Can someone inform me on something?

I went to change my filter out today and I just saw some red worm like things in it. Can anyone help me out and tell me if this is bad? This has never happened.

Those are likely harmless blood worms. They will not harm your turtles, and in fact are a good feeder. My pond turtle loves 'em, and I have fed them for many years to my indoor tank turtles. Commercially, they are freeze-dried and sold as "tubifex worms".

It's all good

702Maps have you ever fed bloodworms in your tank? I highly doubt that bloodworms would somehow magically appear in the tank if you've never fed them before. Do the worms appear to be alive? I don't think bloodworms would be able to survive in your tank for very long.

Pictures would be very helpful for an ID. Whatever they are they are likely not very dangerous to your turtle, though it's possible they could carry parasites and pass them on to your turtle if they ate them (but if they are in the filter there's probably a very low chance of that).

Originally Posted by lupegirl8

702Maps have you ever fed bloodworms in your tank? I highly doubt that bloodworms would somehow magically appear in the tank if you've never fed them before. Do the worms appear to be alive? I don't think bloodworms would be able to survive in your tank for very long.

Pictures would be very helpful for an ID. Whatever they are they are likely not very dangerous to your turtle, though it's possible they could carry parasites and pass them on to your turtle if they ate them (but if they are in the filter there's probably a very low chance of that).

I have never fed blood worms in my tank. Only fish flakes and repto sticks and algae wafers for my turtle and fish. The worms were alive back when I posted this, but since then I threw out the filter hoping it wasn't a parasite. I've seen a few looking like mosquito flies land in the water and they appear to be dead. I haven't seen them in awhile though. No signs of those red like worms in my filter. My turtle hasn't eaten any of those worms. They were in the filter and never came out. I will take a photo if they ever come up again.