Tiny worms in your fish tank are often common detritus worms, typically introduced accidentally through new additions to your aquarium.
It is quite normal to see small, thin worms wiggling in your fish tank, especially near the substrate or glass. These are commonly known as detritus worms (Tubifex or Lumbriculus species are examples). They play a beneficial role in breaking down waste but can multiply noticeably if there's excess food or organic matter.
How Do Tiny Worms Get into Your Aquarium?
Detritus worms are not usually something you deliberately add to your tank. Instead, they hitchhike their way in through various means, making them a fairly common occurrence in home aquariums.
According to aquatic sources, it is not uncommon for an aquarium to have detritus worms, as they can be introduced through a variety of means. For instance, they may have come in with a new fish or plant and may even have been present in any gravel swapped in from another tank.
Here are the typical ways they arrive:
- New Live Plants: Tiny eggs or even adult worms can be attached to the leaves, stems, or roots of plants purchased from a fish store or fellow hobbyist.
- New Fish: While less common, it's possible for worms or eggs to be present in the water or substrate transferred during the bagging and introduction of new fish.
- Shared Substrate or Decorations: If you transfer gravel, sand, or decorations from an established tank (even your own), you could inadvertently move worms or their eggs.
- Live Food: Some types of live foods, if not properly sourced and cleaned, can introduce various organisms, including detritus worms.
Essentially, these worms are opportunistic and can easily find their way into your tank via typical aquarium additions. Seeing them usually indicates they are present but doesn't automatically mean there's a problem, unless their population explodes, which often points to overfeeding or insufficient cleaning.
