Help ! - Tiny Worms !

[Nick Sw]

Hi, hope someone can help - I`m currentely 3 weeks-ish into cycling my new tank on Thursday of last week I noticed some tiny white worms floating around and moving by sort of curling either end up occasionally, they are about 5-8mm in length but extremely thin, I looked into it and thought maybe they were Planaria (now I`m not so sure as they have no visible head that I can see) I cleaned the substrate thouroughly but since they have come back and are multiplying (about 10 I can see) there was flakes of food before left on the substrate as I found a small fry but now that food has been removed, should I rinse the filter or check it out ?
I`m presuming they came from some gravel from a friends tank which is also where the fry came from.
The tank has hit it`s nitrite spike so ammonia is being added daily.
Not only do they not look good but I`m worried when I get my fish they maybe harmful.

What are they and what can I do to get rid of them ?

 

[caino]

are they white/transparent and seem to be clinging onto the glass?

 

[Nick Sw]

are they white/transparent and seem to be clinging onto the glass?

I`d say not - white but more just drifting about in the open water still then there ends curl inwards.
I`ve actually just seen one in my LFS`s piranha tank I asked and he said they were "just organisms" that come and go but he`s not worked there long.

 

[BigIan]

they sound like the planaria i had in my tank, they really infested the tank there must have been millions during my fishless cycle,

within days of adding my fish.... none

 

[cane76]

i had a problem with planaria too if that is what they are.i was told it was down to over feeding and not enough gravel vacs

 

[Nick Sw]

The thing is they look nothing like the pictures of Planaria I`ve seen, myabe a different type.
This is the kind of picture I`ve seen and is nothing like the ones in my tank.

 

[caino]

i have had them during a fishless cycle of a hex tank i had, they dissapered when i added fish and then i took them out. 2 days later the tank was infested with them, there just natrual fish food i think

 

[Nick Sw]

OK it does tie in that they are planaria with the fishless cycling as planaria like the high ammonia / nitrite conditions hopefully once some fish are in they`ll go.
Thanks for the replys and help.