[jdk79]

Hi... I have had my 180 set up for just about two monthes and have had my 8 Cariba and 3 red bellies all about 4-6 inches in length... My problem is on the top of the power heads and on the lids and inside my filters (ac 500)'s there are these small white worm like lines. They don't move at all as much as I can see. Threre about as long as this mark _ Sorry I don't have a digi. camara or I would take some pictures. I was thinking bad water but I change about 25-30 of it aweek. So that couldn't be it? I was also thinking over feeding but I always take whatever is uneaten out withen an hour. Also I feed them everynight and they eat about 75% of the food I throw in. So I really don't want to feed them any less I would think? If any of you guys have had these can you give me some idea's to get rid of them. I just added salt after my water change hoping that would help. Thanks in advance!!! Jake

 

[smb]

Probably planetaria.

They are completely harmless and I would bet that 90% of all aquariums have them. It's hard to see them because they don't like running water. I'm sure if all of us shut down our filtration we'd all be surprised that almost everyone on these forums has them and in 2 days we'd see them all over the sides of the glass.

Yea, I know, noone else does, but you do whether you see/think so or not.

It is a nuisence as far as seeing them, but that's about it.

They congregate because of over feeding and there's really no way to get rid of them other than breaking down your tank and cleaning it, or stop feeding so much. They live because of excess food.

 

[thePACK]

Probably planetaria.

They are completely harmless and I would bet that 90% of all aquariums have them. It's hard to see them because they don't like running water. I'm sure if all of us shut down our filtration we'd all be surprised that almost everyone on these forums has them and in 2 days we'd see them all over the sides of the glass.

Yea, I know, noone else does, but you do whether you see/think so or not.

It is a nuisence as far as seeing them, but that's about it.

They congregate because of over feeding and there's really no way to get rid of them other than breaking down your tank and cleaning it, or stop feeding so much. They live because of excess food.

exactly...just watch how much your feeding them and do a normal water change with gravel vac..all should be good...

 

[DonH]

Probably planetaria.

Is that in the same genus as galaxalaria or universalaria? lol I think you mean planaria.

Even though you can find planaria in the aquarium, the worms you see are actually harmless nematodes. There's already a thread on this subject a few lines down.
Here

 

[smb]

Is that in the same genus as galaxalaria or universalaria? lol I think you mean planaria.

[/quote]
LOL! Yea that's what I meant.

Thanks.

 

[hastatus]

Here's a bit more to elaborate on DonH remarks:

White worms (nematodes)