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RE: Nematodes in my water

princessotfu — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:10:45 GMT

I doubt that you have hookworms or leeches in your tank. Leeches are nothing like your description, and hookworms generally live inside the body, and any free-swimming stages wouldn't look like worms.

The scraping along the sides, when not accompanied by other symptoms, is usually something I associate with gill flukes, actually. I'm treating my goldfish for that right now.

RE: Nematodes in my water

JCHAMPAGNE — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:47:07 GMT

Scratching! Yes, they sometimes dive bomb the gravel and/or wood and scrape their sides when they do it. I can't see any thing physically on them or have noticed any change in their behavior besides this. They eat, swim, chase, etc as usual.

My local fish store thought maybe hookworm or leech? He wasn't sure either by my description. But it was a 1-2" thread thin worm like, and its movement were like an eels and as quick. Maybe entirely unrelated to the fish scraping their sides?

RE: Nematodes in my water

David Lass — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:49:26 GMT

Is there anything wrong with the fish? Not eating? Scratching? etc.

There are plenty of other things in a good healthy fish tank, and most of them do not pose any problems to fish, as long as the water conditions are good and the fish are not stressed.

RE: Nematodes in my water

princessotfu — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:40:06 GMT

Start looking for pictures of insect larvae and see if you come close to what you see. Midge larvae are one that swims like that, but they're usually thicker and have color, I think. Similar insects, or related insects might have larvae that looks like what is swimming in your tank. My guess is that they came in on your plants. They are more than likely harmless, especially if you haven't noticed anything wrong with your fish thus far.

Nikita's also correct that any parasites that would have a free-swimming stage would more than likely not be visible to you, as that also makes them visible to hungry fish.

And don't worry, no offense taken. :)

RE: Nematodes in my water

Nikita — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:11:27 GMT

Since I'm in college, I have access to a great variety of texts on all kinds of obscure critters. I actually think I'll jar one of them (if I can see/catch it) and take it to one of the professors. He should be able to help me, and I'll also research independently.

RE: Nematodes in my water

JCHAMPAGNE — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:36:20 GMT

The "worm" was certainly not a mosquito larva. It moved like a water snake and was rather fast. It was also thread thin and was about an inch or more in length (hard to tell because it was squiggling so quickly).

It is the first time I have seen one, thus my concern.

The worms that live in the invert tank.....Do you know what they are? Maybe a google search, and picture comparison may help me. Should I treat for parasites any way? I would rather be safe than sorry.

RE: Nematodes in my water

math-only aquarium — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:34:38 GMT

Sometimes mosquito larvae and other insect larvae find their way into home aquariums.

RE: Nematodes in my water

Nikita — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:22:26 GMT

Well, let me add to that a bit - the nematodes you mentioned don't just go wandering through the water as a part of their life cycle. Some species do, however, most of what you find in aquaria live out their adult lives inside their hosts. Only the larvae are excreted into the water along with the fish's waste. Then they are picked up by other scavenging fishes. They don't go swimming freely in the water, because they have no way of entering the fish except through the oral cavity when the fish scuffles along the bottom eating. Free-swimming is a good way to get chewed, which isn't conducive to their aims. ;)

RE: Nematodes in my water

Nikita — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:08:44 GMT

I occasionally see tiny, thread-thin, white worms in my tank as well. They crawl on the surface of the glass. I don't think they're parasites, and it's unlikely that if you had nematodes, you'd see them out in the open. The fish is their one food supply - if it's away from its host, something's wrong with it.

My tank doesn't even have fish, just shrimp, so I know these animals are not parasitic. They just share my tank with the shrimp and Joker, my snail. Actually, I consider them helpful as it's likely they eat small amounts of algae on the tank glass.

So unless your fish show signs of decline, I wouldn't worry unduly. Just enjoy your worm. Name him and induct him into your aquatic community. Or squash him. It's entirely up to you.

Good luck!

RE: Nematodes in my water

JCHAMPAGNE — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:52:13 GMT

Princess,

When I said "good information for you" I wasn't implying you. We must have been writing our replies at the exact same time. I meant the general population. I hope you didn't/don't take offense. After reading your response and them mine right after it, I thought how it could be interpreted as extremely rude.

I don't have any "wasting" fish. And I haven't seen any worms hanging out of my fish. But I am still seriously concerned about the "worm" I saw.

If it isn't a nematode, then what could it be?

RE: Nematodes in my water

JCHAMPAGNE — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:01:49 GMT

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA091

This is where I found my information. It may be a good resource to you in the future?

RE: Nematodes in my water

princessotfu — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:42:46 GMT

Don't panic. That's not a parasite, as least from your description of the movement. I get them periodically in my tanks. They are larvae of some -fly or other. Your fish might even eat them. I usually get them on plants I bring home from work, but you can get them if you see little midges flying around your tank lights ever as well. I could be wrong, but that's what it sounds like to me.

Nematodes in my water

JCHAMPAGNE — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:47:40 GMT

I have a heavily planted 55 gallon aquarium that I was sprucing up this weekend. As I was cleaning, I noticed a transparent "whitish", inch or so thread like worm, moving in a quick and serpentine motion through the water.

I instantly thought "Oh, %^$#, Parasite!"

I looked up fresh water aquarium parasites on the internet and I found some pictures of Nematodes with descriptions.

What is in my fish tank is either a Camallanus or Capillaria nematode. Evidently, it resides in the fishes intestines and matures there until released by the host fish. That is why I haven't noticed anything until now..... My last fish was added to the tank two months ago. It must have been the culprit.

Any advice on treating this problem? I really need help!

Has anyone had this problem? What did you do? What were the results?