eww! what are these?

[K0oKiE]

I decided to spy on my little rubber nosed pleco tonight in the dark with a flashlight. What I noticed most was the zillions of little specks swimming and crawling in the gravel, as well as teeny tiny little worms in the gravel as well.

From what I have read so far I'm hoping they are harmless but Im not totally sure. I have been having a really hard time getting any of the fish in this tank to eat anything so Im wondering if the creepy crawlies might have something to do with them not feeling well?

[plantedinvertz]

Is it planaria?

[effox]

Planaria looks like this but white to the naked eye:

[Ursus sapien]

most likely what your seeing is normal micro life. many of these creatures feed on detrius, algae or aufwuchs... some are predatory and feed on the others.
Mostly good food for small fish.

Planaria is a very distinctive flat worm which will move along the glass and fixtures as well as the substrate.

[K0oKiE]

The worm isn't flat at all. Its thread like and white and squiggles around. From what I have found searching around on some websites its some kind of nematode that is harmless. Im going to a major gravel clean and try not to think about all the little crawlies in there.

[Ursus sapien]

good news, then, you don't have planaria. hell on snails, those things.

Don't get too freaked out by the all the little creatures , they're helping you clean your substrate by breaking down organic waste.