Fungus gnats or nematodes or something else?

indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
I've got these tiny wriggly worms in my DWC setup. Having trouble I.D.ing them. Not really possible for me to post a pic - as they are so small.
They're really small - but visible, hair thin, white/kinda seethru, no obvious head, varying from 1mm to 5mm, they curl up and wriggle around.
My first thought was fungus gnat larvae and I have been treating with bacillus thuringiensis for about a week, but they remain. I also have yellow sticky traps which have caught 4 tiny flies - possible gnats, but I never see any and 4 is all I have on my 2 sticky traps.
The plant itself is in recovery from a previous issue (offgassing I think), but it has recently been fixed (hopefully), there is new growth from top and bottom. So things were looking up 'till I noticed lots of these wrigglers (hundreds) which I think may be eating away at my roots (I have little bits of roots floating around in my tank too)

So anyone have any ideas or seen this before - maybe they are fungus gnat larvae? but maybe they could be nematodes - which I have no idea how to treat.
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
root aphids. I used a product called optimate cs
it is pretty gnarley stuff though, not really for MJ, but if it's in veg, you should be ok to use it.
 
indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
I don't think they are root aphids. They are maggot / worm like - no legs.
They are swimming in the nutrient solution. They curl up and wriggle around.
 
indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
I was thinking gnat larvae - but they don't have the prominent black head. I've got this 'eye cyclops' 200x magnifier toy - that plugs into the TV - I'll try and get a picture off it and post it later.
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
Google.

detritus worms


I got them in my fish tank when I was fishless cycling it using lab grade ammonia.

A deworming tablet for cats/dogs dissolved I water and added to my tank got rid of them pretty quick.

Not sure if you'd take the same route with plants.


J
 
Last edited:
indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
Ok, so these pics were really difficult to take!
200x mag taken with my phone off the TV, whilst juggling the Eye Cyclops in my other hand….
I picked them up from my tank with a pippete, I also picked up a bit of sermais dust which the worms seem to have ingested (see last picture)
I must have thousands of these little beggars.
I'm calling No to fungus gnat larvae as they have no visible black head - infact they are pretty much totally see-thru, apart from the seramis they seem to have ingested.

Jondamon - you still think deteritus worms? It seems to me to fit more than anything else.
I'm going to research more about them now.
I haven't got a clue how they entered my system. Are they bad? Do they eat roots?
I will research more now - but if anyone wants to add any info in the meantime - please do!
Cheers
 
indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
Ok - done a google search - I'd say they look like some of the images of detritus worms, but I've found nothing about detritus worms in hydroponic systems. Are they detrimental - anyone know? should I just let them get on with their thing?? Is there any way to get rid of them anyway?? HELP!! (please)
(going a bit nuts here!)
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
If they are detritous worms they are detrivorous feeders. Feeding on decaying matter. Could be rotting roots or just old dead roots breaking off.

There is a dewormer for cats and dogs that has an ingredient called FENBENDAZOLE that kills detritus worms.

I've used it in a cycling aquarium but its safe for use with fish in the tank but it can kill shrimps (I think).

As mentioned previously I'm unsure how this chemical would effect plants.

Maybe start your research at that point?

Possibly try the same route as you would fungus gnat larvae using BT.


J
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
Oh and its hard to say if they are or not as I've only looked at them by eye never at 200x lol. That's insane.

To me in my aquarium they appeared very white and really wriggly about 5mm long approx.



J
 
indogrow

indogrow

Active Member
Thanks for the input guys. I'm saying that they are either detritous worms or some type of nematode. They look very similar to Lesion Nematodes and I was almost convinced it was that - until I realised that they are a lot smaller than mine.
So fingers crossed - whatever they are, hopefully they are just living on old decaying matter. I'm going to leave them, hopefully water changes will keep their numbers low. The plant itself is looking quite healthy right now - so I'm going to stay hopeful!
Thanks again for input - and anyone else who has any ideas - please add them!
Cheers
 
oldschooltofu

oldschooltofu

Well-Known Member
i have been battling these worms too. mine are accompanied by soil mites. very slow moving, white/clear mite looking bug. i have had root aphids and Fungus gnats and these dont look like them.

they do eat your roots. i lost prob 30 oz of medicine over the last two cycles from these bugs. plants that should be getting 3-4 oz are getting 1oz or less. the root balls just fall apart after harvest. one of these bugs are very bad and difficult to get rid of. the plant survies just fine untill about week 3. then you start seeing difficiencies like mag, P, K and then if you keep feeding, you will see nitrogen over fert. then the bottom leaves become brown, dry and crispy overnight, week by week the plant continues to show difficiencies and over fert at the same time. the end result is lots of larf, weak stems, low yeilds and much dissapointment.

so i have tried a bunch of things. Botaniguard, imidi (aka bayer fruit), spinosad, BTI, no fly, met 52

i cant any of these has "worked" as i have had them for the last two rounds and i also had thrips. i dont see the any at the end of flower like i do in the begining, so something is helping but not destroying them completely or the damage is done early. or something is working and my damage is by the thrips i had in veg. so i am completely baffled by what to use in the future as a preventitive. I use the potato method on top of the soil to monitor. you will see them with a 10x scope or better.

is this a new bug?
i would really like to know what is the best treatment.
is it coming in via the bags of soil?

i read about some soil venders putting in soil mites to eat the worms, but its obviously not working.

i am going to try to get a sample from what i have left and bring to the Ladybug people in Medford. they will be able to identify and recomend treatments.
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
oldschooltofu said:
i have been battling these worms too. mine are accompanied by soil mites. very slow moving, white/clear mite looking bug. i have had root aphids and Fungus gnats and these dont look like them.

they do eat your roots. i lost prob 30 oz of medicine over the last two cycles from these bugs. plants that should be getting 3-4 oz are getting 1oz or less. the root balls just fall apart after harvest. one of these bugs are very bad and difficult to get rid of. the plant survies just fine untill about week 3. then you start seeing difficiencies like mag, P, K and then if you keep feeding, you will see nitrogen over fert. then the bottom leaves become brown, dry and crispy overnight, week by week the plant continues to show difficiencies and over fert at the same time. the end result is lots of larf, weak stems, low yeilds and much dissapointment.

so i have tried a bunch of things. Botaniguard, imidi (aka bayer fruit), spinosad, BTI, no fly, met 52

i cant any of these has "worked" as i have had them for the last two rounds and i also had thrips. i dont see the any at the end of flower like i do in the begining, so something is helping but not destroying them completely or the damage is done early. or something is working and my damage is by the thrips i had in veg. so i am completely baffled by what to use in the future as a preventitive. I use the potato method on top of the soil to monitor. you will see them with a 10x scope or better.

is this a new bug?
i would really like to know what is the best treatment.
is it coming in via the bags of soil?

i read about some soil venders putting in soil mites to eat the worms, but its obviously not working.

i am going to try to get a sample from what i have left and bring to the Ladybug people in Medford. they will be able to identify and recomend treatments.
Click to expand...
Not for the faint of heart, but 1 watering should work. http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/optimate-cs
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
oldschooltofu said:
i have been battling these worms too. mine are accompanied by soil mites. very slow moving, white/clear mite looking bug. i have had root aphids and Fungus gnats and these dont look like them.

they do eat your roots. i lost prob 30 oz of medicine over the last two cycles from these bugs. plants that should be getting 3-4 oz are getting 1oz or less. the root balls just fall apart after harvest. one of these bugs are very bad and difficult to get rid of. the plant survies just fine untill about week 3. then you start seeing difficiencies like mag, P, K and then if you keep feeding, you will see nitrogen over fert. then the bottom leaves become brown, dry and crispy overnight, week by week the plant continues to show difficiencies and over fert at the same time. the end result is lots of larf, weak stems, low yeilds and much dissapointment.

so i have tried a bunch of things. Botaniguard, imidi (aka bayer fruit), spinosad, BTI, no fly, met 52

i cant any of these has "worked" as i have had them for the last two rounds and i also had thrips. i dont see the any at the end of flower like i do in the begining, so something is helping but not destroying them completely or the damage is done early. or something is working and my damage is by the thrips i had in veg. so i am completely baffled by what to use in the future as a preventitive. I use the potato method on top of the soil to monitor. you will see them with a 10x scope or better.

is this a new bug?
i would really like to know what is the best treatment.
is it coming in via the bags of soil?

i read about some soil venders putting in soil mites to eat the worms, but its obviously not working.

i am going to try to get a sample from what i have left and bring to the Ladybug people in Medford. they will be able to identify and recomend treatments.
Click to expand...

Try searching bulb mites.


See if that's what you're dealing with.



J
 
oldschooltofu

oldschooltofu

Well-Known Member
yea, thats them

now how do we deal with these things?

spinosad, biotanaguard, met52, Imidi, BTI
none of it works.

on another forum someone mentions Preditor Mites that eat these. think ill be getting some
other suggestions were chemi.....florimite, avid, etc.
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
Could also be MOULD MITES as they are very similar.


The trouble is diagnosing exactly which you have.

Bulb mites have brownish legs etc.

Mould mites are pretty translucent.



J
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
After trying damn near every treatment for mites, I am now trying this thing

I powdered my veg plants with D.E., there is no way for those bastards to walk without getting cut the effe up.
 
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