Urgent Care :: Small worms in tank

[novroz]

Today, I found small worms in Kame's tank.

They are the size of hair with 0.5cm in lenght. The color is a bit reddish. They are swimming in the tank...quite plenty. I saw them stuck in the filter too.

Could it be from Kame's poop?
Can turtle be infected with worm?

Kroten's tank is clean...not a single worm can be found. Her tank is exactly next to Kame.

Thank you in advance

[marisa]

You could clean the tank and filter and see if they return. The only way you'd know if they came from your turtle would be to have the stool analyzed.

What have you been feeding them? If you're including pellets in the diet, how old are they?

[SSMcLeod]

Other question to add: Do you have any form of pests (insects) in your house. It could be the larve or fry of a housepest...

[DrexelTanker0712]

Worm problems may result from:
1) over feeding, thus excess food settling in the tank
2) poor water movement and filtration
3) plants/snails recently added to the tank, or a new turtle bringing something form his previous home

My advise is to increase water movement and filtration. i'd clean the gravel and stir it up a bit.

If that doesn't work, invest in some loaches (fish type) to eat the worms for you.

[novroz]

@Marisa i haven't given her any pellets in a month. She is too fat and I keep her in veggie diet.

@SS McLeod if it is a housepest,how come Kroten's tank is clear? Their tanks are next to each other.

@Drexel I'll clean it this weekend. for now, i haven''t seen the worms again

[SSMcLeod]

One tank has better light, larger food supply - or could be just dumb luck.

When I was much younger with my very first turtle, during spring mosquitos larve were always in the tank, but never in my sisters fish. Just a possibility is all (and most larve are not harmful for turtles - just annoying and an eyesore for you)

[regalesse]

my thought was a mosquito larva as well and my advise was also to increase filtration. but you wouldn't go wrong with adding a mosquito fish or two. they would eat the worms and could be a food source for the turtles without hurting them. they are a natural food source here in louisiana

[novroz]

I know for sure they weren't mosquito's larvae.

Here's a picture of those worm.

[SSMcLeod]

Look like bloodworms to me. Dont worry they are harmless (and safe for your turtle to eat)

[steve]

Just keep cleaning...

[DrexelTanker0712]

yea, those definately look like bloodworms, i guess you have an insect problem, but it's not horrible, if you have fish in your tank they will eat them, and your turtle may eat them too. I feed frozen bloodworms to mine occasionally.

you may have to look at the environent the tank is in because mosquito-like flies are laying their eggs in your tank.

[novroz]

@Steve I have cleaned it last week and those worms haven't appeared again.

@Drexel Kame is already overweight, I couldn't add fish to her tank. She'll eat that fish while I trying to lose her weight