# Worms, possible parasites?



## PaulLamb (Nov 15, 2009)

In one of my home tanks I recently added some new live plants and a couple of catfish. This week I noticed a number of very small, white, hair-thin worm-like creatures had suddenly appeared, crawling on the sides of the tank. They are about about 1/32 inch in length or smaller, and they move like snails (no shells, though). I'm wondering if anyone has seen creatures like this before, and if they are harmless herbivores, or possibly parasites of some kind?


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

possibly planaria.
Causes are overfeeding, not enough tank maintenance, dirty gravel.
Also check out hydra altho I don't think they creep. If planaria, gouramis like them.


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## PaulLamb (Nov 15, 2009)

Definitely not as complicated-looking as hydra. Could be planaria. They are considerably smaller than the pictures I found online, but that is probably just because they are freshly hatched. I'm not too concerned about eliminating them, since by all acounts they are harmless. Since they could be systematic of an unhealthy aquarium, I'll be sure to do a partial water-change and clean the gravel just to be safe. Thanks for the info!


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Nematodes. They come in on plants. Harmless. 
Unlike planaria, they will multiply like crazy even in clean tanks for awhile, but eventually fade away again.


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