Grr...

I set up a half whiskey barrel container pond in Spring of 2004. I've had perfect results with it - no troubles with water quality, pests, etc.

The biological balance has been perfect, and all has been well...

UNTIL NOW!

I removed my pump and filter yesterday evening to find maybe 8 or 10 little "eggs" attached to the pump's plastic casing.

The eggs were on the pump at a level completely submerged - in fact, fairly deep in the water - not that a half barrel is too deep, but as barrels go - the pump is not on the floor - but just off it. And the eggs were on the bottom of the pump and lower sides - quite submerged.

When I noticed these eggs, I tried to spray them off with a hard blast from the hose - and over, and over - no go.

I finally got a twig and scooted one - and a tiny, clear little worm looking critter quickly wiggled out and speedily ran into my filter.

Now, let me give a few details:
If this was an egg - and I suppose it was - you could say they are the size of small sesame seeds - and similarly shapped - maybe not quite as big as a sesame seed, but not far off.

It was hard. And affixed to the pump's plastic casing.

The critter that emerged was tiny - about 1/4-1/3 inch long, I'd say.. Clear, and only maybe the size of two hairs (if they were combined together) in it's width or diameter - however worm measurments go.

I noticed no distinct color - it looked clear to me.

I've done nothing differently to the pond lately.. EXCEPT a friend suggested I give my fish some freeze dried shrimp. I did - maybe two or three times.

Now I'm told that worms can come in on freeze dried fish food... Yuck.


That's the only different thing that's been done - and that's been maybe three weeks back.


My fish seem fine and quite healthy - so does my big snail, Slim.
I don't know where Slim came from - but he appeared early on when I put up the pond last year - and has grown by volumes, but is now a good friend, and whatever the worms are, Slim nor the fish can be in danger. I'm on a mission!


Oh, one further note:
I noticed - not on the pond liner - but on the actual inside part of the barrel wood - what look to be grain of rice sized tiny baby slugs. No shells here. And they definitely have antannaes... Although, this has never been something I witnessed before in or on my pond... I'd like to know if they are a threat of any sort... Despite being nasty, can they cause a problem? And since I don't think slugs swim, I'm positive whatever I found on the pump that was in the water - are not slugs.


So basically, I have a few plants - two goldfish, and a big Snail.
That was supposed to be it....


Any ideas on what these worm/eggs things could be?
I don't want some sort of outbreak messing up my water or endangering my pals... And I don't want some man-eating worm living amongst us either!!!!

~Casey~

The "worms" are most likely insect larvae. They may be caddisflies or midges. They are most likely of absolutely no danger to your fish and snail. Caddisflies and various midges make all sorts of little hoses for themselves. When attacked, they will flee their little houses. You can verify they are not worms by putting one under a microscope. Insect larvae have legs and a real sort of mouth. Worms have no legs. Worms also don't move very fast normally or make houses. Freeze dried foods very rarely introduce live animals. The freeze drying kills 99.99% of life but on super, super rare occasions, worm eggs might make it through.

There are no freshwater aquatic slugs (there are saltwater ones though). So, if you saw a slug-like creature in the pond, they're probably snails. Sometimes the shells are hard to see. Unless slim is an apple snail, those may be his/her babies as most other snails are hermaphrodites and produce young with or without a mate.

Thanks so much for your help! Upon cleaning my filter and pump today - I noticed these little creatures have grown much larger... I'd say less than an inch - but close to it - and have redened in color. They move VERY quickly - and sort of have what I would call similar to an inch worm motion - without actually raising up - it's quick - and a sideways wriggle...

I don't notice them elsewhere in the pond - though, I suspect if they're in the filter - they're probably in the pond bottom, as well.

I looked up the caddisflies and midges you mentioned - I didn't realize bloodworms are midge larvae - and I'm suspecting they are indeed bloodworm - so, you'd be correct at thinking they're midge larvae.

Most descriptions I'm getting would be right on target - and the egg casings I've found photos of look very similar - though quality of the pics weren't so good - I believe it may well be a match.

I did read somewhere that these things can grow to large numbers... Are you aware of this ever happening and taking things over, so to speak?

And, should I leave them alone, basically? Or is there any chance they could cause any sort of imbalance if too many of them appear?

I'm a wee bit grossed out by them - I must admit. But, I suppose I'd better get used to things like this if I am to be a pond owner. I was just unsuspecting, as I didn't have any such occurrences last year!

Thank you again for your help!

By the way - will my fish eat them? And does having them mean I would not need to feed my fish as frequently?


-Casey

sure your fish will eat them. But i would think you would still have to feed them like usual. What type of goldfish? How many gallons is your "barrel?"

Yep, those are bloodworms. I have them in my filters as well. The reason they end up there is that no self-respecting fish can see one and not eat it! They are like the ultimate yummy food for your fish. If you have a ton of them, toss some in the water for the fish. Goldfish and other fish will gobble up any that they find. Because they're mostly going to be in the filter, you'll still have to feed the fish. The younger bloodworms probably weren't as red. If you'd said they were red before, I would have known they were bloodworms for sure right away. There are other midge larvae that are common as well. I've got bloodworms, other midges, and caddisfly larvae in my filters. When cleaning the biological filters, I just squirt the bioballs and biothings off. There's no way I could hand save all the larvae! I don't worry about them. They will not take over the pond. They will not harm the filtration. Something else unique I have in my 153 gallon pond filter and no where else - limpets. How they go there, I don't know.

Your pond and filter are very small I'm sure compared to mine. My main filter has over a hundred pounds of media in it. I get bloodworms and other things crawling up my arms while cleaning it. And yes, they do sometimes bite! The larvae don't bother me as much as the aphids that climb up on me while I'm in the water and bite.

Robyn can i feed my fish in my tanks live blood worms if i can find any in my filter?

As long as you are confident that your pond water doesn't carry any pathogens that your aquarium water doesn't, then there's no reason not to offer bloodworms to the aquarium fish. You'd want to avoid adding other pond insect larvae that might become predatory and hope that the fish ate all the live bloodworms before they pupate and become gnats (midges) in your house.

then i guess i wont try that

EEK!!!! I was concerned about that when I first put my pond in, but it hasn't happened to me yet. If there's one thing about ponds that I don't like it's the larva and other worm-like things that may appear. I think I read at some point that you (maybe is was another regular) even have leeches in one of your larger ponds... *SHIVER* eeeeeeeeeew!

(OK, so, I'm kind of squeemish for a guy. :P )

i am too lol. just the idea of having a leach in your pond.ewww :blink:

My ponds do have leeches. They're perfectly normal to have. The ones I have are not parasites of fish or people. They eat debris in my ponds. When I pull up my filters, a few are stuck it. I think some ended up in my pond because I put some live blackworms in a long time ago, and leeches normally are mixed with them.

i dont like the parasite ones. they just freak me out.