Crazy big blackworm

[Ali]

Ran into Aquarium Co-Op Saturday to get some blackworms. (Didn't spend my usual 45 minutes browsing everything. It was too hot to leave the dog in the car so I brought her into the shop. Not sure what the policy is on that so I wanted to get in and out asap.)

Once I got them out and in the fridge there was one that stood out. Maybe 1.5 times as long, 4-5 times as wide, and bright red. Not like the usual blackish color. Can't imagine a small earthworm could ever get in there, but it looks a lot like that. Any idea what this could be?

 

[Cory]

I'm not sure what type of worm it is exactly, but they come in plants from the fish farms as well. I've never seen any harm come from it. They just live in the substrate of the tank. I see maybe 1 or 2 of those types of worms in the 10 lbs of worms we go through each week.

As for the dog, you are welcome to bring it in assuming it's public friendly

 

[ShortyKiloGyrl]

I've read about those on other forums. I guess they are similar to an earth worm however are fully aquatic and a sign of a very healthy system and substrate.

 

[flamechica]

I have read about those too, but mostly of instances of people feeding black worms and not realizing they were there and one day they are cleaning or messing around in their tank and they discover a rather large worm moving around in their substrate. It would freak me out, honestly. Gives me the heeby jeebies just thinking about it. LOL!

 

[Anonymous]

If it's weird, uncommon I want some. Expecially if it digs in a planted tank substrate. Worm poo would be a great fertilizer!

 

[Ali]

Thanks Cory. She's a great dog but if we're in a busy space I try to be considerate of folks who may be uncomfortable around dogs or have allergies.

Well Fishnabowl, it's just chilling in my fridge right now (awful pun intended.) Do you want it? Definitely still small enough to be eaten by most fish, but if it's protected somehow you might get more, I assume like most worms it can reproduce asexually.

 

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the offer. I suppose if you where next door I would run right over. But don't think I'd go out of my way for one worm, lol. My tanks are full of small cichlid type fish. They would shread a worm in seconds. If I did get my hands on more than a few I would try putting them under the suface of the substrate.

 

[LuminousAphid]

I have occasionally found some strange worms that looked sort of like this in my substrate, and wondered where they came from... I have also bought blackworms from Cory, so maybe there were small ones that managed to escape and grow up in the substrate. The ones I have had are sort of flat, almost like a fluke rather than a worm, so they might be something different.

Just out of curiosity as to whether I have the same thing, how do they move? The ones I have found can move with your typical 'worm' motion on/in the substrate, but I have also seen them swim around rapidly when disturbed. I guess you would have to put that one in some water to find out

 

[L190]

Could it be a leech? I bought some blackworms from the wet spot once and it has a couple of them in there.

 

[keman]

It's the alien queen, come to take over the planet...

Ya, I have seen a couple here and there in the black worm I get from midway. The ropes don't seem to mind eating them.