# Shrimp dying after babies



## BBXB (Oct 7, 2012)

I am here trying to figure out what is wrong. My 3 shrimp, 2 berried had babies and two of the 3 adults died about 1 week after. Checked my water params and everything is the same? 

One thing I did notice is on my glass there are these little white things, they look like tiny white upside down daddy long legs. A tiny organism with tentacles and the body stuck on the glass that do not move, about 1-2 mm in size. That's the best way I can describe it lol. Does anyone have any idea what these are and if they are harmful to shrimp? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Google hydra & see if these are the same as what u have.


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## BBXB (Oct 7, 2012)

Yes that is what I have  I just read that they are harmful to shrimp. So what is the best way to deal with this?! Also, are they harmful to humans? Like can I just reach in and take them out using my bare hands?


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Yes they will kill both adult and baby shrimps.
Some people use different methods to kill them, including some kind of dewormer for dogs. I prefer not to put chemicals in my tanks.

IF they are on the glass and you can get to them easily, this is what I do.

I take a piece of paper towel and get as close as I can to the hydra, push it over the hydra and slowly pull the papertowel up and out of the tank, while holding it tight against the glass so the hydra can't fall down into the tank.

So far this has worked for me (only had to do this twice)

Hydra are a sign of overfeeding in your tank....don't feed your shrimps every day, just once every other day and see if you notice a difference.

Shrimps can always find stuff to eat in a tank, so they won't starve.


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## BBXB (Oct 7, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, strangely enough I don't feed my shrimp often. Must be from new plants I got


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

yep they can hitchhike on those too....once in your they can reproduce fast, so try to eliminate them asap. Good luck.


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## Shrimp Daddy (Mar 30, 2013)

BBXB said:


> Thanks for the replies, strangely enough I don't feed my shrimp often. Must be from new plants I got


If you dont feed yor shrimp they can die from starvation. Keep clean so you dont get these problems.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Some females also die after birthing from stress, so that could also be your problem. I feed my shrimps every other day and vary the food, only a small amount once at a time that they can clean up quickly. Barley straw pellets is a good thing to have too, as they eat this, but what is left over is also good for the tank.

Try to get rid of those hydra asap, it will help your shrimps survive better.


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## supershrimp (Dec 29, 2011)

I have used no planeria in the past, works 100% on hydra. Not one shrimp hurt or killed. If you smush or miss parts of the bodies the hydra will reproduce from random body parts. Best to use something like no planeria IMHO. 

And make sure you clean plants very well, that's how we get most of these nasty bugs in our tanks.

Lesson learned, I have a seperate tank now to treat all plants before they go in my shrimp tanks. Never had a problem after starting this.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Whatever you do, do not crush the hydra ! They can regenerate each broken part into a new hydra and they are effectively immortal as well. They continuously produce new cells, so it appears they do not age, and are studied a lot because of this property they have. 

You can also try using a siphon to suck them out.. not fast but it will work.


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## mr_bako (Dec 23, 2010)

*hydras*



bettaforu said:


> Yes they will kill both adult and baby shrimps.
> Some people use different methods to kill them, including some kind of dewormer for dogs. I prefer not to put chemicals in my tanks.
> 
> IF they are on the glass and you can get to them easily, this is what I do.
> ...


I disagree, i've seen adult shrimps walk over hydras and not have any problems. Even semi-adults are not threatened by hydras.

Althought baby shrimplets will get eaten for sure. They are just too weak to dart away once tagged by the hydras.

Also, hydras come from dirty plants, or wood from other tanks. They are usually added into your own tank by accident. You can prevent this next time by soaking your plants in No-planaria to kill off any planaria or hydras hiding in new plants you just bought or someone gave you.

I ALWAYS, ALWAYS. Cannot stress this ALWAYS wash you plants before adding them to your shrimp tanks. Last thing you want is all your berried shrimp having to go through a planaria infestation or hydras and having to dose the whole tank with something or completely having to reset the tank.

Instead of sticking your hand into the tank, just use an airline to siphon the hydra out if you only have two or three. But if you have a lot, either No-Planaria will work, or you can use Febendazole (AKA PANACUR)


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I've treated them with fenbendazole with good results and no ill effect on shrimps. I tried spixi snails, it worked in most cases but in one case the shrimps started to die after the introduction. I suspect a lot of things but none should cause you not to use this method. Mind you though it is slower and not as effective as dosing fenbendazole or other proven meds, but if you are a naturalist then it is a good way to control hydras.

Nowadays I don't really care about them too much unless I see the number really multiplies fast, or if they change colour, especially if they turn pinkish (I suspect that means they just ate some CRS babies).


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Maybe I'm nitpicking a bit, but has anyone observed a hydra actually consuming a baby shrimp ? 

I ask this because the hydra is a very small predator, with a mouth so extremely tiny, you would need a microscope just to see it. They typically eat much smaller prey items than shrimp babies, such as copepods and other similar sized creatures. Perhaps newly born shrimp are small enough to be eaten, but has anyone ever observed a hydra in the act of eating a shrimp baby ?

They absolutely do kill with their stinging tentacles, there's no question about that, but it's mainly an instinctive reaction, I think. If anything moves within reach of a tentacle, they sting and as they do so, also attempt to wrap the tentacle around whatever they've stung, to draw it to the mouth, which is at the central base of the tentacle cluster.

Either way, any shrimplet that is stung is still likely going to die, but it would be interesting if someone has personally observed hydra eating baby shrimp. I've read a number of posts/comments, etc., on various forums and sites, describing incidents where shrimplets were stung and killed, but have never seen one that describes the hydra consuming said shrimp.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I have never witnessed a hydra eating a shrimplet, but I've seen them turn pinkish, I can't think of any other thing in the tank make them pink other than baby crystal red.


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## mr_bako (Dec 23, 2010)

randy said:


> I have never witnessed a hydra eating a shrimplet, but I've seen them turn pinkish, I can't think of any other thing in the tank make them pink other than baby crystal red.


I've seen hydras eat cyclops and nematodes also!


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## hockiumguru (Sep 16, 2012)

I've lost several OEBT shrimp lately to Planaria, just the other day I watched (with horror) as an adult female was overwhelmed by one that seemed to crawl itself inside her stomach. She appeared to convulse briefly afterwards, then died.

I have looked into Fenbendazole, but can't seem to find where to buy it in Canada. Anyone who used it for eliminating Planaria know where I can pick some up?


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## mr_bako (Dec 23, 2010)

*Planaria*



hockiumguru said:


> I've lost several OEBT shrimp lately to Planaria, just the other day I watched (with horror) as an adult female was overwhelmed by one that seemed to crawl itself inside her stomach. She appeared to convulse briefly afterwards, then died.
> 
> I have looked into Fenbendazole, but can't seem to find where to buy it in Canada. Anyone who used it for eliminating Planaria know where I can pick some up?


I have some no planaria that can help you.


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## hockiumguru (Sep 16, 2012)

mr_bako said:


> I have some no planaria that can help you.


great! how much?


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## mr_bako (Dec 23, 2010)

*No planaria*



hockiumguru said:


> great! how much?


I don't have many bags left

It's 23.99ea bag.

You can see on my website shrimpfever.com


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