Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Odd inhabitants in my tank

Started by Guest_bearskookums_* , Feb 11 2007 03:44 PM

Please log in to reply

9 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_bearskookums_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 03:44 PM

I just noticed some wiggling worms in my tank...they are about 1.5cm and swim by wiggling/undulating...are these the Nematodes? Don't think they are planaria...Are these nematodes harmful to human beings? I am gonna add some salt and a partial water change soon...but also last night as I was checking I saw some micro white spots on one corner and I stuck my pocket microscope to the tank and took a few pics...they look like oval egg shaped organisms...and can swim and move around...dont know what they are...but here are some pics...
Also are there anything in an aquarium that is harmful to humans? Also I have noticed my tank water having a funny natural gas like smell...is that bad water quality or from using Prime water conditioner?
Are those brownish rectangular thingys on the tank surface brown algae?
[attachment=3242:b1.jpg]
[attachment=3243:b2.jpg]
[attachment=3244:b3.jpg]

Back to top

#2 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 04:26 PM

Likely they are nematodes that are feeding on accumulated wastes in the tank. I have had these before, and were cleared up with frequent water changes. Salt is also a good idea. If they are the same as I have dealt with, they appeared to cause no harm nor show any interest in the fish.

Back to top

#3 Guest_ckraft_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 05:32 PM

The things in your pictures look to me like ostracods, sometimes called seed shrimp.

Harmless as far as I know.

some nematodes can be bad, some good. Lots of different kinds.

Tank smell mat be coming from algae, change the water more often, maybe?

Back to top

#4 Guest_bearskookums_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 05:58 PM

Just checked water ph7.0, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate 10ppm. Is this high nitrate contributing to my appearance of brown algae?
Hey skipjack...yeah I think I am gonna be doing a few partial water changes...I dont see any of the worms on the fish...but I am gonna add some salt to see if it will eradicate them...
I think they are ostracods ckraft...I checked and they match this pic:
http://www.microscop...od/ostracod.jpg
thanks

Back to top

#5 Guest_fundulus_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 05:58 PM

Without any real scale indicated in the pics, I'd say that they're planarians of some variety. They look to be translucent, which excludes ostracods which are visibly shelled.

Back to top

#6 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 06:20 PM

Without any real scale indicated in the pics, I'd say that they're planarians of some variety. They look to be translucent, which excludes ostracods which are visibly shelled.

They look kind of like Cypris (is that an Ostracod?) - there's a picture in some editiions of the Innes book. I had an infestation once with a lungfish, but they seemed harmless. But Cypris is doen not make me think of worms.

Back to top

#7 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 06:30 PM

They look kind of like Cypris (is that an Ostracod?) - there's a picture in some editiions of the Innes book. I had an infestation once with a lungfish, but they seemed harmless. But Cypris is doen not make me think of worms.

I believe he is describing a couple of different organisms, but only photographed the ostracods?

Back to top

#8 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 06:48 PM

I believe he is describing a couple of different organisms, but only photographed the ostracods?

Oh, OK. Yeah, could be Cypris, especially if you see them swimming around in a whirlygig fashion.

Back to top

#9 Guest_bearskookums_*

Guests

Posted 11 February 2007 - 07:54 PM

I just looked and I might have all three...including planarias...cause I used the microscope again and saw some flat looking ones...with the planaria triangular head....funny my son was excited cause he thought they looked cute in the online pics...

Back to top

#10 Guest_TurtleLover_*

Guests

Posted 06 March 2007 - 12:23 AM

The little white wiggly worms sound like something that appear in tropical tanks occassionally also. They usually come in attached to plants. They don't do any harm and some fish actually love them. I got some in a 5 gallon tank with my betta and he actually got pretty fat off of them. They weren't around for long and didn't do any harm to him. The salt should help.