Tiny worms?

[tywtly13]

So last night I decided I wanted to look for any hitchhikers and critters I may have in my tank. I turned off the light and waited about 30 minutes, then turned it back on, and all over the glass there were these TINY white worms. About this long __ at the very largest. What were they? Are they beneficial or harmful? Also, how can I be sure I have copepods? There are tiny dots all over the glass, but I can't quite tell if it is pods or just sand particles stuck to the glass

is there any way of telling for sure?

 

[mr. limpid]

I never seen white worms, I have had white star fish. Probably the white dots are copods, if you post pictures you get more responses.

 

[tywtly13]

I don't have a camera that's worth a crap, so I can't, sorry

 

[tang4me]

Originally Posted by tywtly13
http:///forum/post/3198479
So last night I decided I wanted to look for any hitchhikers and critters I may have in my tank. I turned off the light and waited about 30 minutes, then turned it back on, and all over the glass there were these TINY white worms. About this long __ at the very largest. What were they? Are they beneficial or harmful? Also, how can I be sure I have copepods? There are tiny dots all over the glass, but I can't quite tell if it is pods or just sand particles stuck to the glass

is there any way of telling for sure?
I have these worms in my tank as well. I think any reef tank does. Their some type flat worm species. It hard to say exactly what type. Mine have always stayed very small. Their harmless waste eaters. Sand sifters will eat them. If you leave a magfloat in your tank overnight and look at it the next morning you see them.
The tiny white dots are probably copepods. You should be able to see them moving. When you turn your lights on just stare at the glass and see if they move.

 

[ophiura]

Odds are you have a variety of normal and natural microfauna and nothing to worry about - whether pods or worms. It would be impossible to say what they were without pics, because there are likely hundreds of possibilities.
As an aside, I would not recommend turning the lights on like that, at least if you have fish. This can be startling and stressful. get a flashlight, especially one with a red filter (or with red cellophane over it). That is a much better way of seeing what is going on without disturbing fish, etc.

 

[tywtly13]

Ok, thanks!

 

[tang4me]

You propably will be able to see copepods on the glass during normal lighting conditions as well. The larger ampipods will scatter to avoid being eaten.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by tywtly13
http:///forum/post/3198479
I turned off the light and waited about 30 minutes, then turned it back on, and all over the glass there were these TINY white worms.
Your description is consistent with a Cirratulid Worm hatching but I agree with Ophiura that there are hundreds of possibilities.

 

[tywtly13]

Ok, thank you! As long as they won't harm anything, I'm fine with them. I like critters