I don't have a vac yet, and I don't really see them on the gravel, just on the glass marbles, but next pay day I'll certainly look into getting one, and I haven't fed any live foods yet, I've had the tank about a month, got a nice healthy looking bio wheel in the filter, and I do my weekly water changes. Just not sure where they came from, my guess is the snail, I don't have any live plants yet (although I did have a bit of some floaty plants that came with some fish at one point) so maybe that could be it? Currently I'm feeding a pinch of flakes in the morning, and like half an algae wafer at night. Sometimes I toss in some freeze dried shrimp as a treat, as well as some broccoli. Thanks for the feedback, I at least feel better getting a more definite label on the stuff. Though they don't look as big as the pictures of hydra I've seen, they just maybe haven't gotten the chance yet to grow...or perhaps those pictures are waaaaaay magnified.
As far as gravel cleaning I have done (had an early outbreak of ick, it's gone now though) without a vac what I've done is to take my gravel out and put it in a bucket and soaked it in some tank salt in hot water and just let the water run while stirring it around and letting stuff float out. Can never get out all the rocks though so the rest I just stir up really good and let the filter run while the rest are soaking. I've only done this twice. I hope they will die off with less food in the tank. *fingers crossed*
