# Possible bloodworms in my tank?



## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

I've noticed some tiny(about 1-2mm) reddish color worms swimming around in my betta's tank. He doesn't seem fazed by them and all they seem to do is swim around in the middle or top of the tank. They are mostly visible in the day and not the nighttime from what I could tell.

From a search I did on the forums here, they sound like the worms this person had described. They are as thick as a strand of hair and are a pale reddish color except the ones in my tank are smaller.

Are they bloodworms or not? Should I be concerned? I've tried to get a picture of them but they are so small!


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

I don't know what kind of worms they might be, but if they're not bothering your fish or plants then I'd let 'em be. I wish I could have other critters live in my tanks! Unfortunately, between the clown loaches and the angel fish, everything gets eaten!

-ricardo


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

I was talking today about them and from what I was told they are a plant leech of some sort.

I dont know if they are true or not.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

After reading Adragontattoo's post, I looked up all sorts of leeches and I can honestly say that I don't think that's what they are. They don't have the flat bodies that leeches have. They look like a very small strand of hair swimming around in the tank.

I'll try to get a picture of one of them today so you can see what I'm talking about.

Ricardo,

You would actually want creatures like this living in your tanks? The only ones I don't mind living with my betta are the Cyclops and Planaria. lol

EDIT: Here are two pictures of the little worms. I tried to get the pictures as clear as possible. Even though they may look wider there, they are very thin.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

Bloodworms are the larva of a midge. They are a great food for fish, and do no harm at all. A few appear in my daphnia/mosquito tubs every year, and the fish devour them. I wish I had more.

A key to identification is that they swim with an "S" motion.

If you forget to feed Jake the betta he'll go after them.

Bill


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

aquabillpers said:


> Bloodworms are the larva of a midge. They are a great food for fish, and do no harm at all. A few appear in my daphnia/mosquito tubs every year, and the fish devour them. I wish I had more.
> 
> A key to identification is that they swim with an "S" motion.
> 
> ...


These little guys swim like that too! I was afraid that they might be harmful to Jake even though he doesn't seem to care about them.


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## jsrevenaugh (Nov 7, 2007)

Cleaning my tank today I found an honest to god living midge. I feed my barbs bloodworms a couple of times a week. They are supposedly freeze dried, but apparently one or more wasn't dry enough. The midge was still in the swimming mode, anchored under a floating plant. I shook it off and it swam to the bottom where it was promptly torn to little pieces by eager barbs. Amazing.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Mandy: Yes, I would welcome any uninvited guests into my tanks if they do not bother the fish or plants. Why not? It's the true sign of a well-functioning ecosystem. I set up a small pond last summer and I had frogs moved in w/in a month; I was thrilled! It's nature's way of saying, good job!

-ricardo


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## Gilraen Took (Apr 19, 2007)

When I lived in FL I'd stick a water tub outside for a while and when I started to see larvae in it I'd drain it(let it dry in case any eggs were still in there) and feed the larvae I strained out to my bettas. They'd go NUTS trying to catch them all


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

I got some mosquito larvae in with my daphnia and my Betas loved them. I am planning to put out a small dandelion water tub this summer to get more. Free live food for my beta and it may lower our (really high) mosquito population around the house. Win-win.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

flagg said:


> Mandy: Yes, I would welcome any uninvited guests into my tanks if they do not bother the fish or plants. Why not? It's the true sign of a well-functioning ecosystem. I set up a small pond last summer and I had frogs moved in w/in a month; I was thrilled! It's nature's way of saying, good job!
> 
> -ricardo


That's a good way of looking at it! I never would've though of all of the organisms in my tank as a good thing until you said it like that.

You know, I've considered putting a tub of water out during the summer to get some mosquito larvae for my boy but I'd probably forget about it and end up with a ton of mosquitos instead! lol


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## dr_juz (Jul 6, 2007)

I run my NPT a with a lower water level so i can grow moss on the extruding piece of wood, i was thrilled to find a small spider had choosen this high rise as his new home. As evaporaton takes place the water level drops and at a certain level, he spins these awsome little webs 

i like to mess with the currents in my tank every nown again emulaing different weather conditions... sometime i leave the pump off for a few days, then i find thousands of very small white worms/lavi swiming around.... a few days with the pump on again and they go away.... LOL a few months ago i had a fruit fly break out in my loft due to them breeding in the moss .... all fun and games with NPT's


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