worms in my tank

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I hope you can answer my questions? I have had tanks for many years, about two months ago we moved to a different town. At that time I had a 55 gal tank. I moved my tank to my new house, set it up like I always have and my water looked dirty like dirt, I was patient thinking there was allot of new water so maybe it was going to take a while? But no. I then sold my 55 to my son and got a 80 gal with a canister filter a mag 350. my is water still dirty , I noticed all these snails and worms everywhere I have been doing my water changes and adding my salt and chlor out, I thing they may have come from the water here. the water tastes like dirt to me! I got 15 gal of water from fillmore last night were we us to live and came home to do a water change, it looks a little better, but I'm going to do another water change tomorrow with fillmore water again, Have you ever heard of worms coming from tap water? I have cichluds and some of them are pretty big, one of them keeps flipping around trying to rub on stuff, more than normal. I already saved this little guy once I don't want to loose him!

ANSWER: Hi Kari:  Do you have a well??? I would start with getting your water tested for the general water chemistry. Sometimes fish "flash" scratch on things when chemicals irritate their skin... or slime coat.  What do you feed your cichlids??? Do you have driftwood in the tank???? Let me know... dave

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QUESTION: Hi Dave, Thanks for writing back so soon, Yes I found a beautiful piece of drift wood up by the creak, my husband said it could be the problem, but I thought because I cleaned it real good it would be o.k. but maybe not? if the drift wood was the problem do I treat my water with Quick Cure or General Cure, I hear that will kill the worms? (I took the wood out 3 days ago) thank you, I have to go to work so I will check my e-mail in the morn. thanks again Kari

Answer
Hi Kari:  Driftwood that is not cured will leech tannins into the water and turn it yellow/brown.  that may also be the source of the worms... What you I would do if I were you is to soak the driftwood in a bucket of water for about a month. Change the water in the bucket once per week.  At the end of the month if the water is clear... then put the driftwood back in the tank... if not continue the process of curing it.  Worms... are not all bad... can you describe them to me... dave