How To Get Rid Of Detritus Worms Perfectly In Planted Tank

Seeing some strange critters in the planted tank may make aquarists worried and hope any awful things never happen there. However, a lack of information and experience can become a disadvantage because not all worms that appear in freshwater aquariums are bad.

For example, detritus worms are common creatures in the aquarium world, even though their presence is unpleasant for some tank owners due to their appearance and numbers that sometimes can not be controlled. However, they are still quite beneficial and may help the owner to handle certain problems.

If you are looking for specific information about them and want to get rid of these detritus worms, this article may help you. So, keep watching this article.

What Are Detritus Worms

Most detritus worms belong to the family of tubeworms (annelids). However, this common name can also be applied to other species of worms that belong to a different phylum and live in detritus within aquarium ecosystems.

Detritus worms, members of the annelid phylum, indicate that they are close relatives to earthworms, sludge worms, leeches, and ragworms, which can be identified by their similar physical characteristics and reproductive abilities.

Their body shapes resemble those of earthworms, which are round and segmented, moving through the substrate with a white color, a thinner body, and a tiny size, similar to 3/16-inch earthworms.

The family of clitellate oligochaete worms, commonly referred to as Naididae (including the former family of Tubificidae), is the most frequently seen in home aquariums. This family comprises 800 species, but when combined with other families, the total number becomes difficult to count.

These creatures, which inhabit both saltwater and freshwater environments, are excellent scavengers. They thrive well in the aquarium with uncontrolled detritus infestation, including fish feces, uneaten food, and even dead plants and fish.

While in the planted tanks, you can see them floating in the middle level of the aquarium water like flying white threads, wriggling in the substrate, or even sticking on the filter media. Even though detritus worms are harmless.

They are hermaphroditic, which means detritus worms have female and male reproductive organs, similar to earthworms.

Detritus Worm Appearances

Due to the numerous species labeled as detritus worms, each species has distinct body characteristics that differ from those of other species. Some species have similar body shapes to common worms. Some require a microscope to be seen because they are difficult to notice with the naked eye.

Note: Detritus worms comprise tens of thousands of species that inhabit tropical environments. Their size ranges from 1 millimeter (0.25 inch) to 50 mm (2 inches) or longer. Besides, they also vary in color. Some can be black, red, white, or brown, and some can have unusual body shapes or skin tones.

Detritus Worm Behavior And Temperaments

Most members of these worm types often conduct their activities at night or in dim lighting, with minimal disturbances, which they can tolerate.

Meanwhile, when the aquatic livestock is active during the day, these worms dig into the substrate and then enter the holes to hide from predators. Sometimes, they also stick to the wall or hide in the filter media.

Detritus worms are categorized as aquarium pests. They love dirty tanks with imbalanced environments. These tiny pests may look weird and repulsive, but that’s about it. They do not significantly impact aquarium fauna and flora. Instead, they can be slightly useful for tank ecosystems.

Are Detritus Worms Good or Bad For The Aquarium?

As mentioned above, these tiny critters do not harm fish, snails, shrimps, or other aquarium populations. In fact, they are excellent food sources for your fish and fry, which are rich in protein that promotes their growth rates.

Furthermore, detritus worms also play a role as a clean-up crew by consuming tiny particles of bioload on the tank floor. They will feed on any organic waste, such as debris and leftover food, and break it down.

However, when they are overpopulated, this may become a problem. Their large number can cause oxygen depletion, so your fish should compete with them to absorb the O2 in the water.

Of course, the high population of these worms makes your planted tank unsightly. Do not worry; this condition typically occurs when your aquarium is too dirty and has not been treated.

Are Detritus Worms Harmful To Humans?

Most types of detritus worms are safe for human beings. Most of them can only live in water and die if filtered out of the aquarium; some might survive for a while when out of the tank before they are actually dead.

When the aquarium keepers put their hands into the water, these worms can attach to them, but they cannot penetrate the skin or suck blood like leeches. Once the aquarium work is done, the keepers should wash their hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap to protect themselves from unwanted things.

Types Of Detritus Worms

According to a trusted site, there are several common types of detritus worms that are usually seen live in aquariums, especially in freshwater ecosystems; let’s begin.

Brown Or Red Worms

Due to their similar body color, these aquatic worms are often confused with the dangerous nematode worms, capilaria or camallanus. These pathogenic worms are only found in fish and are capable of killing them.

The camallanus and capilaria have a slender body shape and are featureless. They do not move inside the aquarium fish or even swim in the water. If you are treating them with a paralytic agent, once these pests are paralyzed, you will see them lying motionless on the tank floor.

Those characteristics differ from the true red or brown worms mentioned in the title above. They are annelid worms, which are reddish or reddish-brown in coloration, with long, thin bodies, and are relatively active in the aquarium. Of course, these creatures are harmless. The easy way to distinguish between them is by their motion. So, do not panic when you see small reddish worms moving and living in your aquariums.

Brown ‘Detritus Worms’

In other cases, you may find some long, straight, brown worms gathering together in a particular spot inside your tank. These creatures are likely just common tubifex worms that cannot affect the aquarium ecosystem. It usually indicates that you feed your livestock too much.

During the maintenance period, you may notice a population of reddish-brown worms that inhabit the aquarium filter and emerge when cleaning it. Do not panic if it happens; perhaps they are another type of tubifex worm and are definitely safe.

Tubeworms

When you observe aquatic plants and see a few unsightly brown, stationary tubes sticking above them, stay calm. It is made by one of the tiny, harmless detritus worm families, and they live there. Sometimes, you will see some of their body parts extend out from the tubes. Typically, these worms are long and thin, with a white body coloration. Besides, they may also build their tube-shaped house on the substrate.

The worms that inhabit these tubes are a type of detritus-feeding annelid worm, specifically the Tubifex or Naidid worm. They belong to the annelida phylum, Naididae family, and Tubifex genus. Some people call them sewage or sludge worms; they consume decomposed organic matter around their house by extending their front ends from it.

Other Types of Detritus Worms

Most of the detritus worms are members of the tubeworms. However, there are several types of them that originate from other types, such as roundworms (phylum Nematoda) and flatworms (phylum Platyhelminthes, specifically planaria or rhabdocoelas, although they are rare). Nonetheless, both of those types are extremely rare to occur in planted tanks. Be cautious if you find small flatworms living in your aquarium. They might be the true planaria parasitic, which is a dangerous critter for your livestock, especially shrimp and snails.

Common Problems That Cause Detritus Worms to Invade Aquariums

Detritus worms can be introduced into the tanks in many ways, often hitchhiking to new plants, fish, and water in the fish bag that you added. That’s their favorite way to travel. They are excellent hitchhikers, so make sure to quarantine or disinfect any new population before adding it to the aquarium. In some instances, their eggs or themselves can hide inside the substrate from another contaminated tank or outdoor land that you added, then wait for the perfect time to hatch in your aquarium.

Overfeeding and bad water quality are two of the main issues that cause them to attack our tanks. Ensure that the livestock is fed sufficiently and that the tank remains clean through regular maintenance activities.

How To Get Rid Of Detritus Worms From Your Tanks

Panic is usual for the newer aquascapers when they find detritus worms slithering on the substrate, but they should not be overly panicked. These worms do not hurt your fish. They can even benefit the tank ecosystem. We suggest reducing their population to avoid possible horrible effects.

Improve The Maintenance Practices

Devoting more effort to the maintenance period is effective in eliminating them. Scrub all objects in the tank, including the glass wall, driftwood, rocks, and other ornaments, until they are clean. Suck up every bit of debris and algae using the gravel cleaners. It can also pull the worms that are underneath the substrate. This method will be more effective on large-granule substrate types, such as gravel, limestone, marble, and crushed coral.

In order to get rid of the worms from the sandy substrate, install a long lift tube on the gravel cleaner. Then, kink the drain hose to slow down the water flow. It aims to block sand from escaping through the vacuum while still pulling out aquarium waste and worms.

Regular Water Change

You should change the water to complete the regular maintenance practices. Periodic water changes will keep the water fresh and clean, creating an environment that is intolerable for detritus worms to live in.

The frequency of water changes depends on several factors, including aquarium size, tank equipment level, fish population, and the rate of waste produced. A weekly water change of up to 30% is recommended to maintain a healthy aquarium ecosystem. This is particularly suitable for low-tech tanks.

However, if your aquascape tank is in poor condition with numerous worms and dirty water, an extreme water change of up to 50% is recommended. This can help to get rid of the detritus worm population and improve water quality.

Remember this: if you have a shrimp tank, you do not follow the water change rule above. It can cause a molting problem for them. The recommended water change level for the shrimp aquarium is approximately 10% every two weeks or more, depending on the aquarium’s condition.

Reverse osmosis water is a good choice to replace the old water. It is free from chemical toxins that are harmful to livestock. You can convert tap water at your home into it using an RO water filtration system that you can buy from online stores like Amazon.

Improve Filtration System

Selecting a water filter is crucial in building a planted tank. A suitable filtration system will provide a sufficient oxygen level, remove organic and inorganic waste, decrease harmful substance levels, and create a water current that helps fish breathe more effectively.

This tool is vital for community aquariums that require multiple feedings per day, which can often lead to the accumulation of leftover food on the substrate. Using a poor filter will impact water quality and increase the amount of decomposed matter, which can trigger an explosion in detritus worm populations.

While the filter with overpowering strength could suck the fish, it would also destroy the plants and decorations. Choose a capable and efficient aquarium filter (containing both biological and mechanical filtration) to deal with the pollutants and these worms. 

Stop Overfeeding Your Livestock

Overfeeding is a bad habit in keeping fish. Not only does it cause the ecosystem to become imbalanced, but it can also harm your fish and plants. Serving fish food in excess may cause digestive issues and constipation in livestock, leading to fish waste and food residues sinking to the substrate and accumulating there, providing food sources for detritus worm colonies to establish.

Feed your livestock twice daily. If any uneaten food remains after 10 minutes, remove it soon so that the detritus worms do not devour it. This only applies to community tanks; for shrimp aquariums, the food can be left inside the tank for 2–3 hours before cleaning up the leftovers.

Reducing fish diets will reduce the production of waste, which helps maintain water quality and prevents food sources for these worms.

Overstocking Your Aquarium

We advised using this method when detritus worms are overpopulated and doing so in a short period. Overstocking your tank with fish and invertebrates can decrease the number of them, although it can also cause excess waste production, which affects water quality and leads to other serious issues. Therefore, think again before deciding to go this way.

Raise Up Carbon Dioxide And Temperature Tricks

Some hobbyists attempt to elevate the CO2 level, thereby reducing the dissolved oxygen in the water, which encourages detritus worms beneath the substrate to emerge and swim in search of oxygen. In this situation, it will make it easy to catch or siphon them from the tank.

Raising the water temperature by about 15 degrees or more will cause them stress. Remember, they do not dislike warm conditions. Unfortunately, both methods can harm livestock and plants, so exercise caution when practicing them.

Adding Detritus Worm Predators

In the wild, they have natural enemies that you can put into your tank to hunt them. Most aquascape fish will eat them when they are facing up. Other species, such as crayfish, crabs, frogs, and certain mollusks like assassin snails, also prey on them. Some common fish that often prey on them include

• Guppy
• Molly
• Platy
• Pea Puffer
• Licorice Gourami
• Samurai Gourami
• Pearl Gourami
• Dwarf Gourami
• Honey Gourami
• Angelfish
• Corydoras
• Bettas
• Tetra Species
• Garra Rufa

Keep in mind, they also may become an issue for shrimplets and adult ones, while bigger fish like giant discus or large gourami are not too interested in detritus worms.

Use Chemical Remover

It is not recommended to use this method to fight detritus worms. Not only does it kill the worms, but it can also harm or even kill your pets entirely. Fighting this pest with toxic medications is a terrible practice. Remember, they still have a positive impact on the ecosystem’s lifecycle.

Below are several products that are usually sold in the trade to eliminate detritus worms

• SOBAKEN Genchem No-Planaria
• Benibachi Planaria Zero
• Panacur C Canin Dewormer (Fenbendazole)
• Canine Dewormer Safe-Guard
• PraziPro
• Hydrogen Peroxide

Consider carefully the feedback you can receive before taking this approach. To learn about safe dosages, refer to our article.

Will Aquarium Salt Kill Detritus Worms?

We have been researching this topic on various forums and have reached a conclusion: aquarium salt does not have a significant effect on detritus worms, although, as we know, it may be effective in combating other aquarium parasites.

Detritus Worms VS Planaria Worms

Unlike detritus worms, planaria are flat-bodied, parasitic worms with a head resembling a spade and two eyespots. Commonly, their population tends to be less than that of detritus worms, which usually reproduce easily.

In the aquarium, planaria are usually found adhering to the glass wall, waiting for prey to come, unlike detritus worms, which tend to gather around decomposed matter or shelter underneath the substrate. These pests can multiply through both asexual and sexual reproduction. If you cut a planarian worm into two pieces, each piece will develop into a new individual.

The main differences between them are that planaria are both carnivores and scavengers, consuming dead or living small fish, insect larvae, and invertebrates. The detritus worms only feed on organic waste like fish poop, decaying plant matter, or leftover food.