Little White Worms In Tank

[Thespian]

Hello, everyone!

I have a turtle... Recently in his tank I've noticed white worms crawling around the sides of the glass.... they're very tiny. I know this isn't a turtle forum but the forum I have didn't know what it was. So anyway, his water parameters are under control (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 15, ph 7.8). He is in a 70 gallon tank which is full with about 65 gallons of water (he is 4 inches long), and he has great filtration (Rena Filstar Xp3 with certain adjustments made for turtles). So anyway, what do you think it might be? I'm pretty sure they're not planaria.... they're slightly smaller. Anyway, there are a lot of them. Like, over 100. What could I do to get rid of them?

Thanks,

Thespian

 

[ellena]

I was going to suggest planaria. Not sure what else they could be, sorry.

 

[Thespian]

Actually, what are planaria? I heard they were like little worms but not white.... are they white?
Thanks for replying!

Thesp

 

[ellena]

I had some extremely tiny white worms on my glass and was told they were planaria. They are always present in small numbers, but population increases with ammonia. Which is a bit odd as you have none. I was in a fish in cycle, so had low levels. They cleared up on their own and I was told were no threat to fish, although they were on my betta and certainly irritating him. A turtle doesn't really have exposed mucous tissue like a fish though does it?

 

[Thespian]

Nope they don't have much exposed mucous tissue. So basically they will leave on their own? Actually, i just checked my ammonia again and it's about 2 now.... is that bad? Is it time for another partial water change? I only recently switched to the 70 gallon tank... Last week or so. I haven't done a water change yet... I hadn't expected the nitrification cycle to start up so early. Also, what are bad ammonia/nitrite parameters?
Thank you MILLIONS for replying and helping me, ellena!!!

 

[mattlee]

Nope they don't have much exposed mucous tissue. So basically they will leave on their own? Actually, i just checked my ammonia again and it's about 2 now.... is that bad? Is it time for another partial water change? I only recently switched to the 70 gallon tank... Last week or so. I haven't done a water change yet... I hadn't expected the nitrification cycle to start up so early. Also, what are bad ammonia/nitrite parameters?
Thank you MILLIONS for replying and helping me, ellena!!!

anything above 0 is bad

 

[ellena]

Yes, for fish anything over 0.25ppm will begin to harm them (ammonia the gills, nitrites the nerves I think) and a fully cycled tank should be 0 ammonia and nitrites with some nitrates.
Not sure what the effect on a turtle would be but I think def. a couple of water changes are in order.
I don't know about housing a turtle, but it sounds like a little turtle in a large tank. The ammonia would point to planaria again. Should go once you get that under control.

 

[mattlee]

Yes, for fish anything over 0.25ppm will begin to harm them (ammonia the gills, nitrites the nerves I think) and a fully cycled tank should be 0 ammonia and nitrites with some nitrates.
Not sure what the effect on a turtle would be but I think def. a couple of water changes are in order.
I don't know about housing a turtle, but it sounds like a little turtle in a large tank. The ammonia would point to planaria again. Should go once you get that under control.

i would think it will have the same effect on any living species

 

[ellena]

I don't think turtles breathe under water though do they? So it would just be on their external skin, which is quite tough. Maybe the only bit it could affect is their nostril lining?
It would be like us swimming in 2ppm ammonia. ppm is roughly equal to mg/l isn't it? That's about equal to 0.0001 molar, extremely weak. Ammonia absolutely stinks, even at low concentrations, and a tank with 2ppm, even 4ppm in a fishless cycle has no smell. So I think an air breathing animal could tolerate much higher levels than amphibians or fish.

 

[mattlee]

I don't think turtles breathe under water though do they? So it would just be on their external skin, which is quite tough. Maybe the only bit it could affect is their nostril lining?
It would be like us swimming in 2ppm ammonia. ppm is roughly equal to mg/l isn't it? That's about equal to 0.0001 molar, extremely weak. Ammonia absolutely stinks, even at low concentrations, and a tank with 2ppm, even 4ppm in a fishless cycle has no smell. So I think an air breathing animal could tolerate much higher levels than amphibians or fish.

not sure really never kept turtles, i didnt think of it like that.... you maybe right

 

[ellena]

Hmmm, just had a mosey on some turtle forums and the most specific it gets are that turtles aren't as sensitive to ammonia as fish.

 

[mattlee]

Hmmm, just had a mosey on some turtle forums and the most specific it gets are that turtles aren't as sensitive to ammonia as fish.

maybe a turtle keeper will come along and clarify it for us

 

[Thespian]

Hmmm, just had a mosey on some turtle forums and the most specific it gets are that turtles aren't as sensitive to ammonia as fish.

maybe a turtle keeper will come along and clarify it for us

No they aren't as sensitive to ammonia but they are very sensitive to nitrates. Anything above 20 for a turtle is toxic, possibly even deadly.
Thanks everyone! I will definitely do a water change.