# Little worm like things



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Upon closer observation I saw a lot of worm things crawing in my eco complete. Do you know what they are? at firist I thought they were roots but they moved and it wasn't the current from the filter that mad it move. It looks like transparent roots, are these internal parasites?


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Not parasites, just small fresh water annelid worms that are feeding on mulm, trapped algae, uneaten fish food and bacterial films in the eco complete.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

are they harmful what so ever?


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## Cichlidlover (Nov 24, 2009)

turtlehead said:


> are they harmful what so ever?


I have little white or off white worm things that I see floating in the water when I clean my tanks. Is this harmful to my fish?


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## CrimsonTsavo (Nov 18, 2009)

They've never harmed my fish.


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## Cichlidlover (Nov 24, 2009)

Well I just wanted to make sure they're safe for my cichlids.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

No, nearly all worms you see in you tank are harmless. The only worms that are harmful are the ones attached to a fish with the exception of leeches that live in the gravel most of the time and suck fish blood (or snail blood) at night. Leeches move in a very distinctive way and are therefore very easy to identify.


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## Cichlidlover (Nov 24, 2009)

So the worms float or swim in the water, mostly when the gravel is disturbed. It doesn't seem to be a problem. How do leeches swim. Or do they swim?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

They have two modes of movement. One where they move quickly, they can swim like a killi fish or an eel. The other looks somewhat like a caterpillar or amoeba (if you are familiar with amoeboid movements).


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## Cichlidlover (Nov 24, 2009)

They swim like a killi fish or an eel.


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## lampeye (Oct 29, 2007)

As rule - if you see it anywhere BUT on the fish, it's not parastitic. The only exceptions I can think of are fish leeches (but don't worry yet, even if you do see leeches - read below), and the short forays fish lice will sometimes make as they swim from fish to fish. 

If you see leeches, don't worry. The few species that attack fish are vanishingly rare in aquaria. The coomon fish leech has LARGE posterior and anterior suckers, and a banded pattern on the body. There are many leeches that are scavengers or are predatory on snails, and they are seen somewhat regularly, but are harmless.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I miss my pet leech


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