Worm found in gravel??

[Helen]

I am so freaked! While trying to catch a snail it fell among the gravel, by stirring up the gravel I unearthed a worm about 5cm long and pale sandy coloured! By the time I grapped my net it had slunk back into the stones. I couldn't find it even with my gravel cleaner. How did it get there?, and more importantly how do I get rid of it?

[Willyleigh]

I'm not sure but the worm could be a tape worm which was brought in by one of your fish but has left its body, I would try to get rid of it but it wont be causing much harm if it is a tapeworm.

[hungryhound]

That would be very disconserting. I don't knwo much about worms in aquariums but I tried to do a google search on it.

Was the worm rounded or was wider and flat?

Did it look like this? That would make it a planaria
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if it was a flat worm you might try these links

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Other than that all I can do is wish you good luck and hope that your situation clears. Hopefully a more knowledgable member will be able to help you out.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Try to vaccum your gravel more often and only feed as much as you fish consume in a few minutes. I had a bunch of worms like that in a breeding tank because I didn't vaccum enough. Just my 2 cents

[AquaQueen]

It sounds really gross if you ask me but I am no expert...I would try vaccuming alot even when you think you are done, do more and deffinatly feed less as stated before. It has got to be either from one of your fish or something that grew do to some sort of bacteria build up maybe from the left over food and all the poopie(just a guess) I wouldn't just let it go tho I would make sure the thing and anything else like it is gone. Good Luck!

[Helen]

Thanks for all your replies. I used my gravel cleaner yesterday, but didn't catch it. I thought initially it was poop, but it was thicker than poop, then when it touched the gravel it disappeared inside and must have hidden somewhere. I am thinking of moving my fish out and draining and cleaning all the gravel? is this a good idea? I just want rid of this worm. I am thinking it has either come in with a plant, or with the freeze dried bloodworm treats i give. Also for my sucker fish i leave cucumber wedged in the gravel for them to munch on. should i stop this for a while?

[DemonShark]

It could be a cucumber worm. If it is its proubly dead now. I suppose you can remove all your water but is it marine or freshwater first of all?

[cocoa_pleco]

marine tanks come with all sorts of critters. I got a bunch of small crickety things on my live rock.

Like Demonshark said, its probably a cucumberworm that hitched on a plant.

[Helen]

Hi, thanks for your support. Whats a cucumber worm? it was very much alive the other day when it ran away. I tried looking for it this evening, but couldn't find it without moving my plants and ornaments. The strange thing about this worm was it wasn't the same thickness throughout its length, which is why I initially thought it was a big poop!
My tank is fresh water; 100 Litres with about 3 inches of gravel.

[cocoa_pleco]

its just a worm that stays on plants. Probably came with 1 of yours

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree with more gravel cleaning. Weekly. If you have an UGF, get rid of it, as well.