White Worms in Soil in uro viv

TurtleTime · #1 02-22-2009, 02:51 AM

Tonight while checking on my uroplatus I noticed some white worms in the soil were I just out a new plant. These worms are white and about a inch to inch and a half long. Anybody seen any of thes before? Are they harmful? Thanks.

froggsong · #2 02-22-2009, 12:03 PM

As long as they are worms and not some sort of larvae, they are fine. I haven't had any adverse effects with them in my vive. They tend to eat more rotting stuff than regular earthworms do, so they are good to have as part of the cleanup crew. If you have fish, they love to eat them. Just check one to be sure there aren't any tiny legs up near the front. I came across some when I was moss hunting that had legs but looked exactly like the little white worms otherwise.

TurtleTime · #3 02-22-2009, 04:42 PM

As far as I can tell they are just little white worms. I doubt I can grab one without tearing the substrate up and they were moving super slow. They look almost like parasitical worm but not. Just a transperent earthworm so to speak.

froggsong · #4 02-22-2009, 09:48 PM

Yeah, they're fine, IME. I freaked out the first time I found any of those, lol.

TurtleTime · #5 02-23-2009, 01:31 AM

I found little white worms and then tonight when I was looking again I saw some worms that were even smaller that looked like pinworms almost just a translucent white. thx

bowfingered · #6 02-23-2009, 12:50 PM

I love this kind of conversation, it reminds me of the reef tank boom, and now we are so advanced in that field on the micro inhabitants. Anyone know of a cleaner(worm etc) that can live in peat (I can add other substrate if needed if it does not effect geckos), turn the substrate and not consume geckos, eggs? Soil temps are from 70-80F and slightly moist but not wet (for the geckos well being).

froggsong · #7 02-24-2009, 03:21 PM

I have used the worms sold as "red wigglers" for years in my vives. I'm not sure of the actual soil temp in my CWD tank, but I have dug these worms up in the yard back in SC in the middle of summer, so they should do just fine. Tropical springtails are a good addition, they'll keep the top inch or so of substrate clean. These little white worms do a good job too.