Detritus worms eat…detritus! So it means you likely have an excess of bio material or food in your tank. Limit the amount of nutrients you introduce to the tank, do a partial water change, and wait for the worms population to come down. I know they look gross, but they are actually a vital part of your ecosystem.
If you consistently have this problem, try reinforcing your bio filter. The more healthy microbes you have eating excess nutrients, the fewer detritus worms you’ll have. Shechem has a quick start liquid with healthy cultures, and it has worked well for me in the past.
These worms as thin as human hairs were found on my shrimp tanks glass when I turned on the lights to add a new shrimp in. They started squiggling away when I poked them with tweezers. I don’t think they’re hydra nor do I see a triangular head. Should I be worried? How do I remove them without hurting the shrimp?
Thank you so much everyone! I’m sorry my tank looks gross, I have an ongoing algae issue that popped up while cycling that I never got under full control.
To clarify some things up, I actually have never fed this tank with any type of food. This tank is 6.5 weeks old and the only time food was added was on day 0 to start the fish cycle. Most likely, they are consuming the bio matter and algae? I have my lights on 8 hours a day and I run co2, so I might have to cut back on my lights. I do fertilize the tank too, but only like once a week with Tropicas Premium Plant Nutrition.
patroney 
Do they have triangle heads?
detritus. if they have triangle heads, then planaria which is bad for shrimp
Detritus worms eat…detritus! So it means you likely have an excess of bio material or food in your tank. Limit the amount of nutrients you introduce to the tank, do a partial water change, and wait for the worms population to come down. I know they look gross, but they are actually a vital part of your ecosystem.
If you consistently have this problem, try reinforcing your bio filter. The more healthy microbes you have eating excess nutrients, the fewer detritus worms you’ll have. Shechem has a quick start liquid with healthy cultures, and it has worked well for me in the past.
These worms as thin as human hairs were found on my shrimp tanks glass when I turned on the lights to add a new shrimp in. They started squiggling away when I poked them with tweezers. I don’t think they’re hydra nor do I see a triangular head. Should I be worried? How do I remove them without hurting the shrimp?
Thank you so much everyone! I’m sorry my tank looks gross, I have an ongoing algae issue that popped up while cycling that I never got under full control.
To clarify some things up, I actually have never fed this tank with any type of food. This tank is 6.5 weeks old and the only time food was added was on day 0 to start the fish cycle. Most likely, they are consuming the bio matter and algae? I have my lights on 8 hours a day and I run co2, so I might have to cut back on my lights. I do fertilize the tank too, but only like once a week with Tropicas Premium Plant Nutrition.
They do more good than harm if they dont have triangular heads – meaning planaria.
So that’s the submersed form of pubic lice you may want to make an appt… j/k.. you just have worms in your tank