>filter feeders.
>>
>>I know what nematodes are, they wriggle and float around freely. These aren't
>>nematodes. They aren't planaria either. And no they're not string algae, nor
>>are they insect larva (midges, mosquito, or other). They move by themselves,
>>even where there is no current. Several of them are sheltered by a rock
>>between them and the filter output and they still move.
>>
>>They are about 1/8" long to 1/4" long, a reddish or orange color. Now I have
>>them in my tank. Are they harmful? I have 2 minnows in my tank, 2 crayfish,
>>and 2 ghost shrimp.
>>
>>How about, is there another website about ponds where I can ask this? This
>>seems to be a fairly technical question.
>
>
>
> check out the description of tubifex worms. Good fishfood.
>
>
Sounds like tubifex to me too. I don't think they're harmful. Cory
cats or loaches will make short work of them if you want them gone.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Daniel Morrow]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Charles wrote:
> > On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 13:39:12 -0400, A Man > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Tank: cycled 10g, sand bottom, temp 78F-80, HOB filter, no air stone, no
> >>heater.
> >>
> >>I may have posted at Petfish earlier this year (or not) but in this pond
> >>where I got my tadpoles (about May 1) were hundreds of these threadlike
> >>worms. One end is anchored to the bottom and the other is flailing in
the
> >>water in an S shape. They constantly moved back and forth, like they are
> >>filter feeders.
> >>
> >>I know what nematodes are, they wriggle and float around freely. These
aren't
> >>nematodes. They aren't planaria either. And no they're not string algae,
nor
> >>are they insect larva (midges, mosquito, or other). They move by
themselves,
> >>even where there is no current. Several of them are sheltered by a rock
> >>between them and the filter output and they still move.
> >>
> >>They are about 1/8" long to 1/4" long, a reddish or orange color. Now I
have
> >>them in my tank. Are they harmful? I have 2 minnows in my tank, 2
crayfish,
> >>and 2 ghost shrimp.
> >>
> >>How about, is there another website about ponds where I can ask this?
This
> >>seems to be a fairly technical question.
> >
> >
> >
> > check out the description of tubifex worms. Good fishfood.
> >
> >
> Sounds like tubifex to me too. I don't think they're harmful.

Me too. I have had tubifex worms in all of my tanks for about a year now and
nothing pertainable to them has ever happened that was bad. The only time
they can be harmful as far as I have read is when they are fed to turtles -
I guess turtles can overeat on them and die from choking or something like
that. I have read that you should never feed turtles tubifex worms. My
turtles eat them at a very limited level (i.e. very little at a time). I
think my tubifex worms established themselves in my tanks after I fed
long-stored tubifex (non-fresh) worms to the fish in all of my tanks. I
suspect some eggs got through the freeze drying process. Nothing to worry
about in my opinion, good luck and later!

Cory
> cats or loaches will make short work of them if you want them gone.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[A Man]

After reading some websites and seeing some drawings (not photos) of the
worms I think they are tubifex also. Neat, I learned something new. The
crayfish was poking around right where they were but when he left, the worms
were still there. I guess he wasn't interested in them.

The blacknose dace I have either don't see them or don't want them.

Thanks for the help.

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