# Little white hair thin worms floating around aquarium. What is it&how it get there?



## jboone82590 (Jul 4, 2015)

It's just over feeding is all I have them in my fresh water puffer fish tank because he's messy when he eats and a lot of food gets down to the bottom 

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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

jboone82590 said:


> It's just over feeding is all I have them in my fresh water puffer fish tank because he's messy when he eats and a lot of food gets down to the bottom
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk


I have had 1 goldfisih in the tank for years and years without introducing any new fish. 

How did the worms get in there to begin with ? Are the eggs in the fish food pellets?


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## jboone82590 (Jul 4, 2015)

Honestly I have no idea I'm hoping someone with an expert opinion will chime in mine just showed up and there all over now and i kill thin all the time and they say some fish eat them I just forgot what ones 

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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

Detritus worms?
What are these small white worms in my aquarium? | Fish Beginner; Information & Help
Aquarium Planaria; Wiggly Detritus Worms, in Tank Water, on Glass

Or these Nematodes? (not exactly sure if these are the same or not, but apparently the ones in this link are not parasite worms that infect your fish?)
What is that bug in my Aquarium? .:. Various small creatures that can inhabit a Freshwater Invertebrate Aquarium

Most random pests become apparent from decaying organic matter, whether too much fish food or decaying plant material. It's said these pests are commonly present just not noticed unless their numbers are allowed to build up (more food and less predators) but their numbers are usually kept very low due to predation from fish (your goldfish is probably too big to "see/eat" the tiny worms)

Only other white worm that is hair like that I know of is microworms and grindal worms. Don't know much about all these worms besides their names. If the worms came from under the substrate they might be these "feeder worms" (microworms, grindal worms)


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

WaterLife said:


> Detritus worms?
> What are these small white worms in my aquarium? | Fish Beginner; Information & Help
> Aquarium Planaria; Wiggly Detritus Worms, in Tank Water, on Glass
> 
> ...


I am not even sure if they are a worm because they are actually swimming though the water in the middle of the aquarium. Its as thin as a hair and white. They are wiggling and swimming though the water like crazy.


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## Ashi83 (Oct 24, 2015)

Sounds like nematodes.

Do they look like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsY7j17lrAE



> Nematodes are small, thin, white/transparent free-living roundworms and the "swim" moving themselves in a wave like pattern (well, forming an S shape). If disturbed, they will swim around wriggling briskly. You can find them from the substrate and they are the ones that might appear from the filter when you turn it on. These ones are harmless, but as with any other "pest", if there's too many of them, you are either overfeeding or just not keeping the tank clean enough of debris, decaying plant matter.


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

miogpsrocks said:


> I am not even sure if they are a worm because they are actually swimming though the water in the middle of the aquarium. Its as thin as a hair and white. They are wiggling and swimming though the water like crazy.




Do they wiggle their body in like a "S"/zigzag pattern when swimming?
The non-parasitic Nematodes can "swim" like that even though they are worms (don't only just slither/crawl).


Looking at pictures doesn't always help as they are usually zoomed in and not in realistic viewing ratio, so watching a youtube video on them might help you ID if the ones you have are one of those. I still do think that it is probably Detritus worms or non-parasitic Nematodes (scavengers, not harmful to fish, not sure if both of those are the same worm or not)


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Ashi83 said:


> Sounds like nematodes.
> 
> Do they look like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsY7j17lrAE


They kind of look like that except their ENTIRE body will move in an S-pattern much faster than the ones in our video. I think the ones I have are much thinner as well. 

In the video, they are mostly moving the front and back tip of their body. 

The ones I have I can only see if I shine a flashlight into the tank and it goes across the beam. Perhaps what I have in my tank are the babies nematodes?


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

WaterLife said:


> Do they wiggle their body in like a "S"/zigzag pattern when swimming?
> The non-parasitic Nematodes can "swim" like that even though they are worms (don't only just slither/crawl).
> 
> 
> Looking at pictures doesn't always help as they are usually zoomed in and not in realistic viewing ratio, so watching a youtube video on them might help you ID if the ones you have are one of those. I still do think that it is probably Detritus worms or non-parasitic Nematodes (scavengers, not harmful to fish, not sure if both of those are the same worm or not)


Yes its kind of like an S pattern but the wave happen for their entire body whereas the video was only slightly in the front and back of the worm. Also, it moves its entire body much faster then the video and I believe they are smaller and thinner. I can only get a good look at them with a flashlight.


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## Ashi83 (Oct 24, 2015)

miogpsrocks said:


> Yes its kind of like an S pattern but the wave happen for their entire body whereas the video was only slightly in the front and back of the worm. Also, it moves its entire body much faster then the video and I believe they are smaller and thinner. I can only get a good look at them with a flashlight.


It could be smaller ones yes. There aren't many other worms that I know of that swim in this fashion. Other similar looking worms like detritus / grindal are usually a bit bigger and don't come into the water as much.

The swimming action differences could be caused by a ton of things. 

If I had to wager money, I'd bet it on nematodes.

This is another good video of nematodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEbPd-hopgY


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Ashi83 said:


> It could be smaller ones yes. There aren't many other worms that I know of that swim in this fashion. Other similar looking worms like detritus / grindal are usually a bit bigger and don't come into the water as much.
> 
> The swimming action differences could be caused by a ton of things.
> 
> ...



That second video you sent look much more like what I'm seeing. 

They are small like that and swim like that ! I think they match exactly with the nematodes from that second video. Good Job detective! 

What is strange is that I have a very basic goldfish tank, since the Goldfish is kind of large, I have no ornaments, no plants, no rocks,absolutely nothing but gravel. 

I have tried to maximize the swimming space of the goldfish. I have never introduced any other fish or items and he has been alone for years. How in the world did these nematodes find their way in is beyond me. Unless their eggs are in the fishfood or in the tapwater? I did also move him into a 29 gallon tank which I recently purchased brand new and rinsed it for a good 5 minutes. 

Anyway, so these are not dangerous for the fish? 

Thanks.


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## Ashi83 (Oct 24, 2015)

Impossible to say how they got there, and I am by no means an expert.

Could be that they were living happily in the gravel before, and moving that has caused them to come loose?

Have you checked your water parameters? 

You can probably find plenty of solutions to controlling the nematodes now you know what they are, there are also probably medications that are suggested. They are harmless by all accounts, so a more natural method of removal is recommended. Control/reduce feeding, increase cleaning and increase frequency of water changes. See if you can capture many of these things in the siphon.

Aside from the nematodes, it would be worth you considering some decoration and cover for your goldfish, for its happiness and security.


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Ashi83 said:


> Impossible to say how they got there, and I am by no means an expert.
> 
> Could be that they were living happily in the gravel before, and moving that has caused them to come loose?
> 
> ...


Its funny you should say that because I have tons of decorations in my garage and far more then I could ever use in my tanks. I purchased them over the years whenever Petco had a sale online and I need something extra to get the free shipping. 

However I thought that since the goldfish was large, he required more of a open swimming space. Are you saying the goldfish would be happier with decorations in the tank as well? The fish is like 12-inches long and he is in a 29 gallon tank with a sponge filter and a in tank corner filter which I could easily replace with a canister filter if needed. What type of decorations do Goldfish like? Anything in particular?


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## Ashi83 (Oct 24, 2015)

I think you're in a position where you need to do a bit more independent research and decide the best course of action. A few things are evident but you've made the right steps to improve the life of your little buddy.

1) a 12 inch fish in a 29g tank is never going to be completely happy, it's pretty small.
2) almost all fish prefer some kind of cover and stimulation, somewhere to hide from outside activity, from lights, to rest, etc. Of course you need to retain some swimming space - find a balance. Even just a few tall fake plants will help.
3) there are obviously other issues with the tank - suggest you up the maintenance, buy a water test kit and go from there.


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

Ashi83 said:


> I think you're in a position where you need to do a bit more independent research and decide the best course of action. A few things are evident but you've made the right steps to improve the life of your little buddy.
> 
> 1) a 12 inch fish in a 29g tank is never going to be completely happy, it's pretty small.
> 2) almost all fish prefer some kind of cover and stimulation, somewhere to hide from outside activity, from lights, to rest, etc. Of course you need to retain some swimming space - find a balance. Even just a few tall fake plants will help.
> 3) there are obviously other issues with the tank - suggest you up the maintenance, buy a water test kit and go from there.


He was actually in a 10 gallon tank with another goldfish but I felt bad and purchased a 20 gallon from Petco where he stayed for a few years and I felt bad that it still seemed kind of small so I Purchased a 29 gallon which I moved in recently. 

So just be glad that he is not still in the 10 gallon tank. If I had the space, I would put him in a bigger tank. 

I would travel for like 2 or 3 months at a time and I would have someone stop by the house once in a while to feed him. Now, I purchased a $40 automatic fish feeder and I can provide him a meal or two every single day on a schedule. 

Any light on top of the tank freaks him out so I have no light at all. Just the natural room light so I hope he is ok with that. I wish I could get the room colder. I have no heater but recently purchased a thermometer but the room never drops the water below 72 degrees. I hope that is not too hot for a Goldfish. Most of the time its like 72-74. Its easy to heat up an aquarium but very hard to cool one down. You actually need like an small AC unit to chill water. 

I hope he is at least happier now then he was in the old 20 gallon tank. 

Thanks.


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