Common Tank Pests

Midge Fly Larvae
Looking like small, worm-like algae growths; midge fly larvae actually build a tube that they spend their larval stage in out of detritus in the aquarium. Midge fly larvae are also known as bloodworms.

Midge Fly Larvae prefer to live in slow moving water, low light levels, and poorer water qualities. If you have bottom feeders or smaller fish, the problem may be taken care of by the fish eating them. Removing them mechanically can be very difficult, and in planted tanks they can be a particular menace. When they build their tubes on leaves it often causes a dead patch in the shape of their dwelling on the leaf. Adding copper to the water can kill them but it is also hazardous to other aquarium inverts.