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Dieren en planten

Worms   Freshwater aquatic worms   Algae and seaweed   Phaeocystis   Diatoms   Flagellates   Micro-organisms   Bacteria   Phytoplankton   

Freshwater aquatic worms

size:

up to 15 centimeters, usually much smaller

color:

reddish

food:

organic waste, algea, bacteria

enemies:

fish, bloodsuckers and other aquatic animals

reproduction:

sexual

  • Dut: Zoetwaterborstelwormen
  • Lat: Oligochaeta
  • Eng: Freshwater aquatic worms
  • Ger: Süßwasser-Wenigborster
  • Dut:slingerworm, tubifex
  • Lat:Tubificidae div. spec.
  • Eng:tubifex
  • Ger:tubifex
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Freshwater aquatic worms

Freshwater aquatic worms are segmented worms ranging in size from a few millimeters to fifteen centimeters and are found in shallow sediment layers where they live off of organic material, algae and bacteria. They have two rows of bristles on their belly and two rows on their back, which they use to move around. The worms breathe primarily through their skin. For example, tubifex usually stick their head in the sediment for food while the rest of its body squiggles around to breathe.

  • Aquarium food

    Tubifex is a commonly known aquatic worm, often used as food for aquarium fish. This worm is an indicator of severely polluted water. The worms are red from the blood pigment hemoglobin which binds oxygen well, allowing the worms to live in often oxygen-poor situations.

  • Distribution

    It was not uncommon in earlier days to find more than 100,000 worms per square meter in water that was polluted with organic waste. The numbers were able to climb so high because their enemies, fish, could not live in such oxygen-poor water. In the meantime, water has become cleaner due to sewage treatment plants. The aquarium food must now be imported from foreign countries.