How to get rid of HUGE worm things

[meowschwitz]

One of my tanks is infested with these huge worm things. They stretched to over an inch long, and the largest ones are about 1/4 inches wide at the head. They are flat on one side and tend to hug/crawl against the glass or flat leaves. Their exposed side is rough and ribbed; they can't easily be squished. They are tough buggers.

I've already treated the tank for 3 days straight, 0.1g of fenbendazole per 10 gallons (this is a 11.4g tank) each day. I haven't even done a water change after treatment and they're still alive. Do I need to double/triple dose? Are there stronger meds? How harmful might these guys be to my ~10 corydoras pygmaeus in the tank? Will overdosing on meds hurt my fish? I would take all the cories out it possible before I decide to nuke the tank, but they are extremely difficult to catch. Help!

[rodcuda]

I don't know what that is, but I don't think it is a planaria. For one thing it does not look right and another is that treatment works very well.

[Axelrodi202]

Doesn't look like a planaria to me too. Planarians are flat and smooth usually.

[driftwoodhunter]

Is it a leech?

[meowschwitz]

Well, it is completely flat on one side, but I really have no idea what it is, how harmful it is, or how to kill it.

[Imi Statue]

Definitely not a Planaria: https://www.google.com/search?q=pict...w=1627&bih=998

Notice the head shape in the photo's "ALL" Planaria have that head shape.
http://www.planarians.org/ for more.

As for what it is exactly, I'm not sure but it looks like some sort of beetle larva? Not sure though.

Some similarities:
https://www.google.com/search?q=pict...w=1627&bih=998

[meowschwitz]

Originally Posted by Imi Statue

Definitely not a Planaria: https://www.google.com/search?q=pict...w=1627&bih=998

Notice the head shape in the photo's "ALL" Planaria have that head shape.
http://www.planarians.org/ for more.

As for what it is exactly, I'm not sure but it looks like some sort of beetle larva? Not sure though.

Some similarities:
https://www.google.com/search?q=pict...w=1627&bih=998

Yeah, not planaria, but also not beetle larva. Leech maybe? Some other worm thing?

When they stretch out, they become really flat. They also tend to scrunch up into a ball when disturbed, which is why in the picture of one on my finger, it doesn't look flat. They have these pretty powerful suckers on their fat ends that they use to hang on to things. They seem to move by attaching to something with their sucker, then using their thin ends to feel around before detaching and scooting one way.

[jonathan]

Its definitely larvae.

Looks like crane fly but I'm thinking its not that.

[Imi Statue]

Some house fly variety. If you look down through the pics you see some that are totally like it except coloration.https://www.google.com/search?q=fly+...w=1627&bih=998

[meowschwitz]

Originally Posted by Imi Statue

Some house fly variety. If you look down through the pics you see some that are totally like it except coloration.https://www.google.com/search?q=fly+...w=1627&bih=998

Hm, don't think so. I found a nice fly maggot on one of my breeding mops a while back; it was large, white, fat and round, just like in the Google pictures.

[auban]

that is a leech. do you feed your fish blackworms by any chance? they usually have leaches in them. if you do, its a type that eats blackworms, but wont harm your fish. the strong sucker and your description of its movements are dead giveaways for a leech.

[meowschwitz]

Originally Posted by auban

that is a leech. do you feed your fish blackworms by any chance? they usually have leaches in them. if you do, its a type that eats blackworms, but wont harm your fish. the strong sucker and your description of its movements are dead giveaways for a leech.

I've never fed blackworms before. I must have gotten them from plants bought from other people. Good to know that they don't harm fish, but they are an eyesore. Is there any way to get rid of them?

[dprais1]

looks like leech

http://thegab.org/Articles/DiagnosisChart.html

about 40% down the page

[meowschwitz]

Oh, it's totally an aquarium leech then. They look exactly like those, dprais1.

Seems like they can be harmful to fish if they attach to them.

[dprais1]

de-los will do it, believe I got some. let me know I can send you some if you want. its from fish pharmaceuticals.