Earthworm??

**m@rko** · 25th Oct 2011, 14:41

Found a long worm in the substrate throught the glass in my nano tank this morning. Loks like an earthworm. Tried to use a long pincer to pull it out but it escaped deep into the substrate. Now its nowhere to be seen.

Anyone can advise if I should just leave it or is there something I can do about it? I really do not wish to stir up the substrate and end up potentially killing my shrimps.

**Fariez** · 25th Oct 2011, 23:42

It harmless to shrimps but can be quite annoying. U can use vermex to kill it but for me i just remove it manually by siphoning it when it swims in the water. Try to cut down on the food for the shrimps or remove the food after 1hr. The worms feeds on the leftover food.

**diazman** · 26th Oct 2011, 10:58

hi bro, is the "earthworm" still there? possibly could be bristle worm. If it is, you have to remove it by all means as the larger ones can harm the shrimps.

**m@rko** · 26th Oct 2011, 13:51

Originally Posted by Fariez

It harmless to shrimps but can be quite annoying. U can use vermex to kill it but for me i just remove it manually by siphoning it when it swims in the water. Try to cut down on the food for the shrimps or remove the food after 1hr. The worms feeds on the leftover food.

I wasnt referring to those white wriggly worms that wriggles in the water. The "earthworm" i mentioned was burried in the substrate and coincidentally it was wriggling near the glass. It was at least 3-4cm before i disturbed it.

**m@rko** · 26th Oct 2011, 13:52

Originally Posted by diazman

hi bro, is the "earthworm" still there? possibly could be bristle worm. If it is, you have to remove it by all means as the larger ones can harm the shrimps.

Any idea how i can remove it without stirring up my substrate. Scared later ammonia spike.

**David Moses Heng** · 26th Oct 2011, 14:01

Add coolie loach

**felix_fx2** · 26th Oct 2011, 16:30

Originally Posted by Altum_lover76

Add coolie loach

AL don't think wise if it is crs tank.
Thou confirm that is in their diet range.

**AlexHcp** · 26th Oct 2011, 18:57

Bro, there is a previous post about freshwater bristleworm fotoudavid... Better to get them out as they might not be shrimp save...

**m@rko** · 26th Oct 2011, 19:55

Thanks. I will look it up.

**stormhawk** · 27th Oct 2011, 18:41

Is it red and flat like? If yes then you have a ribbon worm in the tank. They seem common these days. I will find one every now and then, if I used plants that still had some soil on the roots. If you have this ribbon worm, do not cut it in half. They seem to split into two or more individuals if cut. I usually kill them in a separate container with salt.

Removing these worms will require some patience and trapping. Medication may work in both good and bad ways if you're not careful.

**felix_fx2** · 27th Oct 2011, 19:03

Stormhawk. Is tape worm small?
If I have small worms ect ect I use a large syringe from watson to catch.

**m@rko** · 27th Oct 2011, 22:25

I saw it again at the side of the glass this morning. Tried to squeeze my tweezers into the substrate to dig it out. Unfortunately I only got a small piece of it. I hope I did not make things worst by duplicating it. These things are really damn evasive!!

**stormhawk** · 29th Oct 2011, 03:13

The ribbon worm is very very elusive and hard to catch. I only managed to catch them because I scooped the whole lot of gravel with my bare hands and got it. They are easily startled if your disturb the gravel. One touch is enough to send them hiding.... once they hide you won't find them again until they show up by the glass wall. See the link below for a representative image of this worm or related species:

http://www.curiosity-killed-the-cat....dd19b05045.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZW6-2Esrjw
Found this video showing this worm's behaviour. Very common in some planted tanks.

Felix, the worm I'm referring to is pretty long. You can suck it up with a dropper or turkey baster but it is very fast. The longest I caught was nearly 6 cm.

**marimo** · 31st Oct 2011, 15:11

I caught one !
but not sure if its the biggest one that i saw weeks ago
I use a suction dropper a few times , the suction will be strong enough to vacumm it

so is this the harmless earthworm? since it doesnt has that scary centipede hair-like legs
Attachment 26596

**felix_fx2** · 31st Oct 2011, 17:45

Earthworm ? Looks like one to me.

**shawnmichael** · 31st Oct 2011, 18:55

Tubifex worm?

**stormhawk** · 7th Nov 2011, 04:04

This isn't an earthworm, but related to it. If you look in tubifex worm balls, you will find several worms that are much larger and look exactly like earthworms. Within one ball of tubifex there can be 2-3 different species of worms, and this is one of them.