“worms” in my waterfall?

I am pretty new at ponding, and pulled string algae off my waterfall “steps” a couple days ago. Then, I noticed a few very thin tiny worms on my hands. After lots and lots of handwashing, I went back outside and discovered that there are a ton of “worms” attached to my waterfall. They seem to like the moving water, and were apparently hiding under all the string algae. It looks like there are two different types of worms/larvae. One type is larger and black, and after a bunch of googling I think they might be blackfly larvae. This link has a pretty good pic…can anyone confirm?

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/insect2.htm#black

I still haven’t a clue what the smaller brownish “worms” are, but there are tons of them! I hope that both kinds of worms/larvae are visible in the pics I will post…the smaller ones are a bit hard to make out. Can anyone help me with an ID? I am most concerned with whether they are harmful to humans, fish, or frogs. I am also interested in any ideas of how to manage them, or whether I should just leave them alone. The fish cannot eat them since they are up on the waterfall, and the frogs have left them alone so far. Thanks in advance for any insight!

Here’s another pic. The pond is only around 90 gallons, and the waterfall is pretty small too

Those look like tadpoles to me!

If it is something you don't want on your waterfall, you can either
scoop them up...and feed them to the fish or throw them in the
garbage. I learned a few things from your link. I have Crane flies
all over my yard..guess it is the season for the larva to hatch from the pond. Birds love these bugs so I will let mine do their thing!

lol looks like toad tadpoles!

Thank you for your input, everyone. Ahhh how I wish they were toad tadpoles! I would absolutely love to have some toads in my garden to eat all the slugs and other nasties. I think I should have originally mentioned that the black “things” are solidly clamped onto rock in the shallow moving water in my waterfall. In fact, some of them are actually hanging vertically from their…connecting points (rear ends, IF they are indeed black fly larvae ;-)). They don’t swim or move at all, with the exception of an occasional wriggle, which still doesn’t detach them from their hold on the rock. Any ideas on the thin brown “worms” also pictured? Beahive, I think I will try and scrub the worms/larvae off the waterfall and into the pond so the fish can eat them..thanks. I'm glad you liked that link.
Thanks again for your help!

Here is a pic of the pond and waterfall, since I don’t think I am describing this too well, LOL. The “worms” are on the tops of the stone steps in the waterfall, and also hanging vertically off of some of these same stones.

Here is some fun reading. http://www.pond-life.us/pond-life-flatworm-1.html
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/wimsmall/worm.html

I have them too, in my bio filter.. they look like some kinda leech(sp?).. anyways ive had them in there for yrs, but never really worried about them, didnt know what they were. They dont seem to hurt anything, but still dont know what they are...

LeeAnn

Theres quite a few aquatic worms 'out there' most of them just plunk along passing the time of day in quiet corners out of sight, filtering the water. Fish will munch them if they can find them

The black things look like rather young tadpoles, the head and tail shape seems well defined, the fish will probably eat them if they are frog tadpoles, if they don't they may be toad tadpoles which have a naty taste

Regards, andy
http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/adavisus/

Thank you so much for the additional information! It sounds like I don’t need to worry about either of these critters. I am always delighted when I find worms in my garden, but discovering tiny aquatic worms tickling my hands was a bit unsettling, LOL. Please excuse my ignorance and continued curiosity as I am a newbie, but would tadpoles live up on a waterfall in fast moving water, clamped on tight to the rock and not swimming? I have some local tadpoles in an aquarium right now, and they don’t look or behave like these black things at all. I guess it doesn’t really matter at this point, but I am just eager to learn more about what’s growing in my pond. I don’t see the black things in the actual pond at all, but maybe the fish have already eaten those.

well sunny, if they ARE toad tadpoles... save some for me! lol!
I'll watch this thread... I am now scared to look at what is in my pond! :o)
AnjL

They are Black fly larvae. Very common.

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/insect2.htm#black

They are just living out their life cycle like everything else and will be preyed upon by bigger things no doubt!

Thanks so much for the ID, Snapple. Galanthophile, I think I am going to help nature along a little bit by pushing the larvae into the pond for the fish to snack on. However, Anjl, you are more than welcome to as many black fly larvae as you want ;-) LOL

ummmm.... no thank you!? lol! I'm sure I'll have plenty of my own soon...specially since I have no fishies yet! lol!

Two years ago I foung some real tiny 1/4" long red things like small worms in my bio filter. Then last year they were bigger & could stretch-out to about 1 1/2" and wasn't red, I tried to kill them but them really hug on. I was afraid they would harm my fish, I'm not sure they didn't, I have regular gold fish and some of them had some white areas on them. Worms and things really give me the willies!!! Has anyone else had anthing like this? KatherineParker Iron City, Tenn. Zone 7

Katherine - those were most likely true midge larvae - something quite beneficial to your fish that they would relish. If you have a good healthy aquatic environment for fish it should support numerous types of larvae, most beneficial and part of a natural ecosystem. Be happy that you have them.

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/insect2.htm#true

KatherineP....snapple is correct. The red blood worms show you have a pretty healthy water supply.

Thank you so much, snapple & MMary. I am so relieved to find out they are benefical. I am just redoing my pond and making it larger. As I put my fish back in today and cleaned out my filter, I found more of those worms in the bottom of my filter and of course I got them out and let them die. I also have to repot my plants, I had a water liliy out and then put it back to do later. Where it was sitting was more of those worms, I'll just have to be brave and try not to get any on me, sinces I can't stand worms, and let my fish be happy. Thanks again

Think of them as underwater catepillars!
:)

Waterpillars? LOL

LOL. I like it!