Black Worms In Tank!

[cowgirluntamed]

Hi, my name is Kristen and I've just found black worms in my tank! Or at least, around the edges and in my filter media! What are these things and are they harmful and either way, how do I get rid of them? They were not there a week ago!
 
Here is some more info for my tank.
 
20 gallon
6 black neon tetras
6 glowlight tetras
1 bristlenose pleco
 
pH-8.2 (stable at this)
Ammonia- 0.25 (also stable, it's in my well water)
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5
 
Temperature is a steady 76 F
 
Ok, Here is a bit more info for what I've been dealing with recently. I missed a couple of water changes and noticed my black neons started looking like they had columnaris(saddleback). I tested my water 5 days after I noticed these white spots on two of them and one was looking like it was getting worse. My Nitrates were between 40-80. So, that day I did a 50% water change(on the 6th). On the 8th I retested and my Nitrates were between 20-40. I did another 50% water change.(both times I vaccumed gravel really well). On the 10th I started with a Melafix treatment to see if it would help. After 7 days I didn't really notice much difference in them so I picked up some Pimafix. I tested my water on the 17th and my Nitrates were down to 10. I did a 25% water change like the Melafix said to do and that same day I began treatment with Melafix and Pimafix combined. Today(the 24th), I rested my water and my nitrates were between 0-5!! Yay! However, while I was testing the water I had stuck a floating thermometer in there and stuck it to the side of the tank. I went to get it out when I was done testing and there were black worms on it! I also looked in my filter and they were there to! I know they were NOT there last week, at least not that I saw. What do I do?
 
(Btw-the Pimafix seemed to work so I had planned on doing a 50% water change today to get rid of some of the meds but start a Pimafix only treatment to see if it will clear up the spots on the fish. Maybe it's just a fungal infection from the nitrates being too high for a bit. But now I don't know if I should take everything out and clean it or what?? I didn't lift up the light or anything to see if any were on that but yeah....Yuck!!!)
 
Thanks for the help guys! 
    Kristen
 
ps-here is a video I took of the thing on the thermometer. Sorry for the cat meowing in the background and the shakiness! Picture gets clearer at the end as well. And I will be attaching 2 pics from one on my filter pad(there was also one crawling around in the filter too but didn't look further)   Link to Video
 
 

 

 

[fm1978]

It's most likely planaria, a type of flat worm and isn't all that uncommon.
 
They can be a threat to very small/young slow moving fish/shrimp and can be removed by either a standard dog/cat worming tablet (look online for instruction how to use) or by a planaria specific treatment.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Does it have to be a certain type of wormer? I have some tabs that I got(for dogs over 25lbs) that is a pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel wormer. Says it kills tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms. I will do a google search though as well to see if I can find out anything. Also, will a wormer work even if the worms aren't in the water? I don't want to harm my fish either!

 

[fm1978]

I believe you want the active ingredient to be fenbendazole. Here's an article from an invert-based site I quite like...
 
http/www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html  

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Thanks for the link! I'll keep searching other sites as well.It almost seems a bit complicated though...and one more question, can I go ahead and keep dosing with the pimafix? (I haven't done my water change yet as I wanted to see what else could be done first)

 

[Ch4rlie]

I have previously treated a tank for planeria, i used a dog worming powder brand called Panacur, and this contains fenbendazole which is, as fm1978 correctly says, the treatment that is need to kill off worms.
 
I had to do 2 treatments to eradicate the worms completely.
 
One warning, this stuff will turn the tank water white for a while if you don't completely dissolve the powered in a little bit of tank water in a small container. It does clear up and had no affects on my fish, shrimps or snails.
 
You may see some whaite granules on plants, gravel and decor, when you do water changes just simply hoover these ups and eventually its all gone.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Thanks for all the info. However, I believe this is drain fly larvae and not planaria. These things aren't flat and they do have hair. I was able to get one out of the filter and looked at it closer and took pics(that I can't upload right now due to slow internet). These guys aren't in the wtaer, but they are on the upper edges of the tank in the moisture on the sides and I saw a few on the lid and the big one I got out of the filter and put it on a piece of paper. I thought I killed it by getting it out but it just played dead!! (Did this multiple times). So, anybody know how I can kill these guys or do I just need to wipe them off the tank and get them that way?
 
Also, after closely inspecting my gravel substrate, I saw little itty bitty tiny bugs crawling all through it and eating some of the food that the fish didn't eat this morning(I think I'm overfeeding). They are on my gravel and on my driftwood. Just really really small. Kinda tan/white color, not sure which cuz they were so small and I don't have a magnifying glass. What could these be?