Nematodes

[Hoxter]

I found some in one of my enclosures while watering my Ts and honestly that got me scared as I've heard of nematodes being cause of tarantula deaths. So I tried doing some reading here and in the end I'm not so sure about difference.
My understanding is, we can divide them into harmful and harmless ones, but how can I be sure ones I found are actually on the good side?

 

[viper69]

I found some in one of my enclosures while watering my Ts and honestly that got me scared as I've heard of nematodes being cause of tarantula deaths. So I tried doing some reading here and in the end I'm not so sure about difference.
My understanding is, we can divide them into harmful and harmless ones, but how can I be sure ones I found are actually on the good side?

Send them to a vet

 

[Jesse607]

It would be highly unusual to find (or see) nematodes in your substrate. If they are nematodes, and not fly larvae, or another organism in the substrate, they wouldn't be harmful, as they are in the substrate, not the T. Your T is very unlikely to have nematodes unless it was a recent wc bought at a pet store.

 

[Hoxter]

It would be highly unusual to find (or see) nematodes in your substrate. If they are nematodes, and not fly larvae, or another organism in the substrate, they wouldn't be harmful, as they are in the substrate, not the T. Your T is very unlikely to have nematodes unless it was a recent wc bought at a pet store.

They definitely seemed like nematodes to me, or at least like those things that pop in google image search. Long-ish transparent things that move. I'm not even sure how to describe those properly. But I'm glad to hear they're not harmful, honestly seeing one moving under the water dish got me scared.
It's a X. immanis sling, so it's impossible for it to be wc, I probably kept it a bit too moist and ended up with those things appearing. Time to let it dry a bit then.

 

[Jesse607]

Fungus gnat larvae can look very much like nematodes.

 

[Hoxter]

I see! Substrate is gone already so I can't check for sure but I really appreciate information you gave me. Thank you

 

[Jess S]

Do you use top soil? Because sometimes it can contain soil nemotade eggs, which may have now hatched.
@Dorifto may know more about them, as he's knowledgeable about bioactive enclosures

 

[Hoxter]

Do you use top soil? Because sometimes it can contain soil nemotade eggs, which may have now hatched.
@Dorifto may know more about them, as he's knowledgeable about bioactive enclosures

I have a mix of sedge peat and something called spider bedding from habistat. Trying stuff out to see what works for me.

 

[Dorifto]

They are pretty harmless. They are thousands of species of nematodes. Unless you live or you sourced the topsoil from a country where you can find parasitic nematodes, I wouldn't worry about.

I have those nematodes in my vivariums, they are detrivores like springtails and they feed from organic matter.

They are like this one?

View attachment VID_20201023_032938.mp4

 

[Hoxter]

They are pretty harmless. They are thousands of species of nematodes. Unless you live or you sourced the topsoil from a country where you can find parasitic nematodes, I wouldn't worry about.

I have those nematodes in my vivariums, they are detrivores like springtails and they feed from organic matter.

They are like this one?

View attachment 363691

Do you mean that tiny springtail walking on the lower left side of the screen? No, those were much longer than that. I think that's how they looked like. It's a random picture from the internet. And of course they were tiny in enclosure so in the end I didn't get to look at them up close.

 

[Dorifto]

Nope, just in the center of the image. You can see one. It's the same one as in your picture.

You don't have to worry about.

 

[Hoxter]

It took me a while but now I can see it. It's like that game 'find a hiding spood'
Understood, thanks!

 

[Dorifto]

You are welcome!!

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Most likely soil nematodes which themselves are harmless to your tarantula but are usually a good sign that you're overwatering your substrate, they pop up in my springtail colony when I overdo it with the water around feeding time, they feed on decaying organic matter.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Yeah, they're detritivores. Harmless scavengers. Free living nematodes are very unlikely to be parasitic. Unsightly, but harmless. They're very common in nature and thrive in places that tend to be damp, stagnant, and with rotting plant material. You could either let the substrate dry out or change it if it bothers you. But I wouldn't be worried about them being potential parasites.

 

[Hoxter]

I've already changed substrate but I'll remember about that for the future. In fact, this substrate mix is something I'm still trying out and seems to be keeping moisture pretty well, it wasn't planned to make it that moist.

 

[Jess S]

Nope, just in the center of the image. You can see one. It's the same one as in your picture.

You don't have to worry about.

It took me a while but now I can see it. It's like that game 'find a hiding spood'
Understood, thanks!

I'll be honest, I still can't see it! And I've looked and looked. Time to get my eyes tested!
Reminds me of those "Where's Wally?" pictures

 

[Dorifto]

I'll be honest, I still can't see it! And I've looked and looked. Time to get my eyes tested!
Reminds me of those "Where's Wally?" pictures

Just in the middle you can see a small translucid thing moving slowly vertically.

 

[Hoxter]

I'll be honest, I still can't see it! And I've looked and looked. Time to get my eyes tested!
Reminds me of those "Where's Wally?" pictures

Here you go. It's in the red circle

 

[Dorifto]

Here you go. It's in the red circle

Boooooooo