Fish for Eating Detritus Worms in RCS Tank?

[Kalypso]

Hello, everyone!

I just joined the forums, and I'm so excited to have a place to talk to fellow hobbyists! I have a 5 gallon planted tank with red cherry shrimp and a large Zebra Nerite snail. Unfortunately, I've had a bloom of detritus worms, the kind that crawl on the glass. I don't mind having a few but such large quantities is disturbing. I cut back on excess and have been doing more frequent cleaning/water changes. It doesn't seem any better, and I'm terrified of a giant population. Is there any fish you'd recommend I put in there to eat the worms without having the risk of my shrimp being eaten?

I've been so stressed about this, so thanks for the help!

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Detritus worms normally live in the gravel but if it gets too dirty, or the water conditions deteriorate, the worms migrate. In an aquarium they can only go so far and that is up the glass.

The best way to deal with them is to do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. Then do it once a week after that.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

If that doesn't get them to go back into the substrate, then it's time to flush the tank out. Basically take out half the water and put it in a bucket with the fish. Put a lid on the bucket and have an airstone bubbling away in the bucket. Drain the rest of the water out. Remove the gravel and put it in buckets. Take the gravel outside and hose it out. Take the aquarium outside and hose it out. Move tank back inside and set it up with the cleaned gravel. Put plants and ornaments in. Add the water with the fish. Top up with dechlorinated water.

There's not really any fish that eat them.

 

[Kalypso]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Detritus worms normally live in the gravel but if it gets too dirty, or the water conditions deteriorate, the worms migrate. In an aquarium they can only go so far and that is up the glass.

The best way to deal with them is to do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. Then do it once a week after that.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

If that doesn't get them to go back into the substrate, then it's time to flush the tank out. Basically take out half the water and put it in a bucket with the fish. Put a lid on the bucket and have an airstone bubbling away in the bucket. Drain the rest of the water out. Remove the gravel and put it in buckets. Take the gravel outside and hose it out. Take the aquarium outside and hose it out. Move tank back inside and set it up with the cleaned gravel. Put plants and ornaments in. Add the water with the fish. Top up with dechlorinated water.

There's not really any fish that eat them.

Hey, Colin! Thank you so much for your fast and helpful reply. I've also bought a second filter for the shrimp tank because I don't believe there is enough water flow. Hopefully, the increased flow with help with the water quality and thus eliminate some of the filth the worms are eating. I was also perform the steps you suggested. Thanks!

 

[I am a Newby]

I had lots of them in my cube planted tank with rcs and after i added platty and tetras never seen them again. And i have seen platty eating them.