Strange Brown Slug "things" *inc Pics*

[pablothebetta]

I currently try to help look after this tank which belongs to someone else, as it isn't in very good shape. As well as assellus, there are some small brown slug type creatures in there. I wondered about leeches, but they are brown rather than black and I don't think they're big enough either.

I am aware that pond weed was added to the tank from a pond at one time (which is how I believe the assellus got in), is it possible that these brown 'slugs' came in at the same time? How might they have got in and what are they?

Many Thanks

 

[RossC]

Your tank looks filthy, or is it just how the pics make it look?

 

[pablothebetta]

No, unfortunately it is filthy. These pics were taken a while back when I had just started to look after the tank a bit, but to be honest, pics probably wouldn't be much different if I had taken them more recently. It's in such a state. I try to help take care of the tank, but I don't have much time to spare and there's only so much one can do to a tank when it isn't your own. Currently, weekly w/cs are all I can manage, though I did manage to try to clear a patch of gravel last time I did one (you wouldn't want to know the amount of dirt that came out).
Before I came along though, I believe the tank was gutted annually (yes, everything, so no doubt there were a fair few fish-in-cycles etc). They aren't really cared for properly by their owners - I think this is partially because they were left with the tank by someone else and didn't really know what to do with it though. It might still be in a bad state, but at least the fish are getting clean water when I manage to do a w/c which they didn't get before. The tank has guppies in it actually, some of which are rather pretty.

Hopefully I'll be able to get things changed a bit more one day, but currently I'm just doing my best

 

[Primous]

Do you keep fish in that?


By the way they are there because of uneaten food or as RossC so eloquently put it, because your tank is filthy!

 

[FishBlast]

Never knew tanks could get to that state and fish still survive in it...

 

[Tom499]

I would take out the guppies, keep them in a bucket with some tank water, filter, heater etc, and then completely gut the tank.

Everything out, get fresh gravel and plants, clean the tank thoroughly before refilling.

It will take a few hours, but will make a world of difference.

 

[Ruskull]

Ewwww! What are those weird looking centipede things? Disgusting!

Your friend should be smacked with a big wet fish.....................

 

[Baccus]

They look like flatworms of some sort, pretty sure they are harmless but are only there because of the state of the tank. If you get the chance (or can convince the owners too) I would do as suggested and give the entire tank a total clean. No planaria might kill off the worms.

 

[pablothebetta]

I do pity these fish, they get better care now than they did before (well, as much as w/c can do for them), yet it is still so inadequate for them. I think I'll mention gutting the tank to the owners. I'll try to upload a full tank shot sometime so you can see the whole thing. I wish I could do more for these poor fish

Aside from the filthy tank, any way I could get rid of these worms (and the assellus too)?

 

[pablothebetta]

Do you keep fish in that?


By the way they are there because of uneaten food or as RossC so eloquently put it, because your tank is filthy!

Well I don't, someone else does. They also have goldfish in a different tank around 80L or so. If I could, I would get the goldfish rehomed, put the guppies into there and have something else in this tank. Aside from diatom algae and very poor water quality, the goldfish tank isn't as bad - no filthy gravel, assellus or worms. The goldies get w/cs from me too. I do sometimes mention the possibility of the goldies being rehomed into a pond (one is a koi and one is a commet, I believe), but to no result. I don't really know anywhere they could go, and if they do, I don't think they want them to go. I get the impression they are somewhat attatched to the fish - not that they are cared for properly (or rather, they weren't told how to care for them properly or researched how to).

 

[paulyoung666]

whoever owns that tank wants a right good slapping ....

 

[Ruskull]

Wouldn't an algae eater of some sort be a good way of cealing that mess? It might actually eat some of those evil little critters too. Obviously try a smaller AE like a Bristlenose..............

 

[pablothebetta]

Wouldn't an algae eater of some sort be a good way of cealing that mess? It might actually eat some of those evil little critters too. Obviously try a smaller AE like a Bristlenose..............

Might be a good idea, though I doubt the tank is big enough. I would estimate it was only 50L at most. I'll upload a full tank shot later, give a full idea of the state of the tank and its size.

 

[Ruskull]

Wouldn't an algae eater of some sort be a good way of cealing that mess? It might actually eat some of those evil little critters too. Obviously try a smaller AE like a Bristlenose..............

Might be a good idea, though I doubt the tank is big enough. I would estimate it was only 50L at most. I'll upload a full tank shot later, give a full idea of the state of the tank and its size.

I small 2 inch or less Bristlenose Pleco baby would be fine to start out but obviously you'd have to plan on re homing it eventually. I have a 1.5 inch female in my 20 high sand & another 1.5 inch female in my 36 gallon. Prices vary widely in my area, I bought one of them for $8.99 & the other for $2.99. The cheaper one has more of a random spotted pattern to her while the expensive one is almost entirely brown with two white tips on her tailfin. Go figure..............

 

[pablothebetta]

I think I'd struggle to get it rehomed though - if the tanks in such a mess now and the goldies could do with rehoming, I can't imagine it'd be an easy task. Out of interest, what would you consider to be the smallest tank size for a bn?