[Little Soprano]

After looking through the thread, I THINK I have planaria in my 10g. They are small white worms that move sort of like inch worms across the front and back glass of the tank. And they are in heaven because I just put new shrimp pellets in (what I've been using to cycle with, they are easy ) before realizing they were in there.

This will be a Tiger shrimp tank in about 2 months from now, and I was wondering if I should be trying to get rid of these guys or just leave them. Will they harm shrimplets? Should I vacuum out the food I'm using to cycle with and then just not add anymore until I don't see them? Never had critters I was aware of in a tank lol.

 

[sbarbee54]

Sounds like a flat worm. Do they have triangle heads? Before u put shrimp in get some tiger barbs to throw in for a week

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[dougolasjr]

Moving like an Inch Worm doesn't sound like planaira to me. Can you describe what you mean by that movement? Planaria normally just slide across the glass. Inch worm movement makes me think of leech.

 

[Raye]

Moving like an Inch Worm doesn't sound like planaira to me. Can you describe what you mean by that movement? Planaria normally just slide across the glass. Inch worm movement makes me think of leech.

+1; ime, flatworms glide across the tank and leeches inch.

 

[Little Soprano]

Well it just kind of slides along the glass, not leech I don't think. They are VERY VERY thin and white. Tiny too. They kind of glide for the most part lol..... I do have Hikari's Prazi Pro from when we had an anchorworm problem a year ago, is this stuff safe for inverts?

I tried taking a picture but all I have is an iphone and I dropped it a few days ago so it's hard to see on the screen lol. When I put my hand in the tank, they shrivel up and disappear if that means anything. They are very hard to see any structure on them tbh. Very thin white lines that move across the glass, sometimes you can see their heads turn as they change directions, when I put m hand in the water and tap on top of them, they fall to the substrate. They do glide now that I watched them, they don't come off of the glass.

I don't think they are leeches, far too tiny and thin, someone had pictures of them in the identification thread and they look identical, just not as long. Only fish I have atm are danios, white skirt tetras, a CAE, neons (my tank is NOT ready for neons), and my Rainbow Shark. I was thinking maybe the CAE might eat it, but he's so darn fast, it's hard to catch him. Last water test showed no ammonia or nitrites in the tank, so he would probably be fine for a week. Aside from the fact he is the most delicate leaf cleaner, he is big though, so I don't know if he's the best option lol.

 

[Little Soprano]

Kind of looks like this:

But mine is WAY tinier.

I changed the picture. The white lines on the glass? Identical to mine, just I can only count 5 of them. I'm running an Aquaclear 30 with no flow restrictions atm, it's a 10 gallon tank, and I've been doing water changes every two days if that matters.

 

[sbarbee54]

Flat worm, get some tiger barbs before you put shrimp in and let them go to work. Take them out after a week or 2 and returnt hem to Petco or Petrsmart

 

[Little Soprano]

Flat worm, get some tiger barbs before you put shrimp in and let them go to work. Take them out after a week or 2 and returnt hem to Petco or Petrsmart

Are they harmless for the most part? The PraziPro says it can kill flatworms, I feel bad about buying fish and returning them lol.

 

[sbarbee54]

Why put chemicals in there? Just do it the natural way, as pancur did nothing to them when i tried it the first shrimp tank I had many years ago

 

[Little Soprano]

Why put chemicals in there? Just do it the natural way, as pancur did nothing to them when i tried it the first shrimp tank I had many years ago

Gotcha, makes sense. I just feel bad buying fish only to return them is all. Was hoping maybe the white skirts might eat them or the Danios. Thanks a ton for the advice though! Was worried they were harmful, I feel better now lol.

 

[lamiskool]

curious if the flatworms will harm the shrimp/or if they are known to harm shrimp?

 

[Little Soprano]

curious if the flatworms will harm the shrimp/or if they are known to harm shrimp?

I'd love to know the answer to that too lol.

 

[Oceangirl]

I put VERY young/newborn Guppy fry in there. They eat, Planaria, Flat worms, Water fleas, and are too small to eat shrimp. My guppy fry I think are a week old.

 

[water-kitties]

I put VERY young/newborn Guppy fry in there. They eat, Planaria, Flat worms, Water fleas, and are too small to eat shrimp. My guppy fry I think are a week old.

Guppy fry eat planaria for you?? I really wish I knew this before.

 

[Oceangirl]

Yep. Only when they are super new/tiny. Any bigger and they eat anything in sight. I don't feed them either.