Worms in the sand

19 years ago

This spring I used an old 10-gallon aquarium as a vivarium to allow tadpoles to mature into frogs. Now I have a profusion of small worms in the sand that I can't identiy.

The sand was originally harvested from a roadcut here in the Midwest. I supplemented that with some ornamental gravel, then a patch of moss on a peaty base taken from a woodland floor.

The aquatic materials were scooped from a rural pond, including the tadpoles, a couple snails, several water boatmen and whatever else was lurking in the detritus on the pond bottom. I remember transilluminating the original jar of pond water and seeing tiny spirochete-shaped critters rotating in the water.

After six weeks most of the frogs have matured and been returned to their pond. Now when I view the vivarium in the early morning, with the light crossing it almost horizontally, I can see a couple colonies of worm-like critters embedded in the sand (the sand that's below the water, near the water's edge). These are not "worms" in the sense of large annelids, and not microscopic. They are visible to the naked eye if the light is just right, only a fraction of a mm in diameter and perhaps 10-15 mm in length. They seem to have their rear portions anchored in the sand (like benthic sea-snakes) with the aqueous portion waving about quite vigorously.

Can anyone offer an identification? I've tried Googling various relevant terms and searching Google images without success. Thought someone here might be familiar with these. They appear benign - don't know whether to ignore them, or remove them, or leave them there as potential food for future vivarium inhabitants.

Thanks in advance,

Stan

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Comments (3)

scott361
19 years ago
They're just your local variety of Tubificid worms.
My ponds are full of 'em and I sometimes harvest them for food. I was just out, last night, looking at some and thinking about doing it.
They are generally harmless and I've even been encouraging them in my palludarium as a substrate sifter.
Sometimes they can harbor disease and other nasties! If you know your source, I wouldn't worry about it.
Most of them will likely get eaten anyway.

Scott
minnesotastan
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks, Scott. With your guidance, I was able to find the following info, which I'll post here for others who may be curious -

"Tubifex tubifex, also called the sludge worm, is a species of tubificid segmented worm that inhabits the sediments of lakes and rivers on several continents. These worms ingest sediments and gain nutrition by selectively digesting bacteria and absorbing molecules through the body wall. The worms can survive without oxygen for months, and can survive in areas so heavily polluted with organic matter that almost no other species can endure. By forming a protective cyst and lowering its metabolic rate, T. tubifex can survive drought and food shortage. Encystment may also function in dispersal of the worm.

Ecologically, it is important as a source of food for leeches, crustaceans, insects, and fishes. In a freeze dried, pelletised form, they are sold to aquarists as a form of fish-food. It is most economically important to humans as a host of Myxobolus cerebralis, which causes disease in fish stocks. No other worms are known to harbor this parasite."

To my great surprise, it appears that the portion of the worm extending into the water is the tail section. The tubificids have their heads buried in the sand. I'm going to rename mine the georgebushworms.
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scott361
19 years ago
I wouldn't even think about keeping them w/o oxygen!
I'm not sure where they came up with that, but it's BS!
They'll start dieing off, rot virtually immediately and take out everything else with them.

The store bought ones always look filthy to me.
They're full of leaches and who knows what else. I always worry whenever I have bought them.
If you want, you can feed them an occasional small chunk of fish. Just not too much or the water will foul.
I have raised them in containers before and it's not very hard.

Although I think that the new name is unusually cruel to a vital part of a healthy eco-system, it's appropriate! ;~)
That would make Faux News, Coultergiest, etc the parasites!
Again, very cruel to an honest parasite! :~)

Scott