# Nemerteans ... NOT an ID question!



## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Hey All ...
One of my tanks have Nemerteans. (Gosh are they ugly!)
Being in the hobby for some years now, this is the first time ive ever had to deal with them.

I know they kill off your springtails & eat fruit flies ...
But other than that, is there anyother harm of them?

Ive been told to not really worry about them (as tearing down the tank is out of the question) ... but just wondering if they will "attack" or harm the frogs or eat their eggs ... or is it just a microfauna nuisance? 

I added in some isopods (dwarfs & giant orange). Hoping this helps.

Thx everyone.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

They decimate microfauna, but are no harm to frogs. Giant oranges are a good choice, Ive seen them eating smaller isopods


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I had them in a vittatus tank. Ugly worms that gobbled up the microfauna but did not appear to bother the frogs. These frogs were not yet breeding, so, I don't know if they would bother eggs but I suspect they would not.

I also had them in a tree frog tank. Yuck! Then I discovered that the tree frogs were eating them. Which grossed me out and pleased me at the same time


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## Dendrobati (Jul 27, 2012)

They do eat micro-fauna in general, I don't think it's restrictive to just springtails. Besides the competition for food, nemerteans don't pose any health or safety risk to frogs or eggs.

We a few tanks with them as well and they are nasty looking. 

Brad


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## markpulawski (Nov 19, 2004)

They should not bother frogs or eggs and they usually boom then bust. I had a couple of tanks that had them and put some dying ff cultures in, most of mine will then show some mites at that point in the cycle....seems the mites may eat them, or at least most of mine disappeared after I did this in both tanks.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Thx all for the responses. Makes me feel a little better.

I have noticed that the tank still has wood mites in it but not anymore springtails.
I wonder why the mite population hasnt been reduced.


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

Finally, some redeeming quality about mites!! Now to start culturing mites and get rich!!


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## JoshsDragonz (Jun 30, 2012)

I have a grow out tank that some nemerteans managed to some how get in... They multiplied and completely wiped out the springs in that tank... I had read a few times that giant oranges may eat them or their eggs... So I loaded up the tank with some oranges and what do you know I haven't seen a single nemertean in a few months.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

JoshsDragonz said:


> I have a grow out tank that some nemerteans managed to some how get in... They multiplied and completely wiped out the springs in that tank... I had read a few times that giant oranges may eat them or their eggs... So I loaded up the tank with some oranges and what do you know I haven't seen a single nemertean in a few months.


Thats awesome. 
I didnt put many in ... only about 5 or 6 adults.
So its probably going to take them some time ... but thats fine with me!
Just kill off these damn worms so I can reseed the tank.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

Your infestation is of _*nematodes *_- not nemerteans - a very different, and much larger, marine worm.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)




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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Oh - those _are_ nemerteans! I had forgotten about the terrestrial species. Very weird critters.


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