Whats Creeping Up My Glass?

[alanchown]

For the last couple of days I have noticed some extremely small creatures creeping up (or maybe down) my front glass. These things are very small-no more than 2mm long, and extemely thin. They seem to travel as a group of perhaps 2 dozen, i.e there is generally 1 'patch' of them, forming almost a line. they seem to be travelling from the top. I have no idea what these things are, I have searched some books and the nearest I can see is some type of worm. But quite frankly I have absolutely no idea-never seen anything like it. I'm squashing them as soon as they appear.

Anyone any ideas what these might be-I have introduced some new corydoras this week, and this is the only new introduction. Having said that I did feed some live artemia this week. There have been no new plant introductions.

Alan

 

[Themuleous]

Is it one of these things?

 

[alanchown]

Is it one of these things?

No-that looks like a hydra-these things are microscopically small, just looks like a white line, but move! 2mm long max-thinner than a hair wide. The seem to start at the top of the glass and want to move down. Bizarre! I did think maybe bby snails, but doubt it. They are too small to take a picture.

Alan

 

[IovaykInD]

Is it possible to find a picture that looks sort of like it on google? It's really hard to help unless we can see what it is.

 

[alanchown]

Is it possible to find a picture that looks sort of like it on google? It's really hard to help unless we can see what it is.

I'll look-but not sure what to look for-I could google for "little wriggly thing" They are so small that they don't really look like anything.



Alan

 

[alanchown]

Is it possible to find a picture that looks sort of like it on google? It's really hard to help unless we can see what it is.

I'll look-but not sure what to look for-I could google for "little wriggly thing" They are so small that they don't really look like anything.



Alan

The best I can come up with is some sort of Planarium flatworm-apparently not necessirly a big problem. But that's just a guess-these things are so tiny it's difficult to compare witha magnfied image on the web.

ALan

 

[craynerd]

are they white, basically like a SUPER small worm, about 1cm long if that and as thin as a hair? Do they clump together...

lol, i`m just asking cuz i found something similar in my tank yesterday! I didnt know if it was alive or just moving in the current...not seen any more and don`t know what it was but its interesting to see if that match is the same?

Chris

 

[alanchown]

are they white, basically like a SUPER small worm, about 1cm long if that and as thin as a hair? Do they clump together...

lol, i`m just asking cuz i found something similar in my tank yesterday! I didnt know if it was alive or just moving in the current...not seen any more and don`t know what it was but its interesting to see if that match is the same?

Chris

Yep-but even smaller than that! It would appear that they are planaria flatworms (google is your friend), and as such are not a problem-although they could indicate overfeeding. I don't think I am, but who knows. They are not a problem for the fish-but they could be a problem for fish eggs, but apart from that nothing to panic about!
"Treatment" seems to consist of regular water changes, using a gravel cleaner and not overfeeding-since I'm doing all of that I won't panic.

Alan

 

[lljdma06]

Nothing to fear really. I often have planaria in my tank, great for fry! Adults also like to make a snack out of them. Often I'll see my R. hengeli combing over the glass on a particular side of my 10g, and if I look very closely, sure enough, they are munching on planaria! They make short work of the group. Really very entertaining to watch since they do it in pretty tight formation. Makes me laugh, as if I didn't feed these fish enough, they have to go hunting too!

Tanks are often teaming with little organisms. Fast your fish for a day, and they'll find plenty to keep their bellies full, especially in our planted tanks. That'll keep numbers down.