# These aren't "fish", but I didn't know where to ask this...



## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Ok, I have these really creepy worms in my plant tank. I bought a bunch of plants for my 55 gallon before I had it set up so I put them in a 2 gallon tank that I wasn't using and put it in my garden window in my kitchen. Well, the plants brought in a ton of snails, and I now have a lot of copepods, too. Then yesterday I got home from work and the sun was shining right in the tank and I was looking in at the snails and then I saw these things that looked like roots but they were moving. And I don't have a filter, so there's no current, so I took a closer look and they look like tentacles from a hidden creature in the gravel or something because they just slowly wave around and sometimes look like they're feeling around for things on the gravel. I know they weren't tentacles, but that's what they looked like and they freaked me out. I posted on plantedtank.net asking what they are, and someone almost right away said they're nematodes. but then an argument started between like 3 people saying different things. Nematodes and Planaria were the two mostly being thrown around. I dunno, though, because "nematode" is such a general term for so many worm-like things, and planaria have flat heads and these things don't have flat heads. They're also light pink. I haven't seen any of them swimming around. They seem to just stay in the gravel and stick out about a half inch or more to wave around a bit. They freak me out and now I'm afraid to use the remaining plant in my 55 gallon tank because I don't want to infest it with something weird. I'm also afraid to even put my hand in the tank, now. lol. Anyone have any idea what they are?? I will try to get a picture when I get home today, but because of the location of the tank, I might not be able to get a good picture of them.
Thanks!


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Nematodes are a large family, that's why it seems so general. 
Do they look like these?


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Nope, they don't look like that at all. They're pink and uniformly shaped, and they don't really curl at all. they just wave around a bit.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I had little red worms similar to what you describe in the gravel of one of my tanks once. They appeared to be free living and didnt harm the fish. It took me a while to get used to them. 
Heres some info on em, apparently they are tubifex worms
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum/showthread.php/34333-Bugs-you-might-encounter-in-your-aquarium


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Yes! That's what I think they are after looking at pictures! Thanks!


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

glad that you found out what they are, and that they're harmless. Go Trilobite!


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Whoo! And you have your own farm of tubifex worms


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## AnimalLover9099 (Mar 27, 2013)

Plus, you can feed them to bettas I think


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