Something Swimming in the Water Column?

[johnsonlee42]

I have seen a type of worm-like creature in the few tanks that I have had over the years, but I never quite knew what it was. It's a tiny creative (about 1/5 or 1/6 inch long) that swims through the water column in a corkscrew shape - it's worm-like simply because it is relatively thin (the size and shape reminds of my Hawaiian featherduster's excrement). They are usually brown in color with no particular distinguishing features, though there was one time when I saw one that glowed neon green.

From my observations these creatures are purely nocturnal, and are relatively shy and don't really seem to be harmful. They don't seem to reproduce very quickly either, as the maximum number I have ever seen in the water column at one time was two. I saw a fish eat one before, but he seemed to have been somewhat displeased afterwards.

Can anyone help me ID these guys? No pics unfortunately - these guys are fast and nocturnal, and all I have is a 8 year old digital camera.

 

[mcnuggget]

its a worm

 

[johnsonlee42]

Haha I think I was looking for a slightly more specific id?


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[SevTT]

NO real way to give an ID without microscopic inspection, but you're probably just seeing tiny benthic worms and the tiny larvae of worms already in your tank. I've also seen some of the more active, small flatworms swim sort of like you described -- again, nothign to worry about.