# Are these nematodes?



## Cole (Dec 9, 2013)

I've pulled 4 clutches of eggs out in the last 2 months and this one had some strange worm like creatures in it. Are these nematodes, are they dangerous to my frogs? 

I've done a few searches but these don't look like the ones i've seen.

https://youtu.be/wMpSWIgT4b8


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## Frogsarefun (Nov 25, 2015)

I have never seen that before, curious to know what it is.
Great video of such a tiny worm


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## Jasper (Feb 8, 2017)

I think they're the so called microworms or grindal worms. Completely harmless, some people even culture them to feed their fish and amphibians. I found the exact same thing in your video in my isopod container a while back which had nothing but some cardboard, bark and leaves in it. Saw them creeping around the container in the water surface tension held to the sides. I _still_ didn't open that container to this day and it's been a couple weeks now haha. I really should get over the gross factor and feed my poor isopods xd.

Here's a relevant video on how you can start your own culture from a potato if you're so inclined: 




At least I think they're the same thing; I'm no expert by any means. The ones in that video (and similar) look somewhat larger than the ones in your clip. Matter of fact, I'd like someone more experienced to chime in lest my poor isopods go starving haha.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Looks like a nematode to me, but it's difficult to see clearly. If it's a nematode, the vast majority of them are harmless detritivores, actually working to clean things up. People often see nematodes on bad egg masses, and assume the nematode killed them. It's much more likely that the eggs failed first, attracting the nematodes to clean up the bad eggs. They shouldn't attack good eggs.
Grindal worms would also be more or less harmless. Once in your culture though, they will try hard to outcompete the isos or springs. Moisture is their friend. Dry the cultures a bit over time. There should be a sweet spot that will kill off, or at least control, the grindal worm population, while the springs or isos will still do well.

Does it ever lift it's head up, and wave it around, kind of like a snake might do in cobra fashion? Lifting it's head and waving it around would be a sign of a nemertean. There is never just one nemertean. Nemerteans eat microfauna. They can clear your viv of every springtail in the viv, and in fairly short order. They will continue to clear them out every time you try to re-introduce them. Some have reported being able to keep dwarf purple isopods without issues, even while having a horrible Nemertean problem. I recall one viv in particular, (but not the owner), that generated all the purple isopods you could hope for, keeping his obligate pumilios fat and sassy, but springtails were almost immediately decimated by the nemerteans. Nemeteans are sometimes know by their proper name, Lucifer.
You do NOT want it to be a nemertean. If it is a nemertean, I'll bet you become much more diligent in the future about cleaning and sterilizing plants to the best of your ability.
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/identification-forum/78350-what.html


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