Tiny worm like bugs?

[snailed]

Recently I found a bunch of tiny, worm shaped bugs scampering around in my snail's terrarium. They are very very small, smaller than a grain of rice even, they have a longer body, (still not as long as a grain of rice) like a worm, but move faster. Wondering what these are and what I can do to get rid of them. A website said they might be fruit fly larvae? I have had fruit flies here and there. 

[cliath]

Yes they could be fruit fly larvae, or mites. If you want to get rid, I would take out everything from the tank, throw out the substrate, and wash everything in warm water. If you change food daily or every second day it helps keep fruit fly at bay.

[Zorst]

Cliath has it all correct there but I would also give the snails a warm bath also. If pos in a very dilute green tea , and wash them
2 - 3 times so that all the mites or larvae are washed off. I always repeat the bath again about 48 to 72 hrs later just to make sure that you washed off everything.

Zorst

[snailed]

Thanks for the help! Will be cleaning and bathing soon! I ended up getting some sheer chiffon and cutting it and taping it on the inside rim of the lid of the cage with double sided tape and have not seen any big fruit flies, so hopefully after a good scrubbing I won't get anymore. Those things have been the biggest problem so far!

[Zorst]

Sounds like a good Idea, I'll see if I can get some and give it a try as I hate the little things and they do unfortunately appear from time to time.

Zorst

[Deleted]

I've heard of this. Make sure it's not coming from your snails. If it is you can try giving them pumpkin seeds.

[muddydragon]

they could also be nematodes, which are mostly harmless - you can get bad ones though (very thin transparent/whiteish) they eat old food so make sure to change old food regularly (infact some nematodes eat fruit fly larvae)