something is fishy in my 10G

Question
QUESTION: Alright first off here are the stats.
-10 gallon
-2 filters (1 aquatech, 1 a 20 aquaclear), heater, high lighting
-Plenty of plants
-set up for about 6 months
-currently 5 neons, 2 guppies, 2 kuhli loaches, 3 ghost shrimp, 3 cherry shrimp.

Alright so I have been to research forever on this topic and its not getting me anywhere.  Over the past couple of months I have lost countless fish in that aquarium for no apparent reason.  They just start going limp and die the next morning.  About 2 months ago I lost a cory and over the past week I have lost 2 guppies.  And as of right now the tetras are just going back and fourth chasing each other with the occasional rubbing on a plant.  I have started to see many little squiggly worms free swimming in the water.  And much to my horror one of my neons ate one.  The worm-like creatures have little quill like spines on each side and they are white.  What do I do!?!

On another event I my kuhli seems to be acting paralized from the beck down.  It only swims around with its head and doesnt move much.  Once again I have no idea what to do.  This just started today as I was doing my water change

Thanks for you time

ANSWER: Hello Mike:  the loaches don't eat your shrimp?  Those little white worms could be a number of things that range from baby cory cats to ICH or some other parasite.  Also common to aquarium are these little tiny white worms that live mostly on the glass and are harmless...  I doubt that it is an ICH infestation because ICH is usually shaped like a horseshoe when it it free swimming... It could be anchorworms... what I would do is this:

1: test the water chemistry ( what you have described in terms of fish death sounds like poisoning as opposed to fish disease)

2: raise the temp of the tank to about 80-82 degrees F.

3: Add more oxygen to the tank water (use an airstone and air pump)

4: 20% water change and CLEAN THE GRAVEL

5: add aquarium salt to your tank.

WORMS:  I would do nothing about the worms for a few more days... they may be fry either from the cory cats or the loach.  Keep your eye on them and after a week if they are still not "grown" into fish then I would treat the tank.  You can wait a week to treat the tank  because you already have an infestation and your fish already died before the worms appeared.  If you need to treat the tank use a parasite medication.  It is ok if the fish eat the worms... they are full of good nutrients for your fish.   Hope this helps.... dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your info on my tank... my one concern that has been stopping me from using parasite medicine is all the invertabrates in my tank.  No only are they living in there with snails but my ghost shrimp is due for my first batch of babies any day now.  I have a small 5G hospital tank but until the ghost shrimp hatch I dont want to risk the birth.  Do you think once I sort out the baby shrimp I should move all my inverts into the hospital tank and treat my 10G?

Answer
Hi Mike:  I would move the ghost shrimp before they are born because the other fish may eat them.  I would also not treat the worms unless you know for sure that they are in fact bad for the tank.  If you have to treat the tank then I would also move the invertebrates... just to be safe.  keep me posted... dave