little clear worms in fish tank   10/7/09
hi i have a bunch of tiny clear worms in my tank and i was wondering if you can help me figure out what they are and how to get rid of them.
<Likely nematodes or planarians that consume uneaten food and organic waste. Although not harmful, they do indicate chronically poor hygiene, i.e., you aren't keeping the substrate particularly clean and/or you're allowing too much organic matter to accumulate in the tank. Clean the tank properly, and remove uneaten food and faeces, and the worms will die back.>
they are very small and clear, if the water gets a little low some will cling to the glass above the water. i notice some times when feeding the fish very small white looking flies come off the top of the water probably smaller than a fruit fly. when i clean the tank i such up as many of the worms as i can, but can't get rid of them. i have probably had them for a year they don't seem to hurt anything just a nuisance because my wife finds them little flies dead on the counter by our kitchen sink. tank is a 55 gal fresh water with a Texas cichlid and a Pleco. thanks in advance for your help.
<Cheers, Neale.>

The Worms Go In, The Worms Go Out.... 09/24/2009
Hi,
<Hello.>
My daughter has a 100 gal tank with fresh water fish in it and I have a 30 gal tank. Recently we found really tiny but long wiggly worm look things swimming around in our tanks. What we would like to know is what are they
<Without a MUCH more detailed description and preferably a good image, only guesses can be had. But I'd wager dollars to donuts that they are one of many harmless worms that can be found in freshwater tanks. Planarians, nematodes.... lots of possibilities. Of course, there is the less likely possibility that these are some sort of parasite. I consider this less likely because you state that they are "swimming around" in your tanks.>
and how do we get rid of them and keep them away?
<Well, once again, too little information to go on. I would guess that, like many other pest infestations, conditions are favorable for the worms and so they are proliferating. Make the conditions less favorable for them (reduce the amount of nutrients in your tanks) and the numbers should dwindle. Take a good look at your water conditions - Ammonia and Nitrite must be zero, Nitrate less than 20ppm. Do some hefty water changes if this is not the case. Siphon debris from the substrate, and check to see if your filter media might need to be changed - change it on a different day than when you siphon. Make sure the biomass in the tank is not too much for the tank or your filtration to handle.>
All of our fish seem fine but this is really baffling to us.
<Again, probably harmless. Remove the reason they're there (clean the tank, basically) and continue to do water changes as necessary, and their numbers will dwindle. You may never be "completely" rid of them, but they will likely become unnoticeable in very little time. Almost everyone's tanks have some sort of interesting life - worms and much more - and this is essentially normal. For them to be in such huge numbers as to be that noticeable to you basically just means there's too much "stuff" in the tank/water.>
We would appreciate any information you can provide us with.
<There are more options you can pursue.... Chemical means of eradication.... But these options are last resorts only, and will do more harm than good. Try upping your tank maintenance for a while and see how things go. I bet you'll find that they mostly go away on their own, with a clean, healthy aquarium. Let me recall to you a bit of a panicked experience of my own.... Some years ago, I had a smallish reef tank, 40 gallons or so. I had only one fish, and when I returned from vacation, went to check things and make sure he was doing okay. Though he was fine,
the tank was literally cloudy with worms - thin, long, squiggly worms - swimming about. As it turns out, the roommate feeding the one fish had gone against my rules of feeding him only twice while I was gone. The fish
(and thus the tank) was fed daily with far more food than the little guy could eat. There was debris on the bottom, and Nitrate tested unbelievably high. A large water change and two days later, the worms were basically
gone. I'm sure they were always there to an insignificant degree, but WOW, it was downright startling to see the tank utterly clouded with the things.
Makes my skin crawl just to think about it.>
Thanks
<You're quite welcome.>
Very concerned, Mrs. Denise Petersen
<Hopefully I've at least eased your mind some, Mrs. Petersen. Best of luck to you, -Sabrina Sharp.... formerly Fullhart.>

What could this be???!!! Hirudinean     8/10/09 We live in rural Midwest Indiana (farmland). My boys go down to the creek and play in the water. (which has cow pastures nearby). Not sure that has any bearing at all.... but I just discovered this THING in my toilet!!!! I'm totally grossed out. It is dark colored, flat,....leach like Any idea??? <It's a leech. Most leeches are harmless, feeding on invertebrates and the like. They are fascinating animals and you certainly shouldn't be "grossed out" by these little marvels. Some will bite people for a blood meal (a trait famously used in the past for "blood letting" but not used as a therapy after certain types of surgery). How this leech got into your plumbing is a mystery to me, but it is possible one your kids picked a blood-sucking leech up when playing, and the thing fell into the water in the toilet bowl sometime later. It is very, very rare for them to carry diseases that can infect humans. People who have been bitten by leeches typically have circular wounds on the skin with 3 distinct tooth marks. If you're concerned, place the leech in a jar of water, take it to your local medic to identify, and ask for assistance. Here at WWM we aren't qualified to offer medical advice. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: what could this be???!!!   8/10/09 thank you so much for taking the time to respond....and quick! <My pleasure. Cheers, Neale.>

Identify Worm 11/23/08
I live in coastal SC and I kept my turtle tank outside during the summer and fall. I just brought it in for routine cleaning and because of cold weather. The tank had some strange "worms" that looked a little like "naked caterpillars with long string-like tails." The ones that were moving were a fleshy tan color. There were also some that were black or dark brown and very hard. Some of them were in the water but some were attached together by the "strings" and hanging off of a rock in the tank.
I have looked on many sites and tried many different search terms but am not coming up with an answer. Please help me identify this strange little creature.
Brandi
<Hello Brandi. What you're describing is almost certainly a "rat-tailed maggot", a distinctive fly larva that inhabits stagnant water. The long "tail" is a breathing tube. They're pretty much harmless, and in England at least very common in small, unfiltered ponds. Fish (and likely turtles) don't seem to eat them, or at least my fish don't! Cheers, Neale.>

help! Little wormy things  9/25/08
Hello,
I just realized that in my baby guppy tank that there are these hair like worms that I can barely see. They are always vertical and they squirm around like a snake. Umm...they are white and they are about 1/8 of an inch. Are there any medications? I don't want to lose all of my baby guppies. Please reply quickly!
-Sarah
<Almost certainly harmless nematodes of some sort. They do thrive in dirty tanks, so seeing them is more likely a warning that you don't keep your tank clean than anything else. Cheers, Neale.>

Worms 09/04/2008 Hi I have a 29 gallon freshwater tank it is a fairly new tank only been up for about 7 weeks.. I just got done battling ick on my swordtail fry and then today I noticed these brown worm looking things on the glass of the tank near the top ,but they were not in the water at the time I found them they were actually just above the surface.. I wiped them off but not sure if they are a worm or some type of insect larvae.. I have attached 2 photos, not the best because they are very small.. I tried looking it up myself but all I can find is references to white worms which these are not white.. Are they harmful? I already did a 20% water change while vacuuming the gravel today.. Thanks Trish <Hello Trish. The "worm" in question appears to be an insect larva. Certainly to my eyes it seems to be segmented and possesses small appendages of various types. In other words, a maggot. No immediate threat to the fish, but a good sign that there's a lot of decaying organic material somewhere in or around the tank. Otherwise the parent fly (or whatever) wouldn't have laid its eggs here. So time for an early spring clean! Cheers, Neale.>   Re: worms 09/04/2008 Thank You.. I did vacuum the gravel out today after finding the worm like things.. and there was a lot of food in the gravel.. I didn't realize I was overfeeding , I only feed them once a day but I guess I need to cut down on the amount I am giving each day.. Thanks so much for your speedy response. Trish <Hi Trish. Overfeeding is easy to do, and much more difficult than to under-feed! Remember the two golden rules: Firstly, little but often. Snacking is better than gorging. The fish are more likely to eat all the food, and they'll also extract more nutrition with less wastage. Secondly, use the minimum quantity, and it should all be gone within a minute (for the average greedy community fish). Remove anything leftover; a turkey baster is a great tool for this, allowing you to pipette out stuff without buckets or getting your hands wet. Cheers, Neale.>

"Slash" our Oscar, concerns w/ "worms" in the tank    8/12/08
we got an Oscar about 4 months ago, and he has come around pretty quick! he is an amazing fish, as he is our first Oscar. he has had these little "worm" looking things on the inside of the tank, they are extremely small, and move around. they have not attached to him, and don't seem to be bugging him, but they are driving me absolutely crazy!! we feed him a high grade pellet food, and about 1-2 times a week he gets frozen treats like meal worms, or brine shrimp. he is in a 55gal tank, with a power filter for 50-60 gal (up grading to a canister filter), we also do about a 30 % water change weekly. I know its hard without seeing it, but what could these "worms" be? and how the heck to we get raid of them!? thanks for the help!!
Desiree, Todd and "slash"
<The "worms" are most likely Planarians, in other words flatworms. They feed on the food you've given the Oscar. As you know, Oscars are very messy fish. The fine particles they produce get everywhere, especially if the tank is inadequate and water changes are infrequent. In both regards, you're at fault here: cichlids need BIG filters, and you should be using a filter offering NOT LESS than 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Forget about the rating on the box telling you X filter is for Y sized tank... these estimates are based on best-case situations where a tank contains few, small fish, Neons for example -- not Oscars! You also should be doing AT LEAST 50% water change per week, with the gravel cleaned on a regular basis. It's the stuff you're not removing that the Planarians are eating. While harmless in themselves, they're a "wake up call" telling you of an underlying problem. Long term, excessive nitrate in the water will lead to issues such as Hole in the Head that are a real bother to treat. So please, upgrade your tank (too small for adult Oscars), upgrade your filter, and step up the water changes. Do this and the Planarians should fade away in time. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/oscars.htm
Cheers, Neale.>

Leeches???
Hi
<Hello>
I have had guppies for a few years and not experienced any problems. A few months ago I added a small Pleco followed by two elephant nosed fish. Shortly after introducing them to the tank I developed white spot.  
<Hopefully your fishes... not you!>
I managed to cure this but lost a few guppies and one of the elephant nosed fish. I since read up on the elephant nose fish on the internet where it said not to keep them in pairs as the weaker one would be killed by the stronger.
<Yes, very often... particularly in small systems>
Since I have had all of these problems, I did a gravel clean and disturbed only what I can describe as a leech. It was about an inch long, white and had a sucker. At first I thought it was a dead fish. All of the info I have found on leeches describe them as fairly small and I have not found any of this colour. This leech (?) is bigger than some of my guppies. I cleaned the tank and a couple of days later found another one. I know they can be introduced by new fish...
<Or live food/s>
...but surely I would have spotted them when I bought them. How can I determine that it is a leech and if so make sure there are not any more, I am really unsure of what to do.
<Mmm, you could look at them carefully... leeches/hirudineans are pretty distinctive... Take a look on the Net re: their superficial morphology... from your description already, I am pretty sure this is what you have>
Can you please help?
Many thanks
<By thoroughly cleaning, gravel vacuuming your tank, you have very likely removed all the leeches from your tank. There are chemicals that to a large degree will poison just these worms... but I would not use them. Bob Fenner>

Freshwater Bristle Worm?
Hi,
I hope you can help me! I used to keep a marine tank about four years ago and gave up and said that was it no more fish. Well now I have set-up a small freshwater tropical planted fish tank, it has been running for about five or six months now. My question is we have seen the fish go mad over a worm found in the tank, it was about two inches long, alive and being eating by a small angle fish and a Congo tetra. This worm was identical to the bristle worms we had in our marine tank but did not think you could get them in fresh water is this correct?
<Yes> But how could it get there as we have not added any rock only dry gravel plants and fish. And could these cause problems to the tank inmates?
< There are lots of little freshwater creepy crawlies that come into a freshwater aquarium. Usually they come in as eggs or larvae attached to the plants. They grow to a point until the fish realize that they are around and soon become live food. Some become parasitic on fish but I think you would have seen them by now.-Chuck>
Kind Regards
Grahame Brown

What worm be this? Planarian?
>>Good day, Michael, Marina to help you here.
>I started only 3 weeks ago and bought the following :
  a.. 3 small fantail goldfish
  b.. Plexiglas tank (4.5 gallons)
  c.. air pump
  d.. submerged power filter (mechanical filtration only)
  e.. gravel siphon cleaner
I treat tap water by allowing to stay in a bucket for 24 hours and before carrying out a partial water change I add dechlorinator.
>>Very good.
>I usually carry out water changes of 50-80% every day but I am planning to build a Plexiglas tank of 70 gallons capacity and add another goldfish.  Tanks in Europe are very expensive -- I bought the 4.5 gallon tank for USD 68 (Euros 57).
>>Holy canoli!
>Once a week I clean the filter element of the power filter.
During the 3rd cleaning I noticed many small red worms in the filter element which were clinging in the sponge and could not be removed by washing with tap water. I fitted a new sponge element in the filter.  The biggest worms were about half an inch long -- please see attached photo.  Can you please advise if these worms are dangerous for my fish and how can I treat the water so that they will not appear again?
>>The photo is not very clear, but I am guessing some sort of planarian.  I do not think they will pose any threat to your fish.  I have not had any experience with them, but I think that if you added some salt to the tank it would be enough to prevent them.  This is actually a help to the fish, and is helpful in preventing or alleviating the incidence of some maladies.  Use either Kosher or sea salt (anything that has not been iodized--very common here in the States), at a ratio of 1 teaspoon/gallon.  I believe that one teaspoon U.S. = roughly 5cc.  And 1 gallon (US) = 3.8 liters.  I do hope this helps, and best of luck to you in sunny Athens, Michael!  Marina (in what is *supposed* to be sunny southern California, but it's 62F and RAINING here!  What first day of summer??)

What are these things?? More planarians?
Good evening crew.
<Good evening, Susan!  Sabrina here>
I sent the following message Saturday but haven’t seen any answer as of yet….soooo  I thought I might try again. Know you all are busy but any help you can give me would be much appreciated.
<I'm so sorry I wasn't able to get back to you last night; I've been battling an illness in my wild angels and totally stressing about it, so I've been quite preoccupied.... many apologies>
Since I sent the request I have been doing as much research as I can. I’m now about 99% certain these guys are planarians and I know they are supposed to be “harmless” but I also understand they will eat eggs.
<What I know/can find, planarians really are harmless, and I've never heard/read about them eating eggs, but I'm certainly not positive about it.  Can you describe the worms?  You mentioned in your original message that they were white, flat, wider towards the middle, and about 3/4 of an inch long.  The size alone is suggesting to me that they may not be planarians, which (from my understanding) are typically 10mm or smaller.  Do they have a "V" shaped head?  That's pretty much a dead giveaway that they are, in fact, planarians.>
I would really like to get rid of the planarians before breeding my fish.
<I can certainly understand!>
Also, I inadvertently spread the problem to my 30-gallon community tank by “seeding” the smaller tank with mature filter media from my big tank.
<Oh, ugh....>
This happened before I knew there was a problem in my 125G. I also forgot to mention that we are on well water if it makes a difference.
<Mm, possibly, but I wouldn't think so.  Worm infestations can happen in tanks that use the best of water.  Usually, huge amounts of worms are the result of overfeeding, or otherwise excessive nutrients, and most often seen in predator tanks, like yours (several large predatory cichlids, an electric catfish, and an ever-messy plec, in a 125 gallon tank, yes?).  Try cutting back extensively on feeding for a while and see how that affects the worm population.  Also, keep up with hefty gravel vacuuming to see if you can pull some of the little suckers outta there.>
I treat any new water (with Prime) before adding to the tanks. Even though we test our well….you just never know. I have talked to the three LFS I patronize and two advised Copper... NO WAY was I going to put this in my tanks.
<Ugh!  No....  Avoid this desperately!  Especially with your scaleless plec and catfish.  Bad LFS, bad!  Deserves a swat on the nose!>
One finally suggested a fluke eliminator. But he was a little hesitant and unsure so I haven’t done anything except vacuum and perform water changes in both tanks and cut the food by ½.
<Ah, yes, perfect.  Keep it up for a couple weeks, and see what happens with the wormies.  Also, I'd like to mention that I had the occasional planarian showing up in my plant tank (well, lots of 'em, really), and they seem to have been eliminated by a very minute amount of Fenbendazole (proprietary name Panacur) that I used to rid my tank of (shudder) hydra.  I certainly haven't seen a single planarian (or hydra!) in a month or two.  But then again, my planarians were about 2-3mm long.  Tiny.  The Fenbendazole did not affect my bacteria bed in the slightest, nor did it have any effects on any plants, shrimps, or fish.  It is usually sold as a goat-worming medicine, but can even be used as a wormer for discus.>
My water parameters have not changed and all the fish are fine. I still have all 14 new Platy babies and they are growing like crazy. And I still have a gazillion “creatures” that give me the creeps.
<Well, keep up with what you're doing, for the time being, and see if the worms start to die out.  I'd also like to mention our chat forum http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/  as we have rather recently had another fellow with a similar problem - perhaps you guys can compare notes.>
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
<Glad to help, and again, sorry for the late response!>

Strange red worm like thing
Hello <Hey Lukas, MacL here with you on this fine day.>
Lukas here.  I have recently observed a odd looking red worm like things at the bottom of my 90 gallon and on some of my plants in my Betta enclosure. It seems to be growing at the top of the Betta tank on some plants. <Sounds like algae to me.>  But in my 90 gallon its at the bottom around the gravel. I try to suck this stuff up when I do my water change but it keeps coming back.  If you need a pic I can get you one on Tuesday. <Pictures definitely help, send it to me if you don't mind.>  What is this stuff and is it bad for my fish? Thank you L

White worms crawling on the glass of my aquarium
I have a 90 gal. tank with four discus in it which is also planted. I have noticed what appears to be small white worms crawling on the glass and swimming freely, can you tell me what they are?
<Not specifically... as in down to species. But I assure you, these are likely some sort of innocuous earthworm-like animal (oligochaete annelid) and not harmful to your fish or system. These sorts of critters "pop-up" quite often, particularly in aquariums that have excess food, too little circulation/filtration... and very often "disappear" of their own accord. Do keep your eye on water quality and in time you will likely find they have gone. Bob Fenner>

FW worm   6/23/06
Hi Bob. I have a tank with an African brown knife, mollies, ghost cats. This morning I saw what appears to be a tiny, tiny black worm crawling at the bottom of my tank. What can this be?
<Mmm, could be an oligochaete (something akin to an aquatic earthworm)... even a hirudinean (leech)...>
Everyone is eating & appears healthy. Water is good. Thanks!
Diana
<What is that Ted Nugent lick? "Where in doubt I take it out... it's a free for all"... I would remove this mystery creature just in case. Bob Fenner>

Not urgent. Calcium, and worms. 11/01/06
Hello Crew!
<<Hi, Rachel. Tom>>
I know you're all terribly busy, and this isn't terribly important, so please feel free to skip over this one!
<<Can’t do that Rachel. Your’s is important to you which makes it important to us.>>
I have a 2.5 gallon tank with a 25-watt heater, 10-watt fluorescent lighting, and in-tank Whisper filter set on low, in which I keep a spoiled-rotten Betta of about a year and a half old. The system was started about a year ago, and was moved/remodeled two months ago. About a month ago I added a Java fern and some red Ludwigia. I added a lovely blue mystery snail (Pomacea bridgesii) a week ago, and he is doing a remarkable job on eating the algae (working on getting the plants to thrive instead!).
<<I completely understand…>>
Temperature is 80, ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate usually under 5 now since adding the live plants... I think the pH is 7.4, though I'm not at home right now to look it up. I try to do 25% water changes every week or two, though I've been lax lately.
Anyhow, my water is on the soft side, and the snail's shell is already looking a little worn. I am planning to add "something" to the tank for calcium. I've heard of crushed coral or marble. However, since I also keep a cockatiel, I have cuttlefish bone handy as a source of calcium for the bird. Could I put a well-rinsed (and obviously unused) piece in the aquarium?
<<I’ve not run across this for aquatic snails but I have for land snails. Frankly, I find it a good option to try especially given that your pH is already at ~7.4.>>
And how big a chunk are we talking?
<<Try a piece with a surface area of about one square inch, or so.>>
The bones are about five inches long by two or three inches wide, half an inch thick, and can easily be snapped into smaller pieces. Was just planning on tucking it behind a rock somewhere with a little water flow to help it dissolve. Right?
<<You might find that your snail will actually “feed” on the bone as land snails do. (I’m somewhat curious about this myself.) Obviously, you’ll want to monitor pH levels though I don’t believe that this should prove to be a problem.>>
Secondly, I've noticed "the little white worms" floating around and wiggling on the tank walls. White, threadlike, about 1 cm long. I had these once maybe nine months ago. Up until yesterday I was assuming they are harmless Planaria, and I was stepping up the water changes as I know these are a sign of excess nutrients. However, yesterday I noticed Terrence the Betta eating them as they floated by. If they're just free-living Planaria I'm pretty sure this is harmless, but is there any
chance these could be parasitic worms which Terrence has passed and he is re-infecting himself somehow?
<<Parasites, by definition, require a “host” in order to survive. In all likelihood, they’re Planaria.>>
His feces are never stringy-white, but very occasionally his normal feces will include some little clear sections that look like mucus. I believe I'm just paranoid, but better safe than sorry! He is acting quite normally, swimming around, flaring and nipping at the snail, eating voraciously -- he has even started to pick at the algae wafers for the snail, and will steal them out from under him!
<<Don’t be overly concerned about the occasional clear sections in his feces. This isn’t uncommon or an indication of a problem any more than a very occasional sneeze means you’re getting a cold. Just happens…>>
Thanks for all your hard work!
Rachel
North Carolina
<<Thank you kindly, as well, Rachel. Best regards. Tom (Michigan)>>

Round worms in swimming pool   12/11/06
I know this isn't a typical question you get... but.. thought you may be able to help.
We have a salt-water swimming pool and we recently noted 2 worms in the pool we've never seen before.
They were about 7-10 inches long, round (not flat), very very thin (think 0.5mm pencil lead).  They were swimming just fine in our hot tub - the water was not hot. When we brought them out of the water, they flip flopped around somewhat spastically with both ends moving independently.  There were a brown-ish/yellow color.  Their skin/skeleton was quite "crunchy" when we tested to see how tough it was. :)  
Any idea what this could be?
-Bruce
<Mmm, as you state, could be Nematodes... if you have a good magnifying loupe, you could cut through (make a coronal section) through the esophagus (just a bit back from the head...) and look/see if this is tri-radiate (three-sided)... diagnostic for the Phylum... could be Horsehair worms... other "wormy" possibilities. Not toxic, or dangerous to human health assuredly. Bob Fenner>

QA@aquaticeco.com
Date:  Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:25:34 -0400 (EDT)
Hello
This is a Quality Assurance message to check on our level of customer service. On 03/17/2007 12:06:38 we received a message from you through our support center.
This message is to make sure your question was answered to your satisfaction and give you an opportunity to let us know.
We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future.
Please reply to this message if you wish to comment on our level of service.
Our Regards,
AES Customer Support Staff
<Mmm, still waiting for a call-back re your marketing... Bob Fenner>

Re: shark rehabilitation/release/placement
Thank you Bob,
I wasn't sure that you would be for such an undertaking.
<Mmm, oh yes. To be clear, I am all in favor of what preserves life, the environment that allows such... Your efforts are confluent with mine, our philosophies match>
You may use  my letter, but please remove Wildlife World Zoo and Brian Joseph's name, as I  have not asked his permission to have his name  on a chat site  just yet.  When we get this going, we will come up with some formal name  for your viewers who might be in need.
<Ahh... would you please send along the original? Per your request I deleted our correspondence>
I would like to contact those other organizations that you mentioned.   I guess that I should be able to find them on the internet?
<Oh yes... they are as stated... place the info. in your search tool/s>
Thanks again.  I have Scott's book.  It is fantastic.
Will keep in touch.
Sharmie
<I look forward to this. BobF>

"Bruce Ulmer" <bruce_ulmer@casco-group.com>
Date:  Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:09:14 -0700
Hey Bruce! Very nice piece... Do you have this in a format that we might post on our sites? And great to see at least the UK has an aquatics trade 'zine... Hope trust you enjoyed your stay in the UK... Brrrrr! And that all is well with you, your health. Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Bruce Ulmer
Senior Vice President
CASCO Group, Inc.
17719 Valley View St,
Cerritos, CA  90703
714-522-8373  ex 202
714-562-6502 Direct Line
800-537-3415 ex 202
714-690-9273 Personal Fax
bruce_ulmer@casco-group.com <mailto:bruce_ulmer@casco-group.com>
http://www.casco-group.com <http://www.casco-group.com>
Hi Bob,
I'll find out if we have something you may use. How have you been?
<Fine my friend, thank you>
I enjoyed my time in the UK but you are so right...too damn cold.  :)
Bruce
<Heeee! I do hope to see you about someday soon. Cheers, BobF>


Bob, leave here: Call on

OmegaSea Marketing   3/20/07
Dear Bob Fenner,
  I'm not sure if you're the person I need to speak with but I am the  
new head of marketing at OmegaSea, Ltd (OmegaOne fish foods) and I  
wanted to first off introduce myself as well as try and get in  
contact with the appropriate person to discuss our advertising on  
your site.  I believe we have done so in the past.
If you could give me a proper contact it would be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Rachel Latina
Graphic Designer/Head of Marketing
OmegaSea, Ltd
rachel@omegasea.net
<Pleased to make your acquaintance Rachel... Tis I or Mike Kaechele you likely want to chat with. Have you seen the banner we made/placed for Omega Sea? Your time in advertising was pre-paid and ran out the middle of last year... We've continued it as a courtesy, promotion of our new Banner Ad program... Please see here if you'd like to continue in some capacity: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/wwmsponsors.htm
Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Aquatic Eco-Systems  3/20/07
Hello
Thank you for checking with Aquatic Eco-Systems. Your email has been forwarded to our marketing department. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Best regards
Kevin Quinn
M.S. Zoology
Aquatic Eco-Systems
2395 Apopka Boulevard
Apopka, FL 32703
<Thanks Kevin... I will wait a few days and give a call there. Bob Fenner>
www.aquaticeco.com
407-886-3939
Fax 407-886-6787
Hello my name is Bruce you may direct your advertising inquiries to myself.
Thanks,
Bruce Vizueta
<Oh! Bruce. Should I give you a call? Would you make known what time might be best? Have you perused our outline/offer, with links to our stats servers here?: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/wwmsponsors.htm
Am an old timey aquarist/lake management type... who used to buy from you folks way before your interest in more ornamental aquatics... Look forward to chatting with you, Bob Fenner>
Market Analyst
Aquatic Eco-Systems, Inc.
2395 Apopka Blvd.
Apopka, FL 32703
Phone: 407-886-3939
Fax: 407-886-0800

Re: Ben, Ken? About your Overall Marketing, your Website, It's Promotional/Advertising Potential
Hi Bob,
Can you tell me the stats of the site? Can you forward the weblogs?
<All posted here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/wwmsponsors.htm>
Also, would you be interested in an affiliate set-up?
<Mmm, don't see the particulars of this proposal on your site>
What number can I call you at to discuss?
<858 549 XXXX. Bob Fenner>
Wayland

"US Tetra Consumer" <Consumer@tetra.net>
Date:  Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:55:06 -0400
Hello Bob,
I am going to forward your email to Linda Staley, but I'm not sure if
she is the right person or not.  If so, she will contact you.
Otherwise, she will forward you on to the correct person in marketing.
Regards,
Tetra
<Thanks much. Bob Fenner>
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob@WetWebMedia.com [mailto:Bob@WetWebMedia.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 12:52 PM
To: US Tetra Consumer
Subject: TW -- General Contact Us Request
A Contact Us email has been sent from the Tetra Site.  Here is the
information.
Email: Bob@WetWebMedia.com
Message:
Whom might I contact there re your Website advertising?

"Euro-Reef, Inc. Marketing Group" <er.marketing@euro-reef.com>
Reply-To: <er.marketing@euro-reef.com>
To: "'Robert Fenner'" <By Bob Fenner>
Subject: RE: The Big Island... Notes to Bob and Jeff
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:40:15 -0700
Hi Bob,
I passed the Kona info to Robert and Jeff for their vacation, thanks very much.
Looks like a go from this end on our ad deal, yeehaw! Please invoice us and
fax or email it to Jennifer Macare er.admin@euro-reef.com
<Yay! You can use PayPal, or I'll bill you folks in arrears... The addy?>
Also, Jeff will get you our banner and static logo to place on your site.
<Am looking forward to it!>
The Kona house looks awesome and I will contact Pete to get an idea of rental fees and calendar for available time. If I can afford it I would rather give the money to someone I know than the Hilton Hotel!!!
<Am in total agreement... My principal raison d'etre for buying such places... Makes me go there... and I am "forced" to enjoy myself!>
Thanks for the free stay offer and I might take you up on that if I come up alone or with my lady friend sometime.
Let's get this ad campaign reelin' and a-rockin"!
<I'll say! Bob Fenner>
Sincerely,
Rene Macare
Dir.of Marketing
Euro-Reef
ph:(949)770-9913 x16
fx: (949)770-3099
www.euro-reef.com

From: "Euro-Reef, Inc. Marketing Group" <er.marketing@euro-reef.com>
Subject: RE: The Big Island... Notes to Bob and Jeff
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:42:40 -0700
Bob thanks again for your time on the phone today. I mistakenly called your Kona home number thinking I would reach you in San Diego....OOPS! I do not have your local home number but here is what I need form you for us to make a decision today on the ad:
<Oh, our SD number is 858 549 XXXX for your records>
You mentioned a two for one deal but no specific cost related to that. To be up front it may be easier to let you know what our budget is that we have to work with and we can get for that. We are looking at $300 max per month at this time. We will monitor the success (ROI) from this and decide if it makes sense to throw more $$$ at it as we grow our business.
<The offer I make is the right shared border (the "static" ad space of 100 by X pixels...) PLUS the Rotating Banner Ad (468 by 60)... For the low, low price of... what you're offering... the Three Hundred U.S. per mo.>
Thanks again for your help with this and for the great Kona info as well!
<I do hope we can/will all make it out there sometime soon. Oh, forgot Pete's email last time... He's cc'ed above...>
P.S. - Bob, when you have a moment can you provide me with the contact name/phone number or email address to get info on your house rental fees etc.
<Ah yes... the Jabulani addr. there above... and his phone: 858 722 XXXX...
FWIW, you're welcome to come out sometime when I'm there (go out every few months, generally for a month or so at a time, more if folks will be coming to visit/stay) for free... Do keep in touch re times...>
I am planning to head out to Hawaii sometime later this year with my girls and my girlfriend (the plein air painter) and son may join. Is there is
web site with info on the house or can you tell me a little about the location, number of bedrooms, sleeping room, etc., have any pictures? Thanks a bunch!
<Oh, the house, addr. can be seen here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/holualoaproperty.htm
BobF>
Sincerely,
Rene Macare
Dir.of Marketing
Euro-Reef, IncT
ph:(949)770-9913 x16
fx: (949)770-3099
www.euro-reef.com

Subject: The Big Island... Notes to Bob and Jeff
Hey Rene! Thank you for taking the time to chat this AM... For your kin's upcoming visit:
Do make sure to pick up a cooler either at the King's Shops or Costco, Kmart, Wal-Mart... these are great places on the Big Island... for packing sodas et al. during your stay... going to, from the hotel... Though is a haul over the rough hallways there at the Hilton in Waikoloa... Maybe two coolers.
While you're there, do call on Gerald Heslinga (if he'll see you... he's more than a bit of a recluse) at Indo-Pacific Sea Farms... and Carol and Craig at OceanRider (they're listed in the local phone books)... down at NELHA (just south of the airport/Keohole...
Make sure and get in a "pizza night" down at Kona Brewing Company... in town (Kailua Old Industrial)...
And the usual pitches for nice beaches... Hapuna (public) and Mauna Kea's
(private, go early to get a parking placard... it's free otherwise)... Up
for adventure? Got to make a run down to Kilauea Volcano Park... a day or so
at Hilo's waterfalls et al... (do bring some lightweight rain gear if you have it... and flashlights if you're going to stay till dark to see the lava...
And Waipio... a haul but real fun...
And Parker Ranch has many attractions for young folks... Do look in "101 Things to do on the Big Island"... a circular at the Airport... esp. for the coupons for discounts, two-fors...
And don't be shy re asking the locals what they do, where they eat et al...
there are many great things to experience there... I will be out (at "A" Bay just south of where you're staying) for the Lavaman tri, but leaving unfortunately a day ahead of your arrival... Do send along your cell numbers (I don't have one...) and I'll call you if I extend. Our house number there is 808 331 0889. Cheers, Bob Fenner





Dear Brandon,
<Hello again Jason.>
I know putting the BTA in my 180 gallon was a bit premature however its  
previous 55 gallon tank had sprung a leak and I had to transfer it over.
<You gotta do what you gotta do.  I was just illustrating that these animals need established systems that's all.  Further, I suggested that you read up on the care of these critters, because you seemed shocked by what is an ordinary occurrence.>
Most of the fish I was able to store in my QT tank however I did not want to combine
the  BTA in that small an environment as it is crowded already with the fish.
<Likely a stressful event.>
My  question is what should I be looking for in the anemone to see if it is
doing O.K. or if it is in distress?  
<Droopy mouth, staying closed all the time, turning to goo.>
The water levels are normal 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, ph  8.4
<Nitrite, Calcium, Alkalinity?>
The tank has 3- 250W MH with 2 rows of actinic bulbs, a 30 gallon trickle  
sump and a 2- gallon mud refugium with mangroves.
<Interesting setup.>
Thanks again,
<You are welcome.  Brandon.>
Jason

Thin Clear - Whitish Worms - Nematodes/Planaria  7/21/07
Dear WWM,
<Andrea with you tonight, Jean>
Today I had noticed a several thin, clear, whitish worms crawling up the side walls of my 6.6 gallon freshwater aquarium tank (visible by a bright aquarium light).
<Planarians or nematodes, most likely. Sign of overfeeding. Cut back to once every other day, only what your fish can eat in about two minutes. Net out any uneaten food remaining.>
Once a week, I maintain my tank by vacuuming the gravel and performing a 20 percent water change. I always premixed my water with aquarium salt and stress coat, a night or two before I perform my tank maintenance.
<Fantastic regimen. You can dump the salt, it is worthless as a tonic, and can actually harm some fish. I prefer Prime as a water conditioner. Less used per water change, and no additives other than what is needed for neutralizing chloramines/chlorine from tap water. Prime is a great product. I highly suggest it.>
Recently, I treated my Betta with Jungle Parasite Clear because he had contracted a parasite. This parasite problem was due to me feeding him live black worms, which I stopped feeding him.
<Shame. I bet he loved the live feeders. Don’t discount them in the future as a treat. Bettas love them. Perhaps another live feeder provider?>
My question is, can those thin, clear, whitish worms crawling up the side walls of my tank be a parasite? <Not likely.> Is this dangerous to my Betta?
<He will likely eat them. Not a danger.>
If so, how can I get rid of them?
<Reduce feedings, water changes, deep gravel vacuum.>
Treat my tank with Jungle Parasite Clear again? <No, unless the fish is sick.>
Please give advice. Thanks again for all your help; your site is the greatest. <Anytime, we are here to help!>
Jean

What are these tiny brown worms in my 10 gallon aquarium? 7/21/07
Hi my name is Donna, I've had my 10 gallon fish tanks for about 3 yrs I was changing the filter tonight and I noticed a couple of little brown looking worms that are located on some of my artificial plants that I let float in the top of my tank for my baby guppies to hide in are they dangerous to my guppies and platies ? what are they ? and how do get rid of them ? should I completely break down my tank I was hoping to be able to wait a couple of weeks before breaking down my tanks until my new mobile home is set up so could put all my fish in my 55 gallon will my fish be ok till then ?
<Hello Donna. These worms are almost certainly planarians. These are usually flat and liver-coloured, and around 5 mm long. The slide along things rather than wriggle. Sometimes they slide along the surface of the water. They are harmless, although they will eat fish eggs and are a nuisance in tanks where egg-laying fish are being bred (been there, done that!). Otherwise all they do is eat microscopic organisms and detritus. In a tank with guppies and other livebearers they are harmless. Besides, getting rid of them is difficult and only worthwhile if they cause a problem. Some fish will eat them (paradise fish are famous for this). They're interesting animals and worth reading up on when you get a chance. Cheers, Neale>
 

Worms in fresh water aquarium   11/29/07
Hi WWM
My sister has a fresh water Aquarium which she just cleaned out on the weekend, and a few days later we have noticed these worm like creatures in the filter tubes no where else but in them. They have small legs and are hatching out of these things that look like cocoons and if you look carefully at them they have small mouths. There very disturbing to look at and gross us out. There's so many of them please help!
Jessica
<Hello Jessica. Without a photo its impossible to say what they are. But given they have obvious limbs and mouthparts, one must assume they are some sort of insect. Aquatic insects vary in their danger to aquarium fish: most are simply fish-food, but a few, particularly dragonfly (Odonata) and beetle (Coleoptera) larvae, can turn the tables and will catch and eat small fish. If you can send a picture, we can try and identify your visitors with a bit more precision. Cheers, Neale.>