# White Hair Like Worms In My Fry Tank



## wlemay (May 9, 2011)

A couple days ago I set up a 29 gallon aquarium to raise my piranha fry in. I started noticing small hair like worms that are about 1cm long wiggling in my water. I have not yet began to feed my fry yet because they still have their yoke sacks. So there is no excess food or fish waste in the water for these worms to feed on. These little worms really gross me out, and I am concerned about the health of my fry because of them. From a little google searching I found a species called planaria that look exactly like what are swimming around my tank. Are these worms parasitic? Will they harm my fry, (or me from sticking my hand in the tank for maintenance)?

I added a little aquarium salt to my tank & I am thinking about doing some major water changes over the next few days. Is there anything else I can do to get rid of these things?

Any info yall can provide me would be greatly appreciated.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Harmless but unsightly. Was this tank already set up? Sub in it? Or did they come from parent tank while siphoning eggs or wigglers? I prefer bare-bottom fry & baby tanks so I know they're always spotless. Babies will probably eat em in couple more weeks.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

They're not planaria, they're nematodes.

Harmless.


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## wlemay (May 9, 2011)

good to know guys, I was a little worried at first. But hey, if the babies eat them then thats a little less food to buy


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

nematodes huh, i thought that was only from saltwater


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

piranha-freak101 said:


> nematodes huh, i thought that was only from saltwater


Nope.


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

learned something


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I hear ya man...
I learn about 100 new things a day, and forget about 120.









In fact, I've had experience with nematodes for many years, but it was only recently I found out just how MANY different nematodes there are!

28,000 species of nematode... drink that in.
_"Twenty eight thousand!"_


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

Piranha_man said:


> I hear ya man...
> I learn about 100 new things a day, and forget about 120.
> 
> 
> ...












thats alot !! wonder who discovered them all ....


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