I have worms in my aquarium. They start out in little brown tubes about 1/4 - 1/2 inch long. Then when they break out of the tube they become free swimming worms. After a while they become fruit fly sized flies. What are they? and how do I get rid of them?
worms in tank; turning into flies
- Thread starter serjuanca888
- Start date
Could you have caddisflies, that fly fisherman like to tie imitations of? http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/caddisfly/caddisfly.phtml
More descriptions are at www.google.com "caddisfly"
Why aren't your fish gobbling them up?
More descriptions are at www.google.com "caddisfly"
Why aren't your fish gobbling them up?
What caddis fly is the size of a fruit fly???? There may be one, but fly fishermen/women aren't tying ones so small. Think of the teeny fish a fruit fly would catch (about the size of that hatchetfish or platy you have in your tank!), might just as well eat the fly and save your time. Besides, cleaning a fish that small would be a PITA!
Not so scratchy...
Not so scratchy...
caddis, may, and stone fly, in the larval stages are not worms, so it can not be one of those. How long are the worms? And where in the world do you live? Aquatic insects vary a great deal depending on which continent.
Blood"worms" are Chironomid midge larvae. Many people seeing an insect larva in their tank would think "worm." Aquatic insects do vary according to species from continent to continent, but "generically" they look similar to us amateurs.
These sound like midges or mosquitos to me. What colour is the "worm"? Does it live at the surface or on the substrate?
The worms themselves are about 1/4 inch long and red. The worms typically reside in the gravel. I had these worms before in my other tanks, but never this bad. I live in texas. west texas if it matters.
Would a copper treatment get rid of these worms? I know in saltwater copper kills all invertibrates.
Agree with Wetman and Faramir, it’s midge larvae. Some of the Chironomids tube builders and some build transportable cases.
Don’t use copper, it’s worse than the larvae blight. Remove them manually as you find them. The majority of aquatic insect larvae are nocturnal to avoid predation. That’s the best time to look for them.
Tom
Don’t use copper, it’s worse than the larvae blight. Remove them manually as you find them. The majority of aquatic insect larvae are nocturnal to avoid predation. That’s the best time to look for them.
Tom