# Another Questionable Worm



## PDFrogger (Aug 23, 2005)

I have about 5 thickish white worms about 1.5cm long that taper off to a point. the pointy end seems to be the head and it waves around as if waiting to touch something. The thing that freaked me out was when I realized these worms were not decomposers but carn/insectivors. A fungus gnat landed next to one and when the worm touched it the worm seemed to bite it and coil around it like a boa. I have read every other post on worms in this forum and none have the same description. Are these worms safe for my imitators?


----------



## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

Are they like a catapillar or a true worm? Inch worm?


----------



## PDFrogger (Aug 23, 2005)

Definitely not a caterpillar, it has no legs. But it is not like an earthworm because it has a smooth non-segmented body.
My camera is not working at the moment so no pics.


----------



## MartyA (Apr 18, 2006)

Some sort of Planaria?


----------



## OneTwentySix (Nov 11, 2004)

That is a nemertean. They're a major pest. Remove them often and as fast as you can or you'll have to gas the tank to completely get rid of them. They're harmless to frogs, but eat flies and springtails like mad.


----------



## CanadianAmphibian (Jul 27, 2006)

I think I have two in my Mantella viv. It' s white, no legs but has 2 antennas right? I don' t know what the hell they are either. I just saw them 2 days ago. I should get rid of them.


----------



## OneTwentySix (Nov 11, 2004)

Canadian Amphibian: That might just be a slug, nemerteans only have one "antennae," which is actually it's proboscis. One thing I've noticed most is the moving with the head that PDFrogger mentioned, and they're often times found in a "C" shape. Check for dead fruit flies on the glass as well.


----------



## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

A link I saved from someone else's nemertean thread some time back:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.cann/ ... teans.html


----------



## PDFrogger (Aug 23, 2005)

The picture in that link is definetly them.
I guess that is neither good nor bad news, but I will definetly wait for my imitators to grow up a bit before adding them in with those monsters.


----------



## OneTwentySix (Nov 11, 2004)

I would strongly recommend gasing the nemerteans with CO2. They're unsightly, attack fruit flies, and completely prevent any sort of springtail establishment. I've got an infestation in my pumilio tank, and I'm very anxious for them to stop breeding (the frogs) so I can safely take care of the problem. It'll help the plants too, if you do it right. I absolutely despise nemerteans.


----------



## Josh_Leisenring (Jun 19, 2005)

God, yeah, I've seen those lil' [email protected]@rds in a couple of my vivs, as well. one of my 10 verts was practically infested with them, though their numbers seemsed to fall after I moved the frogs out and stopped adding FFs. I'd hate to have to tear apart a viv, sterilize everything, and toss the plants because of them, though, particularly if they're not harming the frogs. Still, they're damn creepy, and I kinda worry about the potential of them getting into eggs...

- Josh


----------

