Worms in your aquarium, what to do?

If you notice that your aquarium water is getting cloudy , it may be infested with worms. These are filaments of about 4 millimeters to 1 centimeter which move in the water or settle on the bottom. When you observe them closely, you see that their colors and shapes are different. They can be white, red or green, flat, oval or triangular in shape. Their proliferation in your aquarium is dangerous for your fish. So, what to do to avoid their nuisance?

Why should you get rid of worms in your aquarium?

Commonly, these critters are called “garbage worms” because they appear in polluted aquatic environments. In fact, they feed on decomposing organic matter and animal droppings. We can think that their action is beneficial since they clean the basin and serve as food for the fish. But, in reality, their excessive presence affects the health of animals and plants because they deprive them of oxygen. Therefore, they destroy the entire aquatic ecosystem.

Why are worms a problem in the aquarium?

The most common detritus worms look like white strings writhing in water. Like flatworms which are brown in color, they embed themselves in the substrate or crawl on gravel. In the dark, the worms come en masse to the surface in search of oxygen. That's why they push the fish to come together on the surface to suck the air. Oxygen deficiency weakens fish metabolism and eventually suffocates them.

What remedies to remove worms in your aquarium?

To remedy the proliferation of worms, it is necessary to follow the following recommendations:

Reduce the rich diet of your fish to lower the amount of their excrement and push them to feed on white grubs;
- Reduce the size of aquatic plants and remove their waste;
- Wash each element of the decoration before installing it in the aquarium (rocks, pebbles, roots);
- Change 20% of polluted water with reverse osmosis water to reduce waste;
- Immerse the plants in clean water for 48 hours before planting them in the bottom of the basin;
- Immerse each new fish in a container of clean, oxygenated water;
- Add reverse osmosis water and keep the fish for 4 hours in the container before introducing it into its vivarium.

How to avoid the appearance of worms by prevention?

The most effective solution that eliminates worms remains the maintenance of the vivarium. Indeed, in a clean aquatic environment, parasites cannot feed. This is why it is necessary to regularly remove all the rubbish that settles on the floor of the pool. In concrete terms, it is advisable to proceed as follows:

Replace one-fifth of the basin's water on a weekly basis;

1. Wash all the inner walls of the vivarium once a week;
2. Take out all the decorative objects to rinse them with clean water in a bucket;
3. Vacuum the waste deposited in the recesses of the bottom with an aquarium cleaner;
4. Place the decorative elements in the vivarium (gravel and roots);
5. Top up tank with chlorine-free water.

How to completely clean your aquarium?

If you notice the presence of a few worms despite weekly maintenance, you must proceed differently. In practice, you must completely change the water in the aquarium and clean all its components.

Several operations are to be carried out in the following order:

1. Collect a quarter of the pool water in a container;
2. Immerse your fish in the water in the container using a landing net;
3. Empty your vivarium of all its water using a vacuum cleaner connected to a sink;
4. Remove all the impurities deposited on the walls of the aquarium using a sponge soaked in white vinegar;
5. Scrub pebbles and decorative roots with a brush;
6. Rinse all the decorative elements with clean water in a container;
7. Take the plants out to rinse them with clear water;
8. Remove the bottom substrate (sand and gravel);
9. Clean the floor of the aquarium with white vinegar;
10. Put clean bottom substrate (sand and gravel);
11. Put back the plants and the decoration;
12. Fill the tank with chlorine-free water;
13. Return the fish to their habitat.

Why Avoid Chemical Worm Treatments?

All aquarists know that drugs that destroy worms have their drawbacks. From experience, they know the harmful effects caused by chemical molecules on the health of fish, molluscs and plants. It is for this reason that it is not recommended to treat your aquarium with toxic substances.

Worms in your aquarium: what to remember!

In short, the damage caused by the proliferation of worms in an aquarium can be limited. With regular maintenance of the aquarium, the clear water will maintain its biological balance and the aquatic ecosystem of your fish will remain free of parasitic worms. Thus, your faithful companions will be able to live in good health in a healthy environment.

And to learn more about maintaining your aquarium, check out the many articles on our blog!