something is in my tank

Question
i have a 20 gallon tank with platys tetras a couple of gourmis also 2 ghost shrimp one of which is pregnant well we went from pebble bottom to sand which is great and very beautiful.but today i was looking at my shrimp and noticed hundreds of little bug looking thinks crawling on the sand .it would have been easy to miss because the are like pin point and smaller looks to be brownish clear in color is this a parasite that i need to worry about and if so how do i get rid of it?

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

The small worm specks in the tank are most likely Planaria. These are small organisms that cannot harm your fish. They are brought on by poor water quality and an abundance of food and nutrients.

Perform 20% water changes daily along with a gravel vacuuming using a gravel siphon (available at your local fish store, if you do not have one, for about $8). This will keep nutrient/waste levels down, and will prevent any ammonia poisoning or a similar problem.

As long as they are not attaching to the fish, then it's not a problem and you should not treat it with a chemical.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!