There is always a reason behind any change in your turtle’s tank, this includes the sudden appearance of red worms in the tank. Seeing red worms in your turtle’s tank will understandably be disconcerting to any turtle owner.
This article looks into why there are red worms in your turtle tank
Table of Contents
Red worms in my turtle tank:
Some species of worms in your turtle’s tank are actually quite helpful to the reptile, other species of worms in the tank are not,
Here is what you need to know if there are red worms in your turtle’s tank:
Insect larvae:
If you find red-colored worms in your pet turtle’s tank then what you may be looking at may simply be an external parasite like insect larvae.
Internal parties are generally either gray or white, and external parasites, such as insect larvae, have a color to them.
If you leave these worms alone they will turn into insects like small flies once they mature.
These worms may be introduced into your tank if insects lay eggs in the tank, or, they can travel through food or plants into the tank
What to do:
These worms aren’t harmful to your pet, but, keep an eye out for any signs of illness in your reptile, for good measure. Concerning signs include bubbles at the turtle’s nose or mouth, a loss of appetite, issues with swimming, and lethargy.
If you want to get rid of them then you’d need to ensure that your filter is clean and working properly. increasing the flow rate in y our aquarium should also help to get rid of these worms.
Cleaning the enclosure regularly, and keeping excess food at a minimum, should also help to get rid of the red worms in your pet’s tank.
Aquatic worms:
Another reason why you may find red worms in your turtle’s tank may be because you are looking at aquatic worms. These types of worms aren’t harmful to your pet turtle either.
What to do:
While these worms aren’t harmful to your turtle, you may not want them in your home. You can get rid of your aquatic worms by thoroughly cleaning out your pet’s tank.
Remove your pet turtle and put it somewhere safe, drain the tank, and remove everything from the tank.
When cleaning be sure to get into the corners of the tank as the worms can hide in there. Also, make sure that you use aquarium salt to scrub the tank.
You also need to take your filter apart and clean all the parts of the tank when you do this.
Once everything is clean put everything back and refill the tank using dechlorinated water
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Lethargic?, Why Is My Turtle Bloated?, My Turtle Was Upside Down, My Turtles Eyes Are Sunken, My Turtle Keeps Wiping His Face, My Turtle Egg Has A Dent In It, My Turtle Keeps Rubbing His Eyes, My Turtle Eats A Lot, My Turtle Won’t Stop Splashing
