Hydra In My Shrimp Tank :(

[Peppy_11]

Hi Guys, I have been having approx 1-2 shrimp/shrimplets per month die for quite a while now and couldnt work out why as my perameters are spot on. While out shopping yesterday, i purchased some new brighter lights for my tank and when i got home, proceeded to remove all my frogbit and install the new lights. Later in the arvo, i went to check on them and spotted . . . a hydra :( then 2 then 3 and more :,(

Has anyone had experience with these? I have been syphoning them out with an airline, could this work? I would rather try extraction before putting chemicals in my tank. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Heavyd]

I have had them before. I tried doing water changes to get rid of them, but it didnt really work. I ended up doing a half dose of 'No Planaria' in the tank and that was the last I saw of them.

[BlueBolts]

Recently, I've found planaria for the 1st time, and used hydro peroxide (50%), and with a pipette squirted directly on them....they squirmed and fell off, and have not seen any since !! Peroxide at controlled and tiny applications is not harmful and used to control algae. Unsure of the extend of the hydra issue, but perhaps worth a try ?

[Dean]

I use to use peroxide to treat hydra, planeria & snails. This works great if it's used in moderation and correctly.

BUT having many tanks I am now able to try many things.

I had a tank without shrimp in it but setup and running as normal. Put a dozen hydra in the tank that I collected from other tanks with a airline syphen. I then left them for about 8 weeks to let them multiply to big numbers. The tank was full of them. I then introduced 10 berried CRS to the tank to observe wether they are really a problem like people seen to think.

After about 2 weeks and just before the first of the berried CRS was about to drop, I noticed that 90% of the hydra were no longer there. Then after the CRS dropped I spent hours watching the tank waiting for a babie to go near a hydra. When it did the babie got caught in the tenticals and struggled a little and was free. The babie was about 3-4mm, it then just went about it's business like nothing was wrong and lived.

I then noticed that some of the berried females yet to drop were actually picking at some of the tensing hydra and

Actually eating them! In this tank there was very little commercial food used. Maybe fed once every 3 days at most.

In the other tank with the same amour of berried shrimp that were fed everyday, they didn't touch the hydra and the hydra population continues to grow, but most importantly I am yet to see them kill a shrimplet!!!

So my conclusion through many hrs of carful observation is that the shrimp will actual keep the hydra in check as long as there is not over feeding acuring. Hydra naturally eat microscopic creatures.

Just my observation ;)

[Peppy_11]

Very good read thanks Dean. But these hydra are the only reasonable explanation to my random deaths. When looking on the net quite a few people say they are harmful, but few say they have actually seen one harm shrimp. I was really hoping that this dicovery of hydra was the reason behind my losses :(

[Sprae]

I've found the similar myths around planaria as well. I have a controlled but small number of planaria in my tank but I have yet seen any deaths directly cause by them. I'd trust Dean around his vast experience.

Peppy_11, remember there can be many reasons for shrimp deaths and hydras in your tank may not be the cause.

[Dean]

Sometimes shrimp do just die ;) many many many many

Many many many many many reasons that sometimes we never figure out.

This thread did get me thinking about this again and I'm going to do a few more enquireies on the matter

Over next few days.

One thing I forgot to test/try was if the hydra tenticals have an effect on freshly molted shrimplets!

I only ever tried putting them in the hydra with hard shell.

Will get back when I have some more info

[Peppy_11]

Thankyou so much dean. My shrimp all moult well, ive had a few berried die, but that again could just be a coinsidence. It just seems the most logical explanation seeing as the deaths are crs, cbs, goldens, ninjas and ycs?? Only a parasite would kill all these random shrimp with near perfect stable water perameters.

[fishmosy]

I've found the similar myths around planaria as well. I have a controlled but small number of planaria in my tank but I have yet seen any deaths directly cause by them. I'd trust Dean around his vast experience.

Peppy_11' date=' remember there can be many reasons for shrimp deaths and hydras in your tank may not be the cause.[/quote']

It all depends on the type/species of planaria. Some do get bigger than others and are highly predatory, whilst others eat only detritus. Just because you have planaria doesn't mean they are eating your shrimp. I see them more as a sign of overfeeding which may lead to water quality issues. So there may be a correlation between planaria and shrimp deaths/ lack of breeding that doesn't involve the planaria eating your shrimp.

As for the hydra, I've similarly yet to see a death from any. However, hydra are relatives of cnidaria, the group containing corals, anemones and jellyfish amongst others, and possess stinging cells. Could the toxins from these stings take a toll on the shrimp? Possibly, particularly, as Dean pointed out,when newly moulted when they don't have a hard protective shell.

My feeling is better safe than sorry, so I'd remove them just to sure.

[Sprae]

Hi fishmosy, I don't actually know that there were different planaria type/species. I can't seem find any resource around the differences in species of planarian.

I definitely agree about planaria being a good indicator of overfeeding, so much so that I'm using them to change my feeding routines. I've tried feeding from once a week to daily and planaria growth will alert me to slow down again.

[fishmosy]

Try google using "predatory aquatic planaria". There are a couple of papers that come up describing the effectiveness of planaria in killing mosquitos. It may be difficult to find a resource on identifying different types of planaria as I'm not too certain that this group has been well taxinomically researched. I think research has more focused on evolutionary development, behaviour and cellular biology.

I've also found an article that mentions the work of Tim Henshaw in suggesting that (all?) planaria carry a toxin on their surface that can harm shrimp. As I haven't found the original work on this, I'm a little cautious about saying that this may cause shrimp deaths just yet. I'll keep digging and if I find the work, I'll post it up.

As you said Sprae, I think the link between planaria and shrimp deaths has more to do with overfeeding than predation, the planaria being an indicator rather than cause.

[Eshrimp]

I just recently have battled a HUGE hydra infestation in one of my Ram fry grow out tanks and horse wormer medication took care of it in less than 48hrs without any side effects with on 14day old fry. If you need more info let me know.

[Triggs]

I took care of a Planaria infestation in my 20L using "No Planaria" The stuff worked a treat, No loss of shrimp. After 3 days there were no signs of planaria and they've never returned 6+ months later.

[fzha8447]

I had them before in my planted shrimp tank. tried manual removal. I increased CO2 dosage, then went for holiday around 10 days. came back they are all gone. not sure if co2 will help to keep them in check.

[Peppy_11]

Horse wormer for Hydra? Really? Couldnt be more perfect. I show horses and have bulk wormers :) Do you think it will kill shrimp?

[Eshrimp]

Horse wormer for Hydra? Really? Couldnt be more perfect. I show horses and have bulk wormers :) Do you think it will kill shrimp?

Yes it should be fine for shrimp, I actually got the idea from a planted/CRS forum and went full on scientific on researching it. Ferbendazole is the active ingredient used in some of these wormers BUT in mammals ferbendazole is converted in the liver to Oxfendazole which is a tubular cell wall inhibitor (stops the cellular wall from ATP absorption and replication).

Hygdras cellular walls are basically full of these type of cells, so what I did was to find a wormer where the active ingredient is actually Oxfendazole (AMMO brand) and vuala basically instant death of the hydra and my plants and baby baby fry in that tank had no effects what so ever.