# Tiny White Worms Floating Around In Tank?



## Cwaz33xNina (Jul 18, 2011)

So when I got home from work earlier I noticed alot of white dusty things floating around in my betta tank. My boyfriend looked closer and he said they "white dust" things were moving. They look like they could be tiny worms but they're floating around freely in the water. Both my 2.5 gallons are "infested", I have no Idea what they are so my bettas are in QT tanks with aquarium salt just in case 

I did recently change from water with added aq. salt to completely fresh water recently because I added plants. The thing is I also planted my 10 gal tank and that one is fine. 

Does someone have an idea of what these floating wormy things are? and if they're dangerous? help plz


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## Cwaz33xNina (Jul 18, 2011)

OH both the infested tanks are filtered if that helps any...


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

it's probably planaria or some other such creature. I don't -think- they're bad per se, but I couldn't really tell you for certain.


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

Might be roundworms or some planaria. Neither will hurt your fish; and some might even get eaten by your betta.

Check this link for closer identification: http://www.planetinverts.com/what_is_that_bug_in_my_aquarium.html

Populations will grow if there's excess organic material for them to feed on. So just keep things tidy and you should seem them dwindle.


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## Cwaz33xNina (Jul 18, 2011)

eew. it still freaks me out. how do i get rid of them? should I try to vaccuum my substrate? cuz I havent done that since I added plants lol :/ There are seriously ALOT of them in there.


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

Lol it wouldn't hurt. Don't expect you'll get them all; you just can't. It's alot like pest snails, their population is directly related to how well fed the tank is. Feed lightly and up your vacuum regimen and it shouldn't take long for them to dwindle.

I know it seems gross, but trust me, you won't see them forever unless you overfeed.


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## etcher (Aug 12, 2011)

I've got them in my tank too!!! Ewe...


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## SassyBetta (Aug 1, 2011)

my tanks clean lol.... sory not funny , iv seen them befor in my moms tank and they do look nasty lol i wouldnt wana wake up and see that in the morning if i was a fish lol, tho my lil boys apig so i could see him trying to eat them all lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

For planaria: It usually means you are overfeeding. Cut back on the food. To get rid of them, do a HUGE gravel vac and suck up as many of the buggers as you can.


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## dsgems (Jul 14, 2011)

dragonflie said:


> Might be roundworms or some planaria. Neither will hurt your fish; and some might even get eaten by your betta.
> 
> Check this link for closer identification: http://www.planetinverts.com/what_is_that_bug_in_my_aquarium.html
> 
> Populations will grow if there's excess organic material for them to feed on. So just keep things tidy and you should seem them dwindle.


Thanks for the link. I believe I have hydra in my tank! Yuck!! I thought the little things attached to my tank were some sort of algae, then maybe worms, or tiny tiny tadpoles. Used your link and a magnifying glass. Looks like hydra. My betta is eating them. I had left the filter off a few hours, and when I turned it back on I could see the tiny white things coming out of side of the baffle. Your link said, they will not hurt grown fish. But I want to get rid of them NOW!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Maybe take the baffle off for a few hours and let the filter really circulate things. Hydra won't hurt grown bettas, that's true. They're only a concern if you have fry because the hydra can wrap their tentacles around the fry. But I don't blame you, I don't care how harmless the things are, they're disgusting.  I'd want them out, too.


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## dsgems (Jul 14, 2011)

Thanks Sakura, I don't know how to get rid of them. Lots of water changes maybe. It is good to hear it wont hurt my Betta. This must be the reason he has not been eating like usual, the last two days. He's eating the Hydra!!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup. I guess that's how you get rid of them: let your betta eat them! And you can help him out with a water change/gravel vacuum. Live foods are the best so your betta must be pretty happy right now, nomming away. =]


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## dsgems (Jul 14, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Yup. I guess that's how you get rid of them: let your betta eat them! And you can help him out with a water change/gravel vacuum. Live foods are the best so your betta must be pretty happy right now, nomming away. =]


Do you think there is any nutrition in them? I was worried because he seemed to have lost his appetite the last two days. I hadn't realized the white stuff was alive then. Maybe you can help me out. How can you tell if your Betta is* sleeping*? I am sure they must sleep, don't they?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm sure there's some nutrition in them. I'm not so sure about vitamins and all that but there must be some protein. 

It can be really hard to tell when your betta is sleeping. Sometimes they lay on the bottom of the tank and look dead. O.O Scares the heck out of people. Other bettas perch in their plants to sleep. Mostly, if they are really still for a long time but their gills are moving slowly, then they're asleep. I never see my bettas sleeping, altough I used to.


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