Bug or Worm in Tank

[Malikta]

Hello!

While I was enjoying my berried mama evict her 7 newborns, I noticed a thin spec of a bug or worm. It’s so tiny I can barely see it without magnification.

Does anyone know what it is & if it will affect my shrimp? I’m hoping they are just really tiny snails. I’ve seen them little but not as specs. These are definitely moving. I think I counted 4-5.

[Dch48]

If the body is round, they are just harmless detritus worms. If they are flat, however, that can be bad. Especially if they have a diamond shaped head at one end. They are definitely not snails.

[Malikta]

If the body is round, they are just harmless detritus worms. If they are flat, however, that can be bad. Especially if they have a diamond shaped head at one end. They are definitely not snails.

Thank you. Upon closer inspection I have like 2 or 3 different pests or they are in different life cycles. My water is full of hundreds at this point but my shrimp are healthy, multiplying but I’m beyond knowing what to do.

I have this weird white scum at the waters surface I attributed to the sand & biofilm. I haven’t been successful and even the finest net can’t get it out so I’m headed back to the pet store.

I’m not sure if that is related but I thought I’d put it out there. More than anything I’m worried it’s mosquitoes and I’m going to have an outbreak. My son was recent bit & we found out he’s allergic. I took my 6 shrimp or so and I’m at about 40 now. I want them thrive. I would love to post pics but apart from the white ones I captured above, I can’t get the other ones in a still image.

[Vorteil]

I think you're fine. There's all kinds of living life in my tanks. I've never heard of any pests that are out there that attack Opae Ula or are bad for them. I wouldn't overthink it.

[Malikta]

Okay guys, they are EVERYWHERE. It’s literally making my skin crawl.

I really need help figuring it out because whatever they are it seems like they are going to come out of the water.

Some are on the glass, others are kicking themselves off the gravel and getting to the waters surface in a few seconds. Others look like they are flying or buzzing but in the water. My shrimp seem scared & dart off when getting close to them. PLEASE, PLEASE help.

I attached another pic, I wish it was clearer but they are so tiny.

[Dch48]

The white scum and the presence of the worms suggests an overabundance of biofilm in the tank. I would drain about half of the water, wipe down the glass, and then refill with new brackish water. If you're feeding at all, stop. Maybe reducing the light would help too. Just a question. You didn't put a product called BacterAE in there did you? I used that stuff once in my freshwater shrimp tank and wound up with detritus worms everywhere and film so thick it actually reduced the flow of the filter.

[Fishkeeper]

How sure are you that those are worms? They almost look like incredibly tiny shrimp.

How do they move? Anything buzzing, flying, or otherwise off a solid surface isn't a worm, it's likely a copepod or maybe a baby shrimp.

They won't come out of the water. They're aquatic, they'd die.

Probably they're just disturbing your shrimp by moving, not actually hurting them.