I've had a small 1.5 gallon tank circulating for about three weeks with nothing in it. I haven't paid much attention to changing the water, but I've done about 50% weekly water changes just to make sure it's healthy for whatever I decided to put in it. Well, in light of acquiring a 29-gallon tank earlier this week, and other various factors, I decided to sprout live plants from bulbs in the tank instead of placing fish there. The tank would act like a nursery for the plants as they grew until they are big enough not to be bothered by the fish in the 29 later on. A head start, you know, before I even start the 29-gallon. So, I drop in the bulbs, not thinking to look for anything - I mean, how could there be, right? Clean water, nothing in it...
And then I turn on the light a little while later, and as I'm examining the tank walls, something moving catches my eye. It's a tiny - and I mean *tiny* speck, squiggling around on the tank wall. It's not proportionally very long compared to its thickness, and it's moving in an irregular, smooth motion. It's definitely not a water flea, which are so named for their %26quot;hopping%26quot; motion through the water; I have no idea what it is. It's even smaller than a water flea, probably the size of one of the periods in this post, and white in color. I looked around the rest of the tank, and they are everywhere. Swimming in the water, on the other walls of the tank, swimming near the surface... what are they?! Please help. I think I may have to forget about using those plant bulbs now, because if the worm-things are parasites, they would be infected with them. I really need to know what they are!Ah! Possible parasites in my plant-only aquarium?Sounds like planaria or nematodes. Fairly harmless and generally present in all fish tanks anyway, just in very small numbers. They'll appear and multiply when there's a lot to feed on, in the way of organic things like those new plants.
They'll disappear after a couple of water changes. In fish tanks fish will occasionally eat them as well.
I've only had planaria in my fish tanks twice, once when an apple snail died and another when a fish died over a weekend when I was away. Excess organic waste matter = planaria/nematodes.Ah! Possible parasites in my plant-only aquarium?Chances are that the things swimming around aernt parasites but some organisms that came with the plants when u bought it.Ah! Possible parasites in my plant-only aquarium?Lots of small critters live in a fish tank, normally not noticed.
They wont be 'parasites' as such, there is nothing for them to be parasites on.
They are probably scavengers of some sort, they will feed on dead plant leaves, algae, smaller critters that you cant see.
If you feel bored one day get a drop of mulm off the bottom of the tank and put it under a microscope. You will be amazed at whats living in there. You just have something slightly larger, in a normal tank most of them would be eaten by fish.
They WILL have come in with plants, found a nice place to live and multiplied. Dont worry too much, the cure is probably worse than the problem.
Ian I agree with catx, I also had them when one of my snails died. They are harmless, and can make good live food (I think) for small fry.
But yes, they are pretty annoying and will disappear after a while of water changes.
