Fine Red Hair Like Worms?

[Gina Cavaliero]

We have recently discovered fine, tiny little red hair like organisms in our net tank.  We noticed the waste was disappearing and didn't know what to attribute it to.  We know that gammarus have just literally appeared in in many systems in Hawaii, so we thought maybe the gammarus had finally made their appearance here.  However when I scooped up a little bit of the poo from the bottom of the tank and began inspecting it, there were these tiny little worms.  Friendly has them too.    Anyone else have these or know the name and where they originate?

[Miguel Afonso]

http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/html/worms.html

[Gina Cavaliero]

Thanks for putting up the links MIguel.  

As for the Gammarus, she indicated it was not a good thing.  Normally they do just groom the organic matter on the roots much like Chi's shrimp, however Susanne said they were eating the roots and it seemed that the plants were suffering.  I will have to clarify that!  

[TCLynx]

Gina, is this happening in a system where they have greatly reduced the fish load or does it seem that the Gammarus have just outpaced the waste production? 

I wonder if it would help to start supplemental feeding of the Gammarus with other small detritus that would be beneficial to the system as well as distracting them from eating the plant roots.

[Gina Cavaliero]

Unfortunately I don't have all the details.  As soon as I find out I will be sure to post here.  However, knowing the very large fish populations they typically carry, I would venture to guess that the Gammarus may have outpaced the waste production. I don't see why supplementation wouldn't work.

[TCLynx]

Will be interested to see what comes from this new discovery.

[Chris Smith]

I have seen two systems other than Friendlies that have had the same issues with gammarus. In one of the system the gammarus have pitted the bottom of some rafts. It seems they were nibbling bio-slime and getting a little foam too. I have some in my systems but they do not seem to be a problem as their numbers are small.

[John Jay]

are they very small and dance back in forth in colonies?   sounds like tubliflex worrms,, if you system is warm I can recomend a preditor for it  let me know the temp and water hardness and the ph of the are the worms are in.  Often called sewage worms  black worms or red tubliflex.  they live in muck

 

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904 859 9138

[Gina Cavaliero]

Hi John, thanks for the additional info and offer but pretty sure they are midges after reviewing the information generated here.  We also noticed what we think are tiny Gammarus this am.  I think the Gammarus have finally made their appearance!

[Leon Roughton]

Hi Gina good talk you   The red worms are mosguito lavrve i thing i have them  and in my raft untill the guppies attttt!!!!!!

[Gina Cavaliero]

Hey Georgia!  How you been?  Pretty sure they are not mosquito larvae.  We have plenty of those elsewhere but introduces Gambrusia to our system some time ago and they have done quite the job eradicating most mosquito larvae.  Check out some of the links Miguel supplied above.  Very nice explanations and images.

[TCLynx]

Mosquito larva are not the red worms, Mosquito larva swim around in the water.

[Gina Cavaliero]

Yes, mosquito larvae will wiggle around at the surface of the water, however these are actually in the waste and you have to disperse the waste in the palm of your hand to see them.