Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
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GaryE
caoder
vince0
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:: Freshwater :: Freshwater General
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Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
Hey Folks,
The title to my thread seems alarming, but it truly isn't. I haven't been dealing with hydra for years, with various success at keeping them at bay(mostly caused by overfeeding). Today, and over the last few days, I have also noted a few planarian worms on the glass, which is new. I decided to look into these worms, as I never noticed them before, and came to the conclusion that they must be pretty harmless. They come about as a result of overfeeding, yet again.
Over the years, Fenbendazole was recommended to me, but always as a vague reference. Today, I found a great resource for finding and using this product, so that it is safe with shrimp. I am tempted to set up a test tank and try it out...
Thoughts? Link below.
http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html
Vince
The title to my thread seems alarming, but it truly isn't. I haven't been dealing with hydra for years, with various success at keeping them at bay(mostly caused by overfeeding). Today, and over the last few days, I have also noted a few planarian worms on the glass, which is new. I decided to look into these worms, as I never noticed them before, and came to the conclusion that they must be pretty harmless. They come about as a result of overfeeding, yet again.
Over the years, Fenbendazole was recommended to me, but always as a vague reference. Today, I found a great resource for finding and using this product, so that it is safe with shrimp. I am tempted to set up a test tank and try it out...
Thoughts? Link below.
http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html
Vince
vince0- Pleco Poster
- Posts : 507
Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Alberta
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
I have used it for hydra. No shrimp loses the tank is still free of hydra. Never had planaria though. I have seen them at an LFS. 3 doses mailed from the states by a eBay seller. I have enough for many years to come if I need it.
caoder- Pleco Poster
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Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Montreal
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
The article talks about it in the form of dog medication. Is this not available in the stores here in Canada? I may just go ask my vet for some lol.
vince0- Pleco Poster
- Posts : 507
Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Alberta
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
It isn't very water soluble - I had to mix it into food when I bought some fish with Camallanus worms a few years ago.
I always have hydra, if I feed bbs. Hydra and bad politicians - life in Canada. I used to have a red/orange species, and now I have the less stinging green ones (hydra, not politicians).
I always have hydra, if I feed bbs. Hydra and bad politicians - life in Canada. I used to have a red/orange species, and now I have the less stinging green ones (hydra, not politicians).
GaryE- Veteran Member
- Posts : 2505
Join date : 2013-09-07
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
It is, if you don't want to deal with vets, easier way is just to order from the states. At least in Quebec it is not sold in stores anymore.
caoder- Pleco Poster
- Posts : 689
Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Montreal
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
No Planaria, a coconut derivitive is shrimp safe and fish safe. It, like Panacur (Fenbendazole), is hell on snails.
Canadian Aquatics carries it.
Planaria will prey on fish eggs, can cause shrimp to drop their eggs. and can cause the deaths of large snail species.
Canadian Aquatics carries it.
Planaria will prey on fish eggs, can cause shrimp to drop their eggs. and can cause the deaths of large snail species.
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
wow! Thanks storm!
I'm still not sure which direction I'm going to go in. Does No Planaria work on hydra as well?
I'm still not sure which direction I'm going to go in. Does No Planaria work on hydra as well?
vince0- Pleco Poster
- Posts : 507
Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Alberta
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
Sorry, I don't know. I'll email Pat (from C. Aquatics) for the info.
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
Pat says that No Planaria doesn't work on hydra. He says he's had success with fluke tabs; at half strength it takes out hydra but doesn't harm shrimp.
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
Whoaaa I never knew that planaria could actually be harmful to aquarium inhabitants! eek!
I feed microworms quite often, and like Gary, have little green hydra on many of the surfaces in my tank. I have always just taken it as an unavoidable side effect of feeding live food. The RCS are reproducing like crazy, and so were the ricefish while they were in there, so I'm not too concerned about them.
I feed microworms quite often, and like Gary, have little green hydra on many of the surfaces in my tank. I have always just taken it as an unavoidable side effect of feeding live food. The RCS are reproducing like crazy, and so were the ricefish while they were in there, so I'm not too concerned about them.
cephalotus- Angel Fish
- Posts : 401
Join date : 2013-09-08
Location : Saskatoon, SK
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
I don't want to over-vilify planaria - many community tanks have them in small numbers, unnoticed, especially if there are active fish around.
It's when you have high numbers of them or vulnerable occupants that they become a problem. Cutting back food sources will help, as will introducing competion (in the form of amano shrimp or other good janitors).
Planaria can persist even without food being introduced. I have a plant-only fish bowl near a window, no snails or shrimp, just plants. I never add food yet the planaria carry on. They seem to be feeding on the aufwuchs.
btw, both Panacur and No Planaria are fatal to snails (mts, small pond, physa, ramshorn) so don't use either around your apple or assassin snails.
It's when you have high numbers of them or vulnerable occupants that they become a problem. Cutting back food sources will help, as will introducing competion (in the form of amano shrimp or other good janitors).
Planaria can persist even without food being introduced. I have a plant-only fish bowl near a window, no snails or shrimp, just plants. I never add food yet the planaria carry on. They seem to be feeding on the aufwuchs.
btw, both Panacur and No Planaria are fatal to snails (mts, small pond, physa, ramshorn) so don't use either around your apple or assassin snails.
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
I notice I have a hydra bloom in my planted Neoheterandria elegans and Heterandria formosa tank.
This is a heavily planted tank with males only so tiny fish. The bloom started after being away for a couple of weeks and leaving the tank in care of our pet sitters. Is there natural predators I could add to the tank to take care of them.
Mike
This is a heavily planted tank with males only so tiny fish. The bloom started after being away for a couple of weeks and leaving the tank in care of our pet sitters. Is there natural predators I could add to the tank to take care of them.
Mike
Re: Planaria and Hydra Oh MY! What a way to start the year!!
Diogenoir wrote:I notice I have a hydra bloom in my planted Neoheterandria elegans and Heterandria formosa tank.
This is a heavily planted tank with males only so tiny fish. The bloom started after being away for a couple of weeks and leaving the tank in care of our pet sitters. Is there natural predators I could add to the tank to take care of them.
Mike
I am deaking wth an outbreak of hydra. Like GaryE said, they are something that are always there. I have not heard of any effective predators. Some websites say mollies will eat them but I doubt that. I have several tanks that are full of hydra right now and this is the weekend that I am going to nuke them with different chemicals (one tank one chemical).
alexmtl- Veteran Member
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Join date : 2013-09-07
Location : Montreal Quebec
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