# Little brown "worms" in my filter?



## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

I started a new tank just over a month ago. It's a 46 gallon tank that I added treated water and water from my 65 gallon tank to. My 65 gallon tank is heavily planted and has been great for years with no problems. My new tank is also heavily planted and I have gradually been adding fish. I just tested my water yesterday and all is well, other than the nitrates being a bit high, but no cause for alarm - I did just add some Cherry Barbs, so that could be it. I add beneficial bacteria to both my tanks, usually biweekly, every second water change. I fertilize and use biological filtration. 

I noticed there are small brown "worms" in my new tank's filter. They are definitely multiplying. They are in the filter uptake tube and in the sponge and biological media. This leads me to believe they are beneficial and feeding off of the debris caught in the filter. They are nowhere else in the tank. Nor are they in my 65 gallon tank. I have never seen this before. I frequently move plants between the two tanks, and the new tank is is stocked with mostly propagated plants from my 65 gallon tank. 

I have tried to find out what they are on the internet, with no luck. Most people just respond with guesses. 

I have attached a (not so great) picture of my biological media within my filter. You can make out some of the worms, they resemble fish poop kind of, but definitely are not. 

My tank is otherwise healthy and growing great! In fact, the new Angelfish that I got about a month ago have already spawned twice!!

Does anyone have a name for these 'worms'??

Thank you, 

Musiche.


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## nikonD70s (Apr 6, 2008)

Can't see anything in the pic. But when I had my pond the filter would be fill with tiny red worms. And read thats common and harmless. So I would guess its the same worms u have but not exactly sure. But if all ur fish are healthy and the tank is fine i wouldn't worry about it so much.


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

:/ I'm not worried, I'm curious...


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## Zefrik (Oct 23, 2011)

I wouldn't know what they are to be honest. If the tank is exposed to outdoor conditions in summer some insects lay eggs in the water and filters get clogged with worms. But since yours is most likely indoors I would not have the slightest clue.


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## Eviltwist (Jun 15, 2011)

It might be some type of planaria, can't see anything in the photo you attached.


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## Powchekny (Jan 25, 2010)

Don't worry about it. Live food is great for the fishes.


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

... My fish don't eat out of the filter.... I'm not worried, I'm curious.

I will check out Planaria! Thx!


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Planaria look too big. Thx tho!


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## Wetman (Feb 14, 2012)

Lumbriculids? If you separate some from filter detritus, what's the reaction of the Cherry Barbs when you drop them into the filter outlet flow? Crazy enthusiasm?

If they're multiplying for you, we might all want some.


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Here's a new pic


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

And here they are on the clasp of the media bag.


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Oh, and they don't move. They multiply and glue themselves to things but they don't move. Are there any bacteria big enough to form strands like that maybe?


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Hm, it could be lumbriculids! Looks kinda like that.


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

Are they alive? Can you see them moving? I ask, though I do not know what they are called, because I had a very similar situation occur last fall in my tanks. Except that I was sharing filter media between all 5 of my tanks, and so it was in all of my tanks. I came to the conclusion that they must have been detritus worms, or planaria. Both of which are white, so I have no idea why mine were brown. I think that mine were dead in the media though, they looked kinda flattened to me, and I couldn't see them moving.. I am looking to see if I still have pics of mine.. No one was able to help me figure it out... off to look


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## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

Ok, I found the forum where I asked for help, with pics.. And it was just a few months ago, seemed like longer

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=86181

let me know if you can see the pics or not


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Problem solved people! I answered my own question. But I am glad I asked either way!

They are a beneficial bacteria that live in sheaths. They oxidize iron and magnesium and thrive in high organic matter environments. The tank is just over a month old, so new, and I have been using liquid fertilizer weekly, which is high in iron which aquatic plants love. Either way, I have obviously been using too much! The bacteria are totally useful, which is good to know. 

It never hurts to ask! 

Oh, here's a great article with pictures about them. Leptothrix is the name I think, or "Iron Bacteria".

Fertilizer: sometimes less is more!


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

Tlyons01 - your pics are EXACTLY the same as what I have. They are not worms though (or detritus worms) - worma are invertabrates they move frequently. Leptothrix bacteria - check my above post, I am certain of it!!


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## musiche (Jan 17, 2012)

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Leptothrix

Omg, there's the article!! Lol


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