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 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?
JOHN CHAMPAGNE 55gallon/4wpg t05/pressurized Co2/moderately planted (with the intent of heavily planted) 10goldbarbs,10 olive nerite snails,6 ottos, 2 mollies,three guppies
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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.
20 gallon long
Lionhead - Kiko
Calico Lionhead - Little Bean
29 gallon
Fantail - Oliver
Black Moor - Damian
Calico Ryukin - Serafina
2.5 gallon
male betta - Pirate
10 gallon planted
minnow, betta, guppy
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| http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA091 This is where I found my information. It may be a good resource to you in the future?
JOHN CHAMPAGNE 55gallon/4wpg t05/pressurized Co2/moderately planted (with the intent of heavily planted) 10goldbarbs,10 olive nerite snails,6 ottos, 2 mollies,three guppies
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| 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?
JOHN CHAMPAGNE 55gallon/4wpg t05/pressurized Co2/moderately planted (with the intent of heavily planted) 10goldbarbs,10 olive nerite snails,6 ottos, 2 mollies,three guppies
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| 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!
In the Mountains Of the Mountains For the Mountains
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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. ;)
In the Mountains Of the Mountains For the Mountains
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