Hydra in Shrimp tank

[corylover5]

Hi! I've had a RCS tank set up and cycled. I haven't had the chance to get any shrimp for it yet but I was staring into the tank just now and noticed so many tiny Hydra all over the place. How can I remove them before I get shrimp? I only have plants in the tank currently and somehow pond snails wound up in there too. I just don't want the Hydra harming the shrimp or shrimplets once I get them. Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Leave salt in tank for 1 week and the hydra should be wiped out. Then do a 90-100% water change and get some shrimp a few days after that.

 

[corylover5]

2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Leave salt in tank for 1 week and the hydra should be wiped out. Then do a 90-100% water change and get some shrimp a few days after that.

Thanks! will that harm the pond snails?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Salt and snails don't mix

 

[Boundava]

I have used the dog dewormer when I had shrimp and hydra (and seed shrimp and pond snails). It was effective in eradicating the hydra overnight (and some planaria that came with the hydra, seed shrimp and shrimp- some shrimp sellers offer unwanted freebies). I did dose twice just to be sure they were all gone, those buggers hurt. 1 mg per 10 gallons, or a pinch will work as it's hard to overdose. Most pet stores sell it.

Here is a link for some more info

Planaria and Hydra Elimination in Shrimp Tanks

www.aquaticplantcentral.com

 

[Colin_T]

Thanks! will that harm the pond snails?

no

 

[Boundava]

As Collin_T said it will not harm pond snails. However I have heard that it does affect rabbit and mts. Sorry if I wasn't clear when I was expanding on the pests that came with my bargain shrimp, but it doesn't harm seed shrimp either. I wound up using glass planaria traps for them.

 

[Colin_T]

salt does nothing to Malaysian livebearer snails, they are awful things to try and kill

 

[Boundava]

salt does nothing to Malaysian livebearer snails, they are awful things to try and kill

The dog dewormer I mentioned does. Before I went MTS with tanks my heavily planted 75 gallon had a rampant infestation of mts. To the point that in the morning/evening I was netting cups full of them as the climbed the sided of the tanks. Once they were a bit thinned out I bought 8 assassin snails and it took them 6+ months to bring them to manageable levels. I do like to have some in tanks where I don't have substrate sifters, but not where the substrate moves due to their infestation.

 

[corylover5]

Thanks for the responses! I'm going to try the salt first since I have that on hand. @Colin_T I've noticed planaria as well. Will the salt kill them too?

 

[corylover5]

I've had the aquarium salt in the tank for 3 days now. I doble checked and I measured it correctly, however I noticed the Pennywort, Hygrophila, and Val in that tank are suddenly turning a clear color and melting. Is this normal from the salt? Should I do a water change to clear out some of the salt? Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

If the plants are going pale and melting they don't like the salt. A water change should stop it getting worse.

Salt doesn't kill planaria unless you get the dose rates really high and that isn't recommended unless you are flushing out a tank. Fish dewormers like Flubendazole can kill planaria but most people leave them alone unless you are breeding fish. Planaria eat fish eggs.

 

[corylover5]

If the plants are going pale and melting they don't like the salt. A water change should stop it getting worse.

Salt doesn't kill planaria unless you get the dose rates really high and that isn't recommended unless you are flushing out a tank. Fish dewormers like Flubendazole can kill planaria but most people leave them alone unless you are breeding fish. Planaria eat fish eggs.

alright thanks! Will Planaria harm shrimp?