Planaria and Hydra

I'm new here...

I have a 10 gallon planted tank with red cherry shrimp and a couple of Ottos. I seem to have Hydra and Planaria in my tank. I've gotten different information on how to eradicate them without harming the shrimp. I changed out the substrate and it seems to have killed the majority of it but there seems to still be a few that are alive. Any ideas?

I check my water on a regular basis and it seems to be pretty good. I also do water changes about once every week and a half or so. The tank is well understocked at the moment.

welcome to have you

here is some info on what you asked


http://www.aquariumfish.net/information/having_trouble_p2.htm




btw its jesse from menifee so how are the fish doing

WELCOME!!!
GLAD TO HAVE ANOTHER SOCAL MEMBER ON THE SIGHT!!!:)
the link provided has some good info check it out!!!:)

dont feed the tank, they will diminish

Thanks for the help. I think my biggest problem is the Hydra at this point. How do I get rid of them and save my shrimp? I heard they eat baby fish and baby shrimp. Since I changed out the substrate the majority of them are gone so I need this taken care of before they multiply and take over again.

If you haven't seen what Hydra do, they have tentacles and try and grab the shrimp and sting them. It's pretty sad.

I don't see any more Planaria as of today so I think the substrate change worked for them but the Hydra are still in there in small amounts but I see a few more everyday.

Like I said before, it's just shrimp and Ottos so I have only been feeding them about once a week because my algae is sparce right now.

Oh by the way, Jesse the babies are doing great. We need a bigger aquarium so we can get more!

Move the fish and shrimp to a different tank then lay everything, tank,gravel, decor, filter out in the sun for at least a week.

Many Gourami eat hydra.....You would have to move the shrimp, but copper meds like Quick Cure, Coppersafe, ect will kill them

After being out of town all weekend I came home to eggs in the tank. I assumed it was my Ottocinculus spawned them. The eggs don't look anything like the pictures in James0816 post of his eggs. One "batch" is on a stem of one of the plants and looks like a water drop with alot of tiny grey balls in it. The other "batches" I see are on the silicone on the seem of the tank. Those look like smears of something with the grey eggs in it. They are about the size of a BB with the grey eggs being smaller than a grain of sand.

What else could this be? The only thing in the tank are RCS 3 Ottos and a couple of very small snails.

What you describe sounds more like snail eggs than anything else I can think of....Most fish lay single eggs scattered or single eggs in rows or bunches.

Snail eggs. What kind of snails do you have in the tank?

I have hitchhikers and freeloaders.

I think they are called Rams Horn and MTS?

Rams horns eggs are like you described, mts bear live young.

Boo...

Thanks for all your help. I was hoping for something cool like baby Ottos or something. Instead I get more snails.

As far as the Hydra and Planaria go, I'm going to try the Dewormer medication I picked up today. I'll let you all know how it goes.

be sure it's safe for inverts.

All of the information I have come acrossed has said that this product is safe for inverts and not only treats for Planaria but also Hydra. Both of which are in my shrimp tank.

I will follow the dosing according to this article http://www.arizonainverts.com/articles/UseofDewormer(Fenbendazole).html and let you know how it goes.

UPDATE: The first dose of dewormer has been in the aquarium for about 40 hours. I don't see anymore live Planaria or Hydra. All of the RCS and Ottos seem fine. The only thing I noticed was that the shrimp are not eating their shed. I also had a pregnant mother shed and some of the eggs were on the shed. I can't really tell if this is due to the dewormer or something else. I will give the second dose this evening and do a water change on Sunday.

I did forget to take out the filter cartridge (with carbon) until Wednesday night. There were alot of granules that hadn't disolved yet.

If your eyeballing I would cut back just slightly on the second dose just to be on the safe side.

Actually did that on the first dose I divided it up and then went a little bit smaller on the dose just to be safe.

lol I felt wierd sitting there with all these white granules on a glass plate dividing it up with a razor blade... lol I did leave the plate on the table with the blade on it just to see if my teenage daughter would ask me what it was. haha

Jennifer you're a hoot! I want to know how you're daughter reacted!

Well it seems like all of the Planaria and Hydra are gone with no adverse reactions from the shrimps or my plants!!!

Wow Congrates, I just found hydra in a 10 gal tank today. GGRRRRR cleaning all my nets and equipment at this moment. So your post has helped. Thanks.