can sombody help identify these worms.

[pov]

does anybody know what these are , are they safe for food.?

 

[Colin_T]

How big are they?

Do they have a Y shape at one end?

Do they have any hairs/ filaments on the side?

They might be bloodworm (Chironomid midge larvae).

 

[pov]

yeah they definitely have a y shape at the end, they are about 1 cm long but I am not certain if they have hairs along the body. if they do it,s only a few.

 

[Colin_T]

The size is right for bloodworms.

If they are bloodworms, they are midge larvae that live in the mud and usually make a mud cocoon to live in. They have their head sticking out and catch and eat plankton and rotting plant matter. Most fish eat them.

Having said this, the head looks different to the normal bloodworm but there are hundreds of different types of midges and they could be a different species. But all aquatic insect larvae are edible and they shouldn't be an issue in the tank.

 

[NickAu]

Do they have a Y shape at one end?

Clearly seen in the second photo.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes Nick, that's why I asked. I was unsure if it was a blurry picture or the organism actually had a Y shaped tail.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Yes, they are blood worms. Are you seeing small insects flying in your tank when you lift the lid? The midge flies usually breed in my area in the spring and last through the summer. They can be a nuisance but the fish will like the worms. I had an infestation of them this year. You will find them in the filter media too. Just pick them out and feed them to the fish. Just watch your ammonia while they’re around. They can die in the filter and raise the ammonia. I freaked at first but they ended up an unwelcome benefit. Do you have a water supply, ditch, lake, etc. close to your home? Mine decided to make a home in my goldfish pond which is close to the back door. They do make a product called Mosquito Dunks that you can add to your filter or tank that supposedly kill them and are fish safe. I never saw an improvement with it though and it made a mess. The flies lay eggs in the water and the larvae are the worms. The worms then grow into the midge fly and the cycle continues. Interesting to watch and completely safe. The flies can make a mess if you kill them on your walls though.

 

[pov]

They are not out of my tank, I collect the brine shrimp or mosssie larva for a treat, I have a bucket full of water out side and I get some from my ponds , I have never actually gotten them worm like things , they are usually more evolved I think now after reading about them , or is the brine shrimp and midge fly's completely different I am not sure... I was worried that it was a parasite that would latch onto the fish I have found these types of things in my tank last year when I kept the tank outside though they were much smaller and white.
I am fairly scared of things that look like the creatures of the alien movie , I was attacked by one in a bathroom once I thought it was very curious and gave it a nudge with my toe , it latched onto me and hurt a little I tried ripping it of but couldn't , I am pretty sure it nearly killed me . …...

 

[Colin_T]

brineshrimp are a salt water organism that does not live in fresh water.

all insect larvae are fine for fish to eat, assuming the fish is big enough to eat them.

you get small white worms (planaria, detritus worms and other types of aquatic worms), black aquatic worms like tubifex and blackworms, leeches, mozzie larvae, bloodworms (chironomid midge larvae) and various other midge larvae in fresh water. the only ones that are harmful are leeches.

 

[FishGuest5123]

They are not out of my tank, I collect the brine shrimp or mosssie larva for a treat, I have a bucket full of water out side and I get some from my ponds , I have never actually gotten them worm like things , they are usually more evolved I think now after reading about them , or is the brine shrimp and midge fly's completely different I am not sure... I was worried that it was a parasite that would latch onto the fish I have found these types of things in my tank last year when I kept the tank outside though they were much smaller and white.
I am fairly scared of things that look like the creatures of the alien movie , I was attacked by one in a bathroom once I thought it was very curious and gave it a nudge with my toe , it latched onto me and hurt a little I tried ripping it of but couldn't , I am pretty sure it nearly killed me . …...

That’s funny! I just assumed they were in your tank. I’d be a little more concerned if they were in standing water outside. Not sure why, just icky to me.