FRESHWATER HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

[Noob_Sam]

Hello everyone,
So I know this is a saltwater forum does any one know any one that knows in freshwater parasites? or any active forums for freshwater? I went to Monster fish keeping forums but no one answered and its been a whole day. I have a 220 gallon fresh with monster fish, and I have a 50 gallon with a Super Red Dragon Flowerhorn. So today my flowhorns KOK got a lot smaller, he lost color and did not eat or move with my hand. (so I knew there was something wrong with him). So I decided to do a water change. As soon as I did 100's of small tiny red worms came from the gravel swimming in the tank. Are those bad parasites? Cuz like ich or fluckes you cant see them in the water. Now I am doing a water change to my 220 and I looked at the bucket and yes it was full with small red and white worms. what the heck are they and how did they get in my tank? IDK tbh. So my flowerhorn is a beauty and I don't want to loose him also I have giant expensive fish in my 220 and I don't want to loose them as well. Any info helps. Thanks

 

[fishguy242]

hi ,i'll try to get some help here,best wishes.. @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal #reefsquad

 

[Noob_Sam]

hi ,i'll try to get some help here,best wishes.. @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal #reefsquad

Thanks.... Yeah hopefully I can get some help and answers

 

[saltyhog]

Sorry, I have to admit to knowing next to nothing about freshwater. Hope someone can help you out!

 

[cshouston]

Probably just standard detritus worms and possibly planaria, neither is harmful to the fish, but a photo would help a lot. Not much anyone can say without that. Definitely do a water change, and get us a photo of the flowerhorn as well. Are you feeding it a high quality flowerhorn diet? The kok is basically fat and fluid, so diet plays a part in size. Lighting and stress can also influence kok size.

How big is the flowerhorn in the 50? They need a lot of space and it could be stressed due to space constraints. Are there other fish with it that might be harassing it?

Finally, are you tracking your water parameters? Has anything changed?

 

[MadeForThat]

Sounds like leeches if they were swimming on their own. Saw them in a few freshwater tanks. And had one in a tank that came in with some crawfish from a nearby lake. I don't think they are typically much of a danger to the fish, and are more often a treat. Really need a pic to say. Unless it is a huge number of them, I'd be more worried about internal parisites that may have gotten in the same way these worms did. Do you buy feeder fish for them?

 

[vetteguy53081]

If they were on the fish, likely planaria worms which could be a problem. If in gravel only, these Small red worms, also known as blood worms, are freshwater dwellers that can sometimes cultivate in a home aquarium, particularly if the filters are dirty and the water filtration is slow. While blood worms will not necessarily inflict any damage to the aquarium or its inhabitants , they may not be desirable for some aquarium owners.
The faster moving the water is, the less likely a midge will lay more eggs. The gravel and any decorations inside the aquarium should should then be vacuumed well. Tank lights should be left on for the normal amount of time and fish should be fed sparingly to minimize any waste left at the bottom of the tank. This process should remove existing blood worms and prevent new ones from hatching.
Check and verify your ammonia and nitrates in the water which can cause the pH and oxygen levels to drop to life-threatening levels. The water may also become clouded, experience a bloom of algae, and promote the growth of mold or even planaria.
Paracure liquid is a good dewormer for cichlids and may help with its appetite. Nightcrawlers may entice it to feed. Almost obvious its not going after the redworms, which possibly could have upset its stomach if it did.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Probably just standard detritus worms and possibly planaria, neither is harmful to the fish, but a photo would help a lot. Not much anyone can say without that. Definitely do a water change, and get us a photo of the flowerhorn as well. Are you feeding it a high quality flowerhorn diet? The kok is basically fat and fluid, so diet plays a part in size. Lighting and stress can also influence kok size.

How big is the flowerhorn in the 50? They need a lot of space and it could be stressed due to space constraints. Are there other fish with it that might be harassing it?

Finally, are you tracking your water parameters? Has anything changed?

Detrious worms are generally clear or white.

 

[leighla wolf]

Camallanus Worms perhaps? It would help to see pic of worms

 

[Noob_Sam]

@cshouston @MadeForThat

Sorry I forgot to post the Video- I took this while i was doing a WC. Also in the buckets there were like 100s of them everywhere.

 

[cshouston]

@cshouston @MadeForThat

Sorry I forgot to post the Video- I took this while i was doing a WC. Also in the buckets there were like 100s of them everywhere.

Videos don’t work very well on the site right now. I can’t view it. Photos would be helpful.

 

[leighla wolf]

Yes I can’t get video to load. If you can take snapshot of video and post the picture please.

 

[Noob_Sam]

Videos don’t work very well on the site right now. I can’t view it. Photos would be helpful.

Oh ok Yes One sec.

 

[BrandonS]

Aquarium co-op on youtube. They also have a pretty good facebook page and forum.

Unless the red worms are coming from the anus they should be ok. However you usually don't get worms of any kind in your substrate unless you have excess organics. How heavy do you feed? Planted tank? Gravel vac often?

Would check water quality. Nitrates, ammonia, that kind of thing.

 

[cshouston]

Detrious worms are generally clear or white.

He said there were white worms.

 

[leighla wolf]

He said there were white worms.

White and red

 

[Noob_Sam]

Ok here.

 

[cshouston]

White and red

Yes, I can read. I was saying that to support my assertion that they could be detritus worms.

 

[Noob_Sam]

Also there were some red worms...... Like right now I just went to my flowhorns tank and waved my hand over the gravel and a red worm same size, same shape as the white white followed my hand. I will answer everyone's question one sec.

 

[cshouston]

Ok here.

Looks like detritus worms. I’ve had that in my monster fish tanks before. How heavily are you feeding? What kind of substrate are you using? They’ll die back if there’s a lack of excess organics for them to feed on.