# wtf?!! worms!!



## ChosenOne22 (Nov 23, 2003)

well i was cleaning my 75 gallon yesterday and found small wiggly worms about 1 centimeter swimming in the water..now as i was cleaning my 55 gallon P tank i noticed it also wtf!!? what is it and how do i get rid of it..never seen this sh*t ever


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## ChosenOne22 (Nov 23, 2003)

alright i just read around so i guess its called nematodes


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## garygny (Mar 16, 2003)

ChosenOne22 said:


> alright i just read around so i guess its called nematodes


I have the same problem....yea Nemtodes. Supposedly, they are a result of having a dirty tank and uneaten food in the tank. Apparently they do not harm the fish but they sure look like they could. It seems they really thrive in the gravel, so a good vacuum might help the problem. What the hell do I know I'm still trying to get rid of them myself....good luck. By the way, try to avoid using medicaitons.....you could end up with worse problems.


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## fluidnyc (Oct 15, 2003)

Do 50% water change, syphon gravel (all of it)
Remove uneaten food within 2 hours of feeding.
Try to hold off on the live foods. Until the worms are gone.
Scoop out worms with net if u can.

When is the last time you cleaned your Filter?
You might wanna try to clean it- if u havent in a while. (better filtration)

Good luck-


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## ChosenOne22 (Nov 23, 2003)

i cleaned it 5 days ago...i think its from the decayin shrimp left under the driftwood...and when is sccop out my convict probably brought the worms into the 75 gallon in the net


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## nigaphan (Oct 28, 2003)

try using salt it kills alotta them bastards..........or buying hella feeders and dumping them in there they are good gravel cleaners too....but take them out after that


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## FuZZy (Apr 18, 2003)

Get some 5"-"6 inch red cray fish. I have 2 in my 55g with 7 1-2" reds. and they clean up all the fish heads and left over shrimp.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

possibly you have planaria, but they sound a little too big for that, I suggest you do some water changes (30% every 2-3 days)


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## garygny (Mar 16, 2003)

Well I did a 35% water change, vacuum the gravel, added some salt and see a big difference. I don't see the nemtodes swimming around but I'm sure I have some more of those suckers hiding in the gravel. I'm happy to see some results and I'm doing another water change and vacuum next week.


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## ChosenOne22 (Nov 23, 2003)

just clean my gravel did 50%water change..seems like thier numbers are reducing...thank everyone


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## FuZZy (Apr 18, 2003)

Keep up with your 10-20% water changesevery week or 2 and get all that left over food out of your tank. If you have left over food in your tank after 20 minutes take it out. If you p's are small try adding crayfish.


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## mats13 (Dec 22, 2003)

"white creatures" are related. This is a clear case of an over-fed tank. This is a common problem in Oscar tanks and other tanks with larger carnivores. The white critters are either copepods (microscopic crustaceans) or small worms, probably of the Tubifaria family. They could also be planarians (flat worms). They are most likely scavengers, and are nothing to worry about. What is cause for worry is why they are there. These animals will only populate tanks in large numbers when there is something for them to eat, so over-feeding is definitely the problem. Larger fish like Oscars tend to be sloppy eaters and if you're feeding live fish as food, the problem is compounded. The odor is from the decay of uneaten food. Refer to our FAQ on feeding to learn how to feed properly. The object is to get all the food inside the fish. To solve your problem, do a 50% water change and vacuum the gravel thoroughly. Increase your regular water changes to 25 to 40% thereafter. Control the feeding. If food particles are leftover when you feed, you are over-feeding. Cartridges in the Penguin should be changed every two weeks. The carbon in the Fluval should be changed monthly. Carbon will remove the odor, so change the carbon and cartridges when you do that first big water change.


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