A while ago my 18 got a ton of leeches in it. I was talking to a friend and he mentioned that it might be from the frozen food that we were feeding the fish. The eggs might be surviving through the freezing process. Anyone have any info on this? We were feeding them bloodworms.
Frozen food...leeches?
- Thread starter Lspooky4
- Start date
Are you sure they were leeches?
I see leech like creatures in planted tanks sometimes, I forget what they call them, but they aren't leeches..
Have you boughten live plants recently?
I see leech like creatures in planted tanks sometimes, I forget what they call them, but they aren't leeches..
Have you boughten live plants recently?
I think they are called "nematodes"? That is caused usually by overfeeding. Not bad for the fish. Periodic water change, less feeding should resolve the problem.
http://nematode.unl.edu/wormgen.htm
http://nematode.unl.edu/wormgen.htm
Some types of Leeches can survive freezing but are they bothering your fish? There are several flatworms and round worms that show up in tanks from time to time. Nematodes are round worms, most are harmless, a few are parasites. Same goes for flatworms.
One of the most common leech like critters that show up are the planarians, they are harmless detritus eaters and often show up after the intro duction of new plants and live foods. they come in a range of color from white to dark brown, and are from 1/8"-1/2" long. They are most active at night and like shady spots. They will eat left over food and fish poop and are eaten by many small fish. Most can be cured by the same heat and salt method as ick, or you can fish for them by putting a small piece of raw meat in a pierced fish proof contianer into the tank overnight, this method never gets them all. Keeping your tank very clean will reduce their numbers within a week or two.
One of the most common leech like critters that show up are the planarians, they are harmless detritus eaters and often show up after the intro duction of new plants and live foods. they come in a range of color from white to dark brown, and are from 1/8"-1/2" long. They are most active at night and like shady spots. They will eat left over food and fish poop and are eaten by many small fish. Most can be cured by the same heat and salt method as ick, or you can fish for them by putting a small piece of raw meat in a pierced fish proof contianer into the tank overnight, this method never gets them all. Keeping your tank very clean will reduce their numbers within a week or two.
We hadn't bought any live plants as far as I can remember. I don't think they were nematodes. How would over feeding cause this?
Worms in my tank?!
By Cecilia Chen A.K.A. Pandora
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Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You wake up one day, and go to the fishtank to look at your fish (as you always do first thing in the morning, since they're so neat), and suddenly notice on the glass... UGH... are those..?? Small whitish worms of about a few millimeters in length each, crawling along the glass... what the heck?! Will they harm your fish? What can you do to kill them, and fast? Don't panic. Chances are that if they are outside your fish, then these are free-living worms, since parasitic worms will spend almost all of their adult life cycle within their hosts. These particular worms don't harm your fish.
(a) Planaria .....................................
(b) Nematode Sp.
If they are flattened and squat in body shape (but elongate as they move), then they are probably planaria (shown in a)... if they are thin, long and squirm back and forth, looking, as my friend described them "like wriggling white cat hairs", then you probably have nematodes (b). Neither should exceed 4 or 5 mm in length.
Planaria are flatworms, related to the notorious tapeworm, but do not share their parasitic lifestyle. They are fascinating creatures often used in high school biology experiments because they will regenerate into two live individuals if cut in half. Nematodes are roundworms... they are one of the most successful and widespread group of organisms to populate this world (second only to bacteria... humans are far down *this* list)... nematodes are found from the far reaches of the polar ice caps to the hottest tropical forests to the depths of the ocean floor where no light has ever reached. Both types of worm are totally harmless to fish in themselves, and live on excessive nutrients in the tank.
However, although these worms themselves won't hurt your fish, you may want to consider whether or not you are overfeeding or overcrowding your tank... these two factors are HUGE killers in beginner's setups. To get rid of your worm problem, try not feeding your fish for 3 days (no, this is not cruel... healthy fish will do fine with an occasional short fast, and it will improve their water quality) and giving your tank a good cleaning with a 25% water change. If you keep small fish, some of them may actually enjoy chowing down on the little worms... guppies and platies, for example, love them. If you keep your tank clean, your filter well maintained, stay true to not overstocking your tank, and do regular water changes, your worm problem should be gone in no time.
"Excerpt I found searching for overfeeding".
By Cecilia Chen A.K.A. Pandora
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You wake up one day, and go to the fishtank to look at your fish (as you always do first thing in the morning, since they're so neat), and suddenly notice on the glass... UGH... are those..?? Small whitish worms of about a few millimeters in length each, crawling along the glass... what the heck?! Will they harm your fish? What can you do to kill them, and fast? Don't panic. Chances are that if they are outside your fish, then these are free-living worms, since parasitic worms will spend almost all of their adult life cycle within their hosts. These particular worms don't harm your fish.
(a) Planaria .....................................
(b) Nematode Sp.
If they are flattened and squat in body shape (but elongate as they move), then they are probably planaria (shown in a)... if they are thin, long and squirm back and forth, looking, as my friend described them "like wriggling white cat hairs", then you probably have nematodes (b). Neither should exceed 4 or 5 mm in length.
Planaria are flatworms, related to the notorious tapeworm, but do not share their parasitic lifestyle. They are fascinating creatures often used in high school biology experiments because they will regenerate into two live individuals if cut in half. Nematodes are roundworms... they are one of the most successful and widespread group of organisms to populate this world (second only to bacteria... humans are far down *this* list)... nematodes are found from the far reaches of the polar ice caps to the hottest tropical forests to the depths of the ocean floor where no light has ever reached. Both types of worm are totally harmless to fish in themselves, and live on excessive nutrients in the tank.
However, although these worms themselves won't hurt your fish, you may want to consider whether or not you are overfeeding or overcrowding your tank... these two factors are HUGE killers in beginner's setups. To get rid of your worm problem, try not feeding your fish for 3 days (no, this is not cruel... healthy fish will do fine with an occasional short fast, and it will improve their water quality) and giving your tank a good cleaning with a 25% water change. If you keep small fish, some of them may actually enjoy chowing down on the little worms... guppies and platies, for example, love them. If you keep your tank clean, your filter well maintained, stay true to not overstocking your tank, and do regular water changes, your worm problem should be gone in no time.
"Excerpt I found searching for overfeeding".
wow thanks for all that info. i think we've got it cured. it just made me nervous seeing all those crawling around in the tank.
I checked and several types of planaria and nematodes can overwinter in ice. The overfeeding doesn't cause the worms, it just gives them fuel to multiply.