Help Creatures In My Tank Again!

[linda1503]

Hi Everybody. A few weeks ago I got a strange creature out of my tank during a water change. Today I got another one, Yuck! There were also tiny little worm like things in there as well!!! Can anyone identify them for me please? I must admit they are really creeping me out and I'm loath to put m hand in there again! If anyone can tell me what they are and will they hurt my fish and shrimps I would be very appreciative. The tank is a little shrimp tank with only 4 WCMM and some cherry and algea shrimps. There is a piece of wood and two real plants. I'm not sure how to put a picture in this topic so I've put one on 'members aquariums and fish pictures' Thanks

 

[Pleccy]

Hi,

I've studied your photo and it looks like a small worm-like creature, possibly a freshwater nematode?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

are they planaria worms, google image search for a pic to compare too.

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Looks like free food to me, but i can not say for sure

 

[jonnyf84]

yup, planaria. Harmless.

Usually a sign of overfeeding, they will not affect your fish, infact most fish will eat them if they can get them - this is only usually possible after a water change when they are floating around, usually they stay in the substrate well away from hungry fish.

Reduce your feeding a little and give the substrate a good vac.

 

[linda1503]

Thanks for replying. I've just googled planaria and nematodes. Forgive me for being stupid but are they the same type of thing? I guess I've been overfeeding according to the site I've just read. I'll cut down on that immediately and see if they disappear.
Any ideas on the other thing I found? The 3/4 inch long horrid yucky creature? This is the second one I've pulled out in a water change! You can't see them just looking through the tank glass so I thought the first one was a 'one off' but finding one again is really creepy and I'm wondering just how many are in there!!!

 

[jonnyf84]

The 3/4 inch long horrid yucky creature?

do they look like water nymths?

 

[nosoup4you]

It sounds like a Dragon/Damselfly nymph to me.

 

[linda1503]

I've just googled 'freshwater nymphs and found a pic of a mayfly larvea (sp) its very similar to that apart from the fact its only got 4 legs and the body is longer and the tail forked, but shorter. I just hope I don't find any more of these thing cos they are horrid!!! Thanks a lot guys!

 

[jonnyf84]

your welcome, they are pretty harmless, usually come in on plants or rocks.

 

[Spishkey]

careful if its damselfly larvae, i had some in my 60L tank(came in on plants) and they managed to catch and eat some of the smaller fish. took me ages to catch all the blighters, lost a few neons and a heck of a lot of platy/molly fry in the space of four weeks