General Care Discussion :: Parasite or worm?

[SpenceMasta]

I was walking by my tank when I saw something floating in the water, at first I thought it was a piece of crap that was floating around until I noticed it kinda wiggled. It looked like a tiny tadpole but the head was not nearly as round or defined but there was definitely a tail propelling it upwards. It was getting tossed around by the flow of the filter and when I went near the tank my turtle got excited and kicked it into the input of my canister filter and it was gone.

I've had experience with the small white flat worms, but this was big enough to see a few feet back and it was dark in color, brown maybe.

I've had my turtle for 11 years and haven't even seen anything like this. The only change that was added to the tank recently was feeding my turtle live rosie reds for the first time that I picked up from my local Petland Discounts. I sure hope those fish didn't bring anything dangerous to my setup.

Any ideas about what I saw? and if it is detrimental to my turtle's health?

[marisa]

No aquatic plants in the tank?

Don't really know what it could be. If it's that big, is retrieving it from the filter possible?

[LeslieMW]

maybe it could be a free floating worm. that happened to me. it was a tiny worm sort of a light brown color with a black head. it was really tiny and there were a few of them. this is back when i had my turtle in a tub with poor filtration and lots of rocks at the bottom and food would get trapped.

[untsmurf]

It might be a fish fry.

[steve]

I would try to get it out of the filter as well. A parasite is something you want to investigate quickly.